This article lists out all of the 7 foot NBA players who are currently playing. We’ll also discuss some of the 7 foot greats who have played in their past, as their legacy is still with us today.
We’ll also look at the NBA players who are over 7 feet tall, which is a very elite list because there really aren’t many NBA players taller than 7 feet.
Related Basketball Height Articles:
- How tall is the average NBA player?
- How tall is the tallest WNBA player?
- 6’11 NBA players
- 7’1 NBA players
- 7’2 NBA players
- 7’3 NBA players
List of all the 7 foot NBA players
Here is a list of all the 7 foot players in the NBA:
- Aleksej Pokusevski
- Alex Len
- Brook Lopez
- Chet Holmgren
- Dewayne Dedmon
- Frank Kaminsky
- Goga Bitadze
- Isaiah Hartenstein
- Ivica Zubac
- James Wiseman
- JaVale McGee
- Joel Embiid
- Mark Williams
- Mitchell Robinson
- Mohamed Bamba
- Neemias Queta
- Nick Richards
- Olivier Sarr
- Orlando Robinson
- Robin Lopez
- Udoka Azubuike
All of the players listed above are 7 feet tall exactly, and we’ll try to keep the list updated as best we can as more young 7 foot prospects make it into the NBA.
At the height of 7 feet, an NBA player is 6 inches taller than average for a basketball player. Naturally, this means that most 7-footers play center or power forward.
Of course, some NBA players under 7 foot also play center and power forward, but being in the giant category definitely gives a player some advantages when it comes to rebounding and blocking.
NBA players over 7 feet
Here is a list of all the NBA players who are over 7 feet tall:
- Boban Marjanovic
- Bol Bol
- Brook Lopez
- Christian Koloko
- Ibou Badji
- Jakob Poeltl
- Jay Huff
- John Butler
- Jon Teske
- Kristaps Porzingi
- Luke Kornet
- Moses Brown
- Rudy Gobert
- Shaquille O’Neal
- Walker Kessler
We also included some retired NBA players who are over 7 foot in this list (such as Shaquille O’Neal) because, let’s face it, when you’re one of the greatest of all time, your name deserves to be on the list.
Do 7 foot basketball players have a big advantage?
7 foot basketball players, due to their impressive height, may get more recognition over shorter players, as they could be seen as having more basketball potential.
Similarly, 7’0 NBA players don’t typically need the skill set of shorter players because they’re superior rebounders, with many (but not all) also possessing good outside shooting as well.
Reaching for the ball and blocking shots is easier when you’re tall, especially if you have good mobility and appreciable athleticism as well.
Now, while 7 feet is incredibly tall, it’s not as if being a few inches shorter makes you an inferior player. After all, most of the best NBA players are under 7 foot rather than over 7 foot.
Who are some good 7 foot forwards in the NBA?
Some good 7 foot forwards in the NBA are Chet Holmgren, Aleksej Pokusevski, and Frank Kaminsky III.
Some other 7 foot NBA centers also play power forward, but the above-noted players are power forwards or, in the case of Pokusevski, a small forward as well.
There are, of course, plenty of NBA forwards who are close to 7 foot. Still, the vast majority of 7 foot basketball players are centers.
Who are the best 7 foot centers in the NBA?
Some of the best 7 foot centers in the NBA are Joel Embiid, Michell Robinson, Brook Lopez, Mohammed Bamba, Ivica Zubac, Nick Richards, and JaVale McGee.
There are also NBA centers who are over 7 foot, namely the colossal Boban Marjanovic, Kristaps Porzingis, Rudy Gobert, Walker Kessler, and Bol Bol.
What these 7 foot NBA centers all have in common is that they really know how to impose their size on the game to gain an advantage for their team.
And yet, despite being so much bigger than the average player, many of these 7-footers are also skilled shooters, helping their team on offense as well as defense.
Is it possible to be a 7 foot point guard?
The closest we’ve come in the NBA to a 7 foot point guard are Ben Simmons and Magic Johnson. These men are 6’11 and 6’9, respectively, so pretty close to the 7 foot mark.
Now, you can have 7ft NBA players who have the skills of a point guard; that’s certainly possible.
However, due to their hulking 7 foot frame, the vast majority of 7 ft NBA players play center or power forward so that they can really put their size to good use.
After all, it’s not like you need to be 7 feet tall to be a good point guard. Heck, you can be 8 inches shorter (or more) and still be a terrific point guard, so it’s not like being as tall as possible is beneficial in the point guard position.
Are there any 7 foot female basketball players?
At 7 foot 2, Małgorzata Dydek is the only WNBA player who was over 7 feet tall, although other players like Bernadett Határ and Han Xu have come close at 6’10.
More recently, there have been worldwide reports of a 7 foot Chinese girl basketball player who’s only a teenager. Zhang Ziyu is reportedly 7’4 or 7’5, making her tall as the current tallest player in the NBA. That’s impressive for a teenage girl!
As the sport progresses, there’s a good chance that we’ll see more 7 foot female basketball players. But as it stands, it’s an extreme rarity for a WNBA player to be near the 7 foot mark.
Conclusion: Why aren’t there many 7 foot players in the NBA?
Put simply; it’s extremely rare to be 7 feet tall. And, if you are, then you’re pretty much born to be a basketball player if you have enough mobility and athleticism.
When you look at the list, though, there are probably more 7 foot NBA players than you’d have thought. At the time of writing, there are around 30 players in the NBA who are 7 foot or taller, which just shows how far extreme stature goes in the modern basketball game.
References
- Wasserman, J. B. R. (2022, November 11). Bleacher Report: Ranking top 50 prospects as college basketball tips off. NBA.com. https://www.nba.com/news/bleacher-report-ranking-top-50-prospects-as-college-basketball-tips-off
- Dorsey, J. (2017, October 3). NBA: 50 Current and Retired Players to Be Considered for Hall of Fame. Bleacher Report. https://bleacherreport.com/articles/828101-50-current-and-retired-nba-players-that-need-consideration-for-the-hall-of-fame
- Lazar, D. (2021, July 19). 7-foot-4 Chinese teenager Zhang Ziyu is getting comparisons to Yao Ming. New York Post. https://nypost.com/2021/07/16/7-foot-4-chinese-teenager-zhang-ziyu-is-getting-comparisons-to-yao-ming/