You ever see a guy who's barely five-foot-something standing next to a seven-foot giant on an NBA court? It looks like a glitch in a video game. But it’s real. People always assume basketball is a sport reserved for the skyscrapers, the guys who can change a lightbulb without a ladder. Honestly, though? Some of the most electric, heart-pounding moments in league history came from the dudes who had to look up just to see a referee’s chin.
The story of the shortest NBA players ever isn't just about a lack of height. It’s about a massive amount of "dog" in them. You don't make it to the league at 5'3" by being average. You do it by being faster, smarter, and tougher than everyone else.
The King of the Small: Muggsy Bogues
If we’re talking about the absolute peak of "short but mighty," we start and end with Tyrone “Muggsy” Bogues. He stood a mere 5'3".
Think about that for a second. That is shorter than the average American woman. Yet, Muggsy didn't just "play" in the NBA; he dominated his role for 14 seasons. He was a lottery pick! The Washington Bullets took him 12th overall in 1987. Imagine being a GM and betting a first-round pick on a guy who comes up to most players’ waistlines.
It worked.
Muggsy was a nightmare on defense. He had this low center of gravity that made him impossible to shake. He’d get right into a ball-handler’s space—basically living in their jersey—and they couldn't dribble because his hands were right there. He finished his career with over 6,000 assists and nearly 1,400 steals. He even blocked 39 shots in his career. One of those blocks was on Patrick Ewing. Yeah, the 7-foot Hall of Famer.
The Bench Press Legend: Earl Boykins
Next on the list of the shortest NBA players ever is Earl Boykins. At 5'5", he was a different kind of animal than Muggsy. While Bogues was a pass-first floor general, Boykins was a bucket.
🔗 Read more: Inter Miami vs Toronto: What Really Happened in Their Recent Clashes
The guy weighed about 135 pounds but could reportedly bench press 315. That is some "superhero origin story" strength. Because he was so strong, he didn't get bullied. He’d use that strength to carve out space and launch a jump shot that was remarkably hard to block because he was just so fast.
He once dropped 32 points in a game for the Denver Nuggets. At 5'5"! He’s the shortest player to ever score 30+ in a game. Most people his height are struggling to get a rebound in a YMCA pickup game, and Earl was out here torching elite NBA defenses.
Spud Webb and the 1986 Miracle
You can't talk about height in the NBA without mentioning Anthony "Spud" Webb. He was 5'7".
Usually, when you're 5'7", you're a "speed guy." And Spud was fast. But his real superpower was his vertical. We're talking about a 42-inch leap. In 1986, he entered the Slam Dunk Contest. Everyone thought it was a gimmick. His own teammate, Dominique Wilkins (who was 6'8" and one of the greatest dunkers ever), hadn't even seen him dunk before.
Spud won.
He didn't just win; he destroyed the competition. He was throwing down 360s and reverse strawberry jams that looked physically impossible. It changed the way people looked at "short" players forever. It proved that explosiveness isn't just for the tall.
💡 You might also like: Matthew Berry Positional Rankings: Why They Still Run the Fantasy Industry
The Pioneers and the Modern Era
We often forget the guys who paved the way when the league was still finding its feet.
- Mel Hirsch (5'6"): Played for the Boston Celtics back in the 40s. He held the record for the shortest player for over 40 years until Muggsy arrived.
- Wataru Misaka (5'7"): A huge name for reasons beyond height. He was the first non-white player in the NBA (then the BAA) in 1947.
- Yuki Kawamura (5'8"): The current torchbearer. As of the 2025-2026 season, Kawamura has been making waves with the Memphis Grizzlies. He’s proof that the "small guard" archetype isn't dead, even in an era of positionless basketball where everyone is 6'9".
Why Short Players are Actually a Tactical Advantage
It sounds weird, right? But being one of the shortest NBA players ever comes with perks.
- The "Under the Radar" Dribble: It is very hard for a 7-foot tall defender to reach down and steal the ball from someone whose waist is only two feet off the ground.
- Speed and Agility: It’s basic physics. Smaller bodies can change direction faster.
- Screen Navigation: These guys can slide through gaps in the defense that simply don't exist for larger players.
How They Survived the Giants
You might wonder how they didn't get hurt every single night. Honestly, it's about IQ. If you're 5'7" and you drive into the paint against Joel Embiid, you’re going to get sent to the front row.
Short players like Isaiah Thomas (the 5'9" version who was an MVP candidate in Boston) mastered the "high-arc" layup. They learned how to use the backboard as a shield. They developed floaters that peak at the top of the backboard so big men can't reach them.
It’s a game of angles.
When you're small, you don't play the game the giants play. You play a game of tag where they can't catch you.
📖 Related: What Time Did the Cubs Game End Today? The Truth About the Off-Season
What We Can Learn From the "Little Guys"
If there's one takeaway from looking at the history of the shortest NBA players ever, it's that "measurables" aren't everything. Scouts love wingspan and standing reach. But you can't measure heart, and you definitely can't measure the chip on someone's shoulder.
Every single player mentioned here was told "no" a thousand times. They were told they were too small for high school, then too small for college, then definitely too small for the pros.
Persistence is the common denominator.
Practical Takeaways for the Aspiring "Small" Baller:
- Master the Floater: If you can't jump over them, you have to go over them with touch.
- Conditioning is King: You have to be the best-conditioned athlete on the floor to maintain that speed advantage for 40 minutes.
- Low-Man Wins: In basketball, as in wrestling, the person with the lower center of gravity usually wins the physical battle for space.
The NBA might be a league of giants, but the smallest players are usually the ones we remember the most. They’re the ones who remind us that the game belongs to anyone with enough skill and guts to claim it.
To see these legends in action, look up the 1986 Dunk Contest or Muggsy Bogues' defensive highlights against Michael Jordan. You'll see exactly why height is just a number.
Next Steps for Your Basketball Knowledge:
- Research the "Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award", which was specifically given to the best college players under 6-feet tall.
- Watch footage of Yuki Kawamura's 2024 Olympic performance to see how modern small guards are dismantled traditional defenses.
- Compare the career win shares of Muggsy Bogues to other 1st round picks from his era; you’ll find he outperformed dozens of "prototypical" players.