MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - APRIL 02: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks is defended by Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers during the first half of a game at Fiserv Forum on April 02, 2023 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
The best NBA players by height for the 2023-24 season
Below is a list of the best NBA players by height entering the 2023-2024 season. Height listings are always a little suspect, but these are the official measurements from NBA.com, so yell at them if you disagree. Stats are points/rebounds/assists from the 2022-2023 season.
The best NBA players by height for the 2023-24 season
5’9″ – Jacob Gilyard, Grizzlies | 3.0 / 4.0 / 7.0 | Gilyard is on a two-way contract with the Grizzlies. He was the shortest player to appear in the NBA last season (he played in exactly one game, the season finale). If he appears this season, he will likely retain that crown. Gilyard is a ballhawk, and he was an All-Defensive player in college.
5’10” –N/A | Facundo Campazzo was the only 5’10” player to appear in the NBA in the 2022-23 season, and he has since signed with Real Madrid.
5’11” – N/A | Only two 5’11” players logged NBA minutes last year, and neither is rostered on a team as of this writing. McKinley Wright IV went overseas, and Kennedy Chandler is still hoping to catch on somewhere.
6’0″ – Fred VanVleet | 19.3 / 4.1 / 7.2 | For the first time in a long time, Chris Paul loses this spot. VanVleet, who recently inked a nine-figure deal with Houston, is a bulldog defender and long-range sniper.
6’1″ – Donovan Mitchell | 28.3 / 4.3 / 4.4 | We’re starting to have some tough competition, as Trae Young and teammate Darius Garland also all stand at 6’1″. Many people might prefer Trae’s meticulous passing, but Mitchell’s increased defensive activity and stronger finishing ability make him a better all-around player.
6’2″ – Steph Curry | 29.4 / 6.1 / 6.3 | Curry was an MVP candidate for much of last season, and at 35 years old, had one of the best seasons of his career. Apologies to the many talented 74-inches, but Curry reigns supreme yet again.
6’3″ – De’Aaron Fox | 25.0 / 4.2 / 6.1 | Ja Morant was downgraded on NBA.com to 6’2″ last year, making this an easier call. Fox may have earned the distinction anyway, earning the NBA’s inaugural Clutch Player of the Year trophy and leading the Kings to the postseason for the first time in a generation.
6’4″ – Anthony Edwards | 24.6 / 5.8 / 4.4 | In just three seasons, Anthony Edwards has become a bonafide monster. An All-Star despite the crowded West guard cohort, Edwards will be looking to leap into down-ballot MVP contention this season as he leads Minnesota into what could be a major bounce-back year.
6’5″ –Devin Booker | 27.8 / 4.5 / 5.5 | Booker has become a true-blue superstar and playoff monster by continually fine-tuning the weaknesses of his game. He’s become a capable defender, strong passer, and outrageously elite midrange marksman. In the postseason, he was the best player on last year’s Suns, a team with Kevin Durant on the roster. Think about that.
6’6″ – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | 31.4 / 4.8 / 5.5 | Just 24 years old, Shai emerged as a First Team All-NBAer last year. Shai lives at the free throw line (no gimmicks here!) and scores oodles of points with savvy off-ball movement and jagged drives, a modernized throwback to the 2000s. His improved defensive playmaking is a nice bonus.
6’7″ – Luka Doncic | 32.4 / 8.6 / 8.0 | Jimmy Butler makes a strong two-way case after yet another potent playoff run, but Luka’s offensive brilliance keeps him slightly ahead. An MVP feels like an inevitability, but Luka’s conditioning — and the Mavs’ record — will have something to say about the timing of such an award.
6’8″ – Jayson Tatum | 30.1 / 8.8 / 4.6 | Tatum is knocking on the door of being a top-five player in the league, and although he doesn’t have a ring yet, it shouldn’t be discounted that he’s driven the bus on deep playoff runs nearly every year. (Also, rumors have it that Tatum is closer to 6’10” now, which doesn’t hurt his production).
6’9″ – LeBron James | 28.9 / 8.3 / 6.8 | Age is finally catching up to LeBron, and it’s taken such a horrific toll that LeBron is now “only” a top-10-ish player in the league. Bam Adebayo or a younger player may take this crown some year, but not today, Father Time!
6’10” – Kevin Durant | 29.1 / 6.7 / 5.0 | Perhaps no other player in league history has made scoring look as easy as the Slim Reaper, and he’s become more efficient as he’s gotten older. At this rate, he might have a 50/50/95 percent shooting season in him when he hits 40 years old.
6’11” – Nikola Jokic | 24.5 / 11.8 / 9.8 | Fierce battle between Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo, but Jokic is fresh off a dominating playoff run that culminated in a championship. He is the best passer in the league, the most efficient scorer, and one of the best screeners and rebounders. He can more than hold his own on defense (just ask the Miami Heat). There isn’t anyone else you’d rather have on your team today.
7’0″ – Giannis Antetokounmpo | 31.1 / 11.8 / 5.7 | Embiid’s shiny new MVP trophy makes this an extraordinarily difficult decision, but Giannis is, at worst, a top-three player in the league. Even though an injury contributed to a poor postseason, we’re not far removed from Giannis dropping 50 in a game-clinching Finals victory.
7’1″ – Domantas Sabonis | 19.1 / 12.3 / 7.3 | Yes, I’m as surprised as you are that Sabonis is listed at 7’1″, but here we are. The big man becomes the second King on this list, and his bruising offense and voracious rebounding opened eyes around the league. He even received some down-ballot MVP votes!
7’2″ – Bol Bol | 9.1 / 5.9 / 1.0 | Maybe you prefer Luke Kornet and his famous “Kornet Kontests,” but even for all his flaws, Bol had a more impactful season. He’s certainly no Wembanyama, but there are still very few players his size with his offensive abilities.
7’3″ – Kristaps Porzingis | 23.2 / 8.4 / 2.7 | The only 7’3″ player in the league last season did not earn this spot by default. Porzingis had arguably the best season of his impressive career, playing All-Defensive caliber defense, becoming one of the most efficient post players in the league, and splashing from deep.
7’4″ – Victor Wembanyama | N/A | – He’s just a rookie with nary an NBA minute to his name, but I feel very confident that Wembanyama will be the best (and likely only) 7’4″ player in the league for 2023-24.
