Basketball is a sport full of players taller than the average person, which means that some of the tallest players in history have played in the NBA.
Few players in the league have surpassed 7-feet tall, but even those at 7-foot-1 and 7-foot-2 aren't among the tallest of the tall. That's because there are 16 players in NBA history who played in an NBA game while standing at 7-foot-4 or taller.
Here's a look at the 16 tallest players in NBA history.
Gheorghe Muresan, 7-foot-7 (1993-2000)
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Teams:
- Washington Bullets, 1993-1998
- New Jersey Nets, 1998-2000
Notable career stats: 21.9 MPG, 57.3 FG%, 6.4 RPG
At 7-foot-7, Gheorghe Muresan was one of the two tallest players in NBA history. The Romanian played in Europe initially before jumping to the NBA, where he played six seasons before heading back to Europe.
Muresan's best season came in 1995-96 when he won the Most Improved Player award by averaging a career-high 14.5 points and 9.6 rebounds per game.
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Manute Bol, 7-foot-7 (1985-1994)
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Teams:
- Washington Bullets: 1985-1988, 1994
- Golden State Warriors: 1988-1990, 1994-1995
- Philadelphia 76ers: 1990-1993
- Miami Heat: 1993-1994
Notable career stats: 18.7 MPG, 4.2 RPG, 3.3 BPG
Manute Bol also played in the NBA at 7-foot-7, which was the tallest in the league before Gheorghe Muresan came along. He was mostly known for his defensive prowess as a center for a decade, as he led the league in blocks twice in his career.
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Shawn Bradley, 7-foot-6 (1993-2005)
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Teams:
- Philadelphia 76ers: 1993-1996
- New Jersey Nets: 1995-1997
- Dallas Mavericks: 1997-2005
Notable career stats: 23.5 MPG, 8.1 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 2.5 BPG
Shawn Bradley played 12 years in the NBA as a quality center, mainly known for his time with the Dallas Mavericks. At 7-foot-6, Bradley played at least 28 minutes per game in his first six seasons and was one of the most effective players on this list. While Bradley was a solid player, he was drafted second overall in 1993, ahead of Anfernee Hardaway and Jamal Mashburn, so he never lived up to what many saw as his true potential.
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Tacko Fall, 7-foot-6 (2019-2022)
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Teams:
- Boston Celtics: 2019-2021
- Cleveland Cavaliers: 2021-2022
Notable career stats: 6.2 MPG, 2.2 PPG, 2.4 RPG
Tacko Fall, who was born in Senegal, gained notoriety in college as one of the best players on a University of Central Florida team that made the NCAA Tournament. However, he was just a depth player in the NBA, albeit a fan favorite for the Boston Celtics. Since 2022, Fall has been playing basketball in the Chinese Basketball Association.
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Yao Ming, 7-foot-6 (2003-2011)
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Teams:
- Houston Rockets: 2003-2011
Notable career stats:8x AS, 32.5 MPG, 19.0 PPG, 9.2 RPG
The Rockets took Yao Ming with the first overall pick in 2003, and he went on to become one of the best players in the league during his prime. Ming made eight All-Star games while averaging over 20 points per game three times, but his career was cut short due to injuries as he retired at the age of 30.
In 2016, Ming was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
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Victor Wembanyama, 7-foot-5 (2023-present)
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Teams:
- San Antonio Spurs: (2023-present)
Notable career stats: 2023-24 ROY, 22.5 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 3.7 BPG
Victor Wembanyama's skillset at his size is impressive, as he instantly became one of the best players in the league as a rookie. He won the Rookie of the Year award in 2023-24 and was a defensive stalwart, as he led the league in blocks in his first two seasons.
MORE: Where does Victor Wembanyama rank among top 30 players for 2025-26
Sim Bhullar, 7-foot-5 (2015)
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Teams:
- Sacramento Kings: 2015
Notable career stats: 3 Games, 2 Points, 1 Rebound, 1 Block
Sim Bhullar played college at New Mexico State from 2012-2014, totaling 65 games over the course of the two years. He went undrafted in 2014, making a brief NBA appearance with the Sacramento Kings in 2015. Bhullar has since played in the G League, the Chinese Basketball League and multiple leagues in Taiwan.
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Chuck Nevitt, 7-foot-5 (1983-1993)
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Teams:
- Houston Rockets: 1983
- Los Angeles Lakers: 1984-1985
- Detroit Pistons: 1985-1988
- Chicago Bulls: 1991
- San Antonio Spurs: 1993
Notable career stats: 155 Games, 1.6 PPG, 1.5 RPG
After a four-year college career at NC State, Chuck Nevitt bounced around the NBA as a backup center. He played 40 games in a season twice and only played at least 10 minutes per game once, which came in his six-game rookie season with the Houston Rockets.
When he wasn't in the NBA, Nevitt played on several teams in the Continental Basketball Association.
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Pavel Podkolzin, 7-foot-5 (2004-2006)
Albert Pena/Icon SMI/Icon Sport Media
Teams:
- Dallas Mavericks: 2004-2006
Notable career stats: 6 Games, 4 Points, 9 Rebounds
Pavel Podkolzin was a Utah Jazz first-round pick in 2004, but he played just six games in the NBA with the Dallas Mavericks over two years. Since, Podkolzin has spent his basketball career overseas, mainly in Russia, and he has recently played soccer there as well.
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Slavko Vranes, 7-foot-5 (2004)
Ulf Duda/Euroleague Basketball
Teams:
- Portland Trail Blazers: 2004
Notable career stats: 1 Game, 2 Points
Slavko Vranes was drafted in the second round by the New York Knicks in 2003, but he played just one game in the NBA. That came with the Portland Trail Blazers in 2004, as he played three minutes and scored two points.
From Montenegro, Vranes has since had a successful career overseas, playing all over Europe and Asia.
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Zach Edey, 7-foot-4 (2024-present)
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Teams:
- Memphis Grizzlies: 2024-present
Notable career stats: 21.5 MPG, 9.2 PPG, 8.3 RPG
Zach Edey was a star at Purdue, and that college career helped him become a Memphis Grizzlies first-round pick in 2025. As a rookie, Edey played in 66 games, starting 55 of them, and he finished in the top five in Rookie-of-the-Year voting.
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Priest Lauderdale, 7-foot-4 (1996-1998)
STEVEN R. SCHAEFER/AFP
Teams:
- Atlanta Hawks: 1996-1997
- Denver Nuggets: 1997-1998
Notable career stats:74 Games, 3.4 PPG, 1.9 RPG
Priest Lauderdale played college basketball at Central State and was a first-round pick in 1996 by the Atlanta Hawks. He played one year in Atlanta and another with the Denver Nuggets as a backup center, but he has since bounced around the world to play basketball in many different leagues and countries.
Boban Marjanović, 7-foot-4, (2015-2024)
Teams:
- San Antonio Spurs: 2015-2016
- Detroit Pistons: 2016-2018
- Los Angeles Clippers: 2018-2019
- Philadelphia 76ers: 2019
- Dallas Mavericks: 2019-2022
- Houston Rockets: 2022-2024
Notable career stats: 8.7 MPG, 5.5 PPG, 3.4 RPG
Boban Marjanovic was a fan favorite across the league for a decade in the NBA, filling the role as a backup center for several teams. The Serbian has played basketball overseas while also finding movie roles, potentially foreshadowing a future career in Hollywood after a popular cameo in Happy Gilmore 2.
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Mark Eaton, 7-foot-4 (1983-1993 )
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Teams:
- Utah Jazz: 1983-1993
Notable career stats: 2x DPOY, 28.8 MPG, 7.9 PG, 3.5 BPG
Mark Eaton spent his entire career with the Utah Jazz and had a successful career, playing in 874 games over 11 years. He led the league in blocks per game four times and retired with the all-time record for blocks per game at 3.5.
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Rik Smits, 7-foot-4 (1988-2000)
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Teams:
- Indiana Pacers: 1988-2000
Notable career stats:26.6 MPG, 14.8 PPG, 6.1 RPG
Rik Smits was a consistent starter for the Indiana Pacers for 12 years, starting 792 of 867 games for the team. The "Dunking Dutchman" made one All-Star game and was an important piece for the 1990s Pacers, which was one of the best teams in the league during the decade.
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Ralph Sampson, 7-foot-4, (1983-1992)
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Teams:
- Houston Rockets: 1983-1987
- Golden State Warriors: 1987-1989
- Sacramento Kings: 1989-1991
- Washington Bullets: 1991-1992
Notable career stats: 1983-1984 ROY, 4x AS, 15.4 PPG, 8.8 RPG
Ralph Sampson parlayed a successful college career at Virginia into a nine-year NBA career, which included winning the Rookie of the Year award in 1983-1984. He averaged over 20 points per game in each of his first two seasons and made four-straight All-Star games to begin his career, but injury issues cut his career short.
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