The Average NBA Height 2023: What Is The Average Height Of NBA Players?

When it comes to basketball players, we think of people of admirable height. That belief has been around for a long time, and it holds in most cases. Even so, perhaps not all of us know well about the average nba height and its development. If you have the same question as Scott Fujita, this article will provide you with the right answer.

Let’s check it out!

How Tall Is The Average NBA Player?

NBA average height

The NBA average height for the 2019-20 season is 6’6”, the lowest number in the past 40 years. The last decade was the first decade in the league’s history in which player height has decreased compared to a decade earlier.

Even so, this number is still relatively high when compared to the average American male height of 5’9 1/2″. It’s almost 8 inches taller. The problem of this height reduction is primarily due to the NBA updating the height measurements of the players.

View more: NBA training camp

Starting with the 2019-20 season, NBA teams must submit their team members’ actual height numbers (excluding shoes) to their doctors. In addition, there are a few external factors that also distort the height of the player.

A specific example of such misrepresentation is word of mouth. When joking with women, Kevin Durant likes to say he’s 7 feet tall when he’s 6’9″.

Average NBA Height of Players By Position

1. Point guards

NBA average height of point guards.

In 1952, the average height in the NBA of point guards was 6′. With this height, people often see point guards as the shortest and smallest players in the league. However, over the years, that height has increased significantly. In 1987, the average NBA point guard height was 6’3″.

The tallest point guard is historically Magic Johnson. He is 6’9″. This height is not too suitable for the position that Magic Johnson held at the time. 

Muggsey Bogues is the shortest of the NBA’s point guards. He’s only 5’3″. People do not use height to judge the ability of point guards. Instead, they believe in the basketball IQ and playmaking skills of the players. 

Over the years, there has been a significant height change to the point guard’s position. Usually, it will range from 6′ – 6’3″.

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2. Shooting guards

NBA average height of shooting guards.

In the 1950s, the heights of shooting guards and point guards were quite similar. Shooting guards are only slightly taller than point guards.

In the 1951-21 season, the average height of NBA shooting guards was 6’1.3″. From 1955 to 1957, it rose to 6’3″.

After the 1990-91 season, there was an immense growth in the height of shooting guards. Their size has reached 6’5″ and has fluctuated at this number throughout recent years.

However, there has been a change in recent years. Point guards gradually became superior to shooting guards in terms of talent, agility, and height. A good example is Simmons at 6’10”, 1 foot taller when compared to Corey Brewer.

3. Small forwards

NBA average height of small forwards.

While the name small forwards may sound a little funny, this position is essential on the court. The average height of small forwards is quite similar to the average height of NBA players. During the 1952-53 season, they were about 6’4″.

Over time, the average height of small forwards gradually increased and peaked at 6’8″ in the 2015-16 season. Right now, that number is 6’7. We can see a reasonably significant height growth in the small forwards position.

4. Power forwards

NBA average height of power forwards.

The position of power forwards has changed quite a bit since 1952. In the past, power forwards were very experienced in creating rebounds and post-ups. Perhaps that is why they are the tallest NBA players in the league.

However, now a power forward player focuses more on scoring three-pointers. Statistically, this position’s three-pointer hit rate is 327 percent higher.

In terms of the height growth of power forwards, you will not see much change. It falls on average between 6’7” to 6’11”.

The average weight of power forwards is the part that changes the most. It has lost 10 lbs in the last four years. The weight loss has improved their performance, allowing them to move more flexibly and faster.

5. Centers

NBA average height of centers.

The NBA players who play centers are the ones with the highest average height on the roster. However, when the NBA is gradually becoming perimeter-oriented, the effect of the center NBA player is no longer as significant as before.

In the 1950s, the average center height was only 6’8″. However, the number started to increase to 6’11 gradually”. The average height of center players in the NBA peaked in 1995-96 at 6’11.9″.

Some of the players who play this position are incredibly tall. We can cite a few examples such as Yao Ming, Shawn Bradley, Boban Marjanovic, or Gheorghe Muresan. They have a giant height of over 7′.

The average weight of centers is also increasing over time. It had a run from 1996 to 2004 with 229 pounds.

Have NBA Players Always Been That Tall?

Average basketball player height.

Because of the nature of the game, basketball players will be taller than ordinary people. Although training plays an important part, genetics is the key to the height of NBA players.

If they have had an unprecedented height from a young age and showed interest in basketball, they will inevitably appear on the court. Such people will often have brilliant achievements later.

Therefore, the nature of NBA players is that they must have a standard height. To learn more about the height growth of NBA players, you can watch this video.

In tournament history, the average heights of players have also varied. From 1952 until now, there has been an increase of about 3 inches in the average player height. Thanks to the continuous improvement of their training and nutrition regimes, it is understandable that they will get taller over time.

After that, the height of players continued to increase until it peaked in 1987 at 6’7″. This number has not changed much in recent years. The main reason is probably because of the change in the NBA’s measurement.

While the average height hasn’t changed much since 1987, the average weight of all positions has increased. The peak of the average weight was in 2011 when they reached 221 lbs. This number shows us the growing trend of NBA players in favor of strength, muscle, and sport.

However, the trend has changed as basketball gradually becomes a perimeter-oriented game with a faster pace. So players are starting to lose weight compared to 2011.

Final Words

The average NBA player height is currently flat at 6’7″. This number is still quite large compared to the average height of an ordinary citizen. In the NBA, however, it says more than that.

The focus on NBA players is no longer just about height. Instead, attention has been paid to other aspects such as control of the game or basketball mindset. Depending on the location, the requirements will vary.

Because of these new surprises and changes that the NBA in particular and the basketball game in general always make us feel excited to watch.