Does Height Determine Whether You’ll Be a Successful NBA Player?

BasketballApril 28, 2023

When it comes to the world of sports, certain criteria have to be met when trying to make a career out of it. For example, you have to be equipped with the best wrestling techniques to wrestle, you have to be able to lift weights when you go for professional weightlifting, and you have to have a good balance when you play golf.

There is something special about the NBA stars: Is it their amazing talent? Their good looks? Or their heights? Well, before you get the answer to that, you have to agree that anytime you see a tall person or a young child who is tall for their age, you naturally wonder if they’ll be a future NBA star. It is a common understanding that you need to be tall to make a career in basketball. Now the question is, does height matter for NBA players?

Midia/Pexels | So, what makes a successful NBA player?

Not the Height

Despite the accepted notion that only 7-foot-plus athletes can make a career in the NBA, there have been a few who have made their mark without hitting the 7-foot mark. Just like Muggsy Bogues, who served as the Charlotte Hornets’ legendary point guard, only stood 5ft 3 inches tall. Similarly, Spud Webb was only 5 foot 6 inches, but he was the Atlanta Hawks’ slam dunk contest winner.

You also have Isaiah Thomas, who has a height of 5 foot 9 inches, yet he participated in the Boston Celtics All-star. Another star whose height is 5 foot and 9 inches is Calvin Murphy, who averaged at scoring 20 points for every game in the 70s, and Earl Boykins, 5 inches and 5 ft tall, ruled the basketball court in the early 2000s.

Not the Weight

Just like height, the weight of the player isn’t important either. Why, you ask? Well, it’s because the world of basketball witnessed gems like Oliver Miller, Robert ‘Tractor’ Taylor, and Mike Sweetney, who weighed close to 300 lbs while excelling at a game that relies on agility and speed.

On the flip side, Chet Holmgren, who was only 190 lbs at 7-foot-1inch height, also came through with his performance. Reggie Miller, the NBA legend and sharpshooter, weighs 185 lbs only at the height of 6 foot and 7 inches.

Midia/Pexels | You don’t have to be at a certain height or weight to be the best

Then What Matters?

If this article teaches you anything, the only thing that matters is your dedication toward your goal. All the people mentioned above do not fit the general criteria of an NBA player, yet they managed to make their name all thanks to their hard work, motivation, and dedication to be the best. They focused on eating healthy diets while continuing their exercises to stay fit and compete in the NBA. For you, in retrospect, the possibilities are countless, and you can achieve whatever you put your mind to, even if it’s to be a professional NBA Player.