The average NBA player stands around 6ft 7in, but the league's tallest and shortest players sit at opposite extremes. In 2026/27, the gap between them is almost 20 inches, which is wider than most fans would expect. That is the difference between a player who looms over the rim and one who has to rely on speed, timing and nerve to get a shot off over a defender's outstretched arm.

Both titles have changed hands since last season, with this year's tallest player standing at 7ft 6in, two inches taller than Victor Wembanyama and just an inch short of the NBA's all-time record, shared by Gheorghe Muresan and Manute Bol at 7ft 7in. At the other end of the scale, three players share the title as the league's shortest at 5ft 11in, giving up over a foot and a half to the tallest man in the NBA this season. To put that into perspective, the shortest player in league history, Muggsy Bogues, stood at 5ft 3in and once played alongside Bol, a teammate 28 inches taller than him.

Height alone doesn't decide who makes it in the NBA, and both lists show it. At one end are the guards who rely on speed, ball-handing and court vision to survive against much bigger opponents. At the other are centers whose size changes how their team attacks the rim. We start with the league's smallest players, before working our way up to the giants.

All heights below are the listed figures on official NBA team rosters.

Shortest NBA Players in 2026/27

Only three players on NBA rosters this season are listed under 6ft, and all three stand at 5ft 11in. Just above them, seven guards measure exactly 6ft. Among them are Miami's starting point guard Davion Mitchell, Houston's Fred VanVleet and Jose Alvarado, who played a key role in the New York Knicks' 2026 title run.

Last season's shortest player, Yuki Kawamura (5ft 7in), was cut by the LA Clippers in preseason, so the title is now shared three ways. San Antonio's Jordan McLaughlin is the veteran of the group, a backup point guard known for rarely turning the ball over. Ryan Nembhard joined the Denver Nuggets after a busy offseason, having recorded 23 assists in a single game as a Mavericks rookie.

Completing the trio is Indiana Pacers rookie Braden Smith. The point guard arrived in the NBA as the all-time leader in NCAA Division I assists, with 1,103 at Purdue. At 5ft 11in, the trio stand eight inches taller than the smallest player to ever feature in the NBA, Muggsy Bogues.

Tallest NBA Players in 2026/27

Seven-footers are nothing unusual in the NBA, with more than 40 players listed at 7ft or taller this season. Thirteen of them stand at 7ft 1in, including Rudy Gobert, Chet Holmgren and Lauri Markkanen. Kristaps Porziņģis and Donovan Clingan measure 7ft 2in.

Minnesota's Rocco Zikarsky, the tallest player in the 2025 draft, stands 7ft 3in, as does Thunder rookie Aday Mara, the 12th pick after winning a national title with Michigan. Above them are Memphis center Zach Edey and Spurs' Victor Wembanyama, both at 7ft 4in. Wembanyama averaged 25 points, 11.5 rebounds and 3.1 blocks in 2025/26 as he led the Spurs to the NBA finals, where they lost out to the New York Knicks.

Neither is the tallest player in the league, though. That honor belongs to Tacko Fall, who stands at 7ft 6in. The Senegalese center became a fan favorite with the Boston Celtics, before spending several seasons playing in China and New Zealand. He has since earned a two-way contract with the Philadelphia 76ers. Only Gheorghe Muresan and Manute Bol, both 7ft 7in, have been taller in NBA history.

• Shortest NBA Player in 2026/27: Braden Smith, Ryan Nembhard, Jordan McLaughlin (5ft 11in)
• Average NBA Player Height in 2026/27: 6ft 7in (200.6cm)
• Tallest NBA Player in 2026/27: Tacko Fall (7ft 6in)