Tallest Women in Basketball Today (2026)
Zhang Ziyu of China is the tallest woman in basketball today. The 19-year-old center is listed at 7’3″ to 7’4″ (2.20 to 2.23 meters), depending on the source, and plays for Shandong in China’s WCBA and for the Chinese national team. Only one other active player is listed at 7 feet or taller: Stephanie Okechukwu, a 7’1″ center at Texas Tech. This page ranks the 12 tallest active players we could verify, from the WNBA, overseas leagues and college.
Tallest women in basketball at a glance
| Tallest active player | Zhang Ziyu, China, 7’3″ to 7’4″ |
|---|---|
| Active players at 7 feet or taller | 2: Zhang Ziyu and Stephanie Okechukwu |
| Tallest in the WNBA | Han Xu, New York Liberty, 6’9″ to 6’11” |
| Tallest in US college basketball | Stephanie Okechukwu, Texas Tech, 7’1″ |
| Tallest in WNBA history | Margo Dydek, 7’2″ |
| Players listed | 12 |
| Last checked | 9 October 2026 |
The 12 tallest women in basketball today
Heights for women’s players vary more between sources than for men, so we show the range where sources disagree. Everyone listed is 6’7″ (2.01 m) or taller.
| # | Player | Height | Born | Country | Team in 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zhang Ziyu | 7’3″ to 7’4″ | 2007 | China | Shandong Six Stars (WCBA) |
| 2 | Stephanie Okechukwu | 7’1″ | 2005 | Nigeria | Texas Tech (NCAA) |
| 3 | Bernadett Hatar | 6’10” | 1994 | Hungary | Elitzur Ramla (Israel), not confirmed for 2026-27 |
| 4 | Han Xu | 6’9″ to 6’11” | 1999 | China | New York Liberty (WNBA); Geelong (WNBL) |
| 5 | Brittney Griner | 6’8″ to 6’9″ | 1990 | United States | Connecticut Sun (WNBA) |
| 6 | Liz Cambage | 6’8″ to 6’9″ | 1991 | Australia | Sichuan (WCBA) in 2025-26, status not confirmed |
| 7 | Li Yueru | 6’7″ | 1999 | China | Dallas Wings (WNBA) |
| 8 | Kamilla Cardoso | 6’7″ | 2001 | Brazil | Chicago Sky (WNBA) |
| 9 | Lauren Betts | 6’7″ | 2003 | United States | Washington Mystics (WNBA); Fenerbahce |
| 10 | Teaira McCowan | 6’7″ | 1996 | United States and Turkey | Minnesota Lynx (WNBA); Fenerbahce |
| 11 | Kalani Brown | 6’7″ | 1997 | United States | Phoenix Mercury (WNBA), not confirmed for 2026 |
| 12 | Imani McGee-Stafford | 6’7″ | 1994 | Puerto Rico | Monarcas de Juana Diaz (Puerto Rico) |
All 12 are centers. The six players at 6’7″ are listed in no particular order.
1. Zhang Ziyu, China
FIBA has listed Zhang at both 2.20 m and 2.23 m; the Associated Press uses 7’3″. Either way she is the tallest player in the women’s game, and FIBA’s own list of the tallest women’s players of all time puts her first.
- Youth career: Most Valuable Player of the 2024 FIBA U18 Asia Cup, where she scored 44 points in one game against Japan.
- Professional debut: 4 January 2026, with 15 points and 6 rebounds in 12 minutes.
- Senior national team: bronze at the 2025 Asia Cup, averaging 14.8 points and 5.5 rebounds.
- 2026 World Cup: 13 points and two blocks against the United States in her tournament debut, as the AP reported, and 13 more in a win over Puerto Rico. China lost its quarterfinal to France 90-61 on 10 September and finished seventh.
She becomes eligible for the WNBA draft in 2027. Read our full Zhang Ziyu profile.
2. Stephanie Okechukwu, Texas Tech
Okechukwu, a Nigerian center who played high school basketball in Japan, is listed at 7’1″ (216 cm) by Texas Tech, and she is billed as the tallest player in the history of NCAA women’s basketball. She did not play in 2025-26 because of eligibility paperwork. Texas Tech lists her on its 2026-27 roster; we could not confirm that she has been cleared to play.
The tallest player in the WNBA
Han Xu of the New York Liberty is the tallest active WNBA player. Her listed height runs from 6’9″ at FIBA to 6’11” elsewhere. She was the 14th pick in the 2019 draft, won a silver medal with China at the 2022 World Cup and had 21 points and 11 rebounds against Puerto Rico at the 2026 World Cup. Brittney Griner, the No. 1 pick in 2013 and a three-time Olympic gold medalist, is next at 6’9″. She signed with the Connecticut Sun in April 2026.
The league also has a group of 6’7″ centers: Kamilla Cardoso, Teaira McCowan, Li Yueru and Lauren Betts, who was the fourth pick in the 2026 draft after leading UCLA to the national title.
The tallest women ever to play professional basketball
| Player | Height | Country | Era |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zhang Ziyu | 7’3″ (2.20 m) | China | Active |
| Margo Dydek | 7’2″ (2.18 m) | Poland | WNBA, 1998 to 2008 |
| Chen Yuefang | 7’2″ (2.18 m) | China | 1983 World Cup, 1984 Olympics |
| Uliana Semjonova | About 7’0″ to 7’1″ | Soviet Union | 1970s and 1980s |
| Stephanie Okechukwu | 7’1″ (2.15 m) | Nigeria | Active |
The heights in this table are FIBA’s. Guinness World Records lists Dydek as the tallest player in WNBA history.
Why this list is on a site about NBA centers
Low Key NBA tracks the tallest players in basketball, and our database counts women as well as men. Zhang and Okechukwu are the only two women in it, because they are the only two listed at 7 feet or taller. For the men’s side, see the tallest high school players in America and our NBA center prospects.
Frequently asked questions
Who is the tallest woman in basketball today?
Zhang Ziyu of China. She is listed at 7’3″ (2.20 m) by the Associated Press and by one FIBA list, and at 7’4″ (2.23 m) on FIBA’s 2026 World Cup roster.
Who is the tallest player in the WNBA?
Han Xu of the New York Liberty, who is listed between 6’9″ and 6’11” depending on the source. Brittney Griner is next at 6’9″.
Who is the tallest women’s college basketball player?
Stephanie Okechukwu of Texas Tech, listed at 7’1″. She is described as the tallest player in NCAA women’s basketball history.
Who was the tallest WNBA player ever?
Margo Dydek of Poland, who was 7’2″ (2.18 m) and played in the WNBA from 1998 to 2008.
Are there any women over 7 feet tall playing basketball?
Two that we could verify: Zhang Ziyu (7’3″ to 7’4″) and Stephanie Okechukwu (7’1″).
The two women in our 7-foot database
Zhang Ziyu and Stephanie Okechukwu are listed in our database of active players at 7’0″ or taller, next to nearly 400 men from 61 countries.
Sources: FIBA, the Associated Press, Texas Tech Athletics, Guinness World Records, Yahoo Sports and Wikipedia. Team listings for Hatar, Cambage and Brown could not be confirmed for the current season. Last checked 9 October 2026.
