Everyone thinks they know who the biggest guy in the gym is. You’ve probably seen the highlights of Victor Wembanyama making professional athletes look like middle schoolers. It’s a literal spectacle. But if you actually look at the official rosters and the measurements taken by the league, the answer to who is the tallest NBA player 2024 depends entirely on when you asked the question during this wild calendar year.
Heights in the NBA used to be a suggestion. Now? They’re a science.
For the start of the 2024-25 season, the crown officially shifted. While Wemby spent his rookie year as the undisputed giant, a new face arrived from Purdue to challenge the hierarchy. Zach Edey, the Memphis Grizzlies rookie, entered the league officially listed at 7'4".
The Battle of the 7-Foot-4 Giants
Basketball fans love a good measuring contest. For most of 2024, the conversation was a tug-of-war between Edey and Wembanyama.
Initially, the San Antonio Spurs had Wembanyama listed at 7'4" during his rookie campaign. Then, the NBA's official measurements—done without shoes, mind you—clipped him down to 7'3.5". By the time the 2024-25 season media days rolled around, the Grizzlies were touting Edey as a full 7'4".
It’s kinda funny how a half-inch can change the entire narrative of "the tallest."
Zach Edey isn't just tall; he's heavy. He weighs in at over 300 pounds. Compare that to Wemby, who spent much of 2024 trying to break the 230-pound barrier. When these two stand near each other, Edey looks like a traditional "big," while Wembanyama looks like a creation from a sci-fi movie.
Why the heights keep changing
You’ve probably noticed that players seem to grow and shrink every other month. It’s not just your imagination. The NBA started getting really strict about official measurements a few years back.
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- No shoes allowed: In the past, players would add two inches by wearing thick-soled Nikes. Now, they stand flat-footed against the wall.
- The Age Factor: Many of these guys are actually still growing. Victor Wembanyama is only 21. Reports heading into 2026 suggest he’s already pushed past his original 7'3" mark, with some insiders like Brian Windhorst claiming he might be approaching 7'5" or even 7'7" unofficially.
- Morning vs. Evening: Human beings are actually taller in the morning before gravity compresses our spinal discs. If a team measures a guy at 8:00 AM, he might get that extra quarter-inch for the media guide.
The Rest of the Skyscrapers
While Edey and Wemby take up all the oxygen, the league is currently undergoing a "giant renaissance." For a while, everyone thought the "Big Man" was dead. We were wrong. The bigs just evolved.
Bol Bol is still out there for the Phoenix Suns, standing at a lean 7'3". He’s the son of the legendary Manute Bol, and honestly, seeing him dribble at that height is still one of the weirdest sights in sports.
Then you have Kristaps Porzingis. The "Unicorn" is listed at 7'2", though his impact on the Boston Celtics' championship run was more about his shooting than just being a lob threat.
The 2024 draft brought even more size. Donovan Clingan joined the Portland Trail Blazers at 7'2". He’s a massive presence who anchors a defense just by existing. It's a lot of height to navigate in a league that was supposed to be getting smaller and faster.
Beyond the Numbers: Does Height Still Win?
Being the tallest NBA player 2024 isn't the cheat code it used to be. Back in the day, if you were 7'4", you just stood under the hoop and dropped the ball in.
Today? You have to move.
If you can't guard a pick-and-roll at the three-point line, you’re a liability. This is why Wembanyama is so terrifying. He has the height of a giant but the feet of a guard. Zach Edey is the test case for the other side of that coin. People wondered if a traditional, massive center could still thrive. So far, his sheer gravity in the paint has proven that size still matters—a lot.
The All-Time Context
To put these 2024 heights in perspective, we have to look back.
- Gheorghe Mureșan: 7'7"
- Manute Bol: 7'7"
- Shawn Bradley: 7'6"
- Yao Ming: 7'6"
We aren't quite back to the Mureșan era yet, but we are getting close. The difference is the skill. Yao Ming was a skilled shooter, but even he didn't move like the giants we see today.
Actionable Takeaways for Following the Giants
If you're trying to keep track of these physical anomalies as the season progresses, here is how to actually look at the data:
- Check the NBA.com Official Stats: Don't trust Wikipedia or team fan sites. The league's official "Player Stats" page uses the standardized measurements taken at the start of the year.
- Watch the Matchups: The best way to see the scale is when the Grizzlies play the Spurs. Seeing Edey and Wembanyama share the court is the only way to truly appreciate the difference between "bulky tall" and "lengthy tall."
- Monitor the Injury Reports: Unfortunately, being 7'4" puts a massive strain on the feet and knees. Historically, players this size have shorter peaks. Keeping an eye on "load management" will tell you how teams are trying to preserve these rare athletes.
The reality is that Zach Edey holds the official title for the start of the 2024-25 cycle at 7'4", but the "true" height crown is always a moving target as these young stars continue to develop.