If you walked into an NBA arena in the mid-2010s, you might have thought the seven-footer was an endangered species. Small ball was the law of the land. Everyone wanted to be Steph Curry. Big men were told to get out of the way or learn to shoot corner threes. Fast forward to 2026, and honestly, the "big man" is more like a "megalith." We aren't just seeing tall guys; we are seeing the tallest people in the nba rewrite how basketball is actually played.
It's wild. You've got guys like Victor Wembanyama who look like they were built in a lab to ruin every offensive game plan ever conceived.
The Current Kings of the Skyline
Right now, the conversation starts and ends with Victor Wembanyama. Officially, the Spurs have him listed at 7 feet 5 inches, but if you ask anyone who has stood next to him—or the scouts like Brian Windhorst who’ve been tracking him—there is a nagging suspicion he’s actually closer to 7'7" when he’s not slouching. He’s not just tall. He’s "blocking a jump shot without leaving the floor" tall.
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Then there is Zach Edey. The Memphis Grizzlies rookie (well, second-year man now in 2026) is a massive 7 feet 4 inches and weighs nearly 300 pounds. While Wemby is a "slender" alien, Edey is a literal mountain.
Who else is up there?
It's a crowded ceiling. Here is the breakdown of the guys currently looking down on everyone else in the 2025-2026 season:
- Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs): 7'5" – The undisputed face of the giant revolution.
- Zach Edey (Memphis Grizzlies): 7'4" – A throwback post-presence with modern efficiency.
- Bol Bol (Phoenix Suns): 7'3" – Still one of the most unique "guard-skills-in-a-giant-body" experiments.
- Dereck Lively II (Dallas Mavericks): 7'3" – Reports surfaced that he had a late growth spurt after being drafted, pushing him past the 7'1" mark.
- Rocco Zikarsky (Minnesota Timberwolves): 7'3" – The Australian newcomer making waves with his mobility.
- Kristaps Porziņģis (Boston Celtics): 7'2" – The original "Unicorn" who paved the way for the current crop.
The 7'7" Club: Looking Back at the True GOATs (of Height)
To understand how crazy the current era is, we have to look at the history. For a long time, the gold standard for tallest people in the nba was shared by two men: Gheorghe Mureșan and Manute Bol. Both were measured at a staggering 7 feet 7 inches.
Mureșan was a force for the Washington Bullets in the 90s. He actually led the league in field goal percentage twice. People forget he wasn't just a spectacle; he could play. Manute Bol, on the other hand, was a shot-blocking machine who once blocked 15 shots in a single game. Twice. He also famously loved to hoist up three-pointers, which felt like a glitch in the Matrix back in 1988.
The Yao Ming Factor
We can't talk about height without Yao Ming. At 7'6", Yao was probably the most skilled "super-giant" the league ever saw before the current era. He had a soft touch, an automatic turnaround jumper, and he hit 83% of his free throws. His career was cut short by foot injuries—a common curse for those over 7'4"—but his impact on the global game was immeasurable.
Why the "Giant" is Different in 2026
Back in the day, being 7'4" meant you lived in the paint. You didn't dribble. You didn't pass much. You definitely didn't shoot threes.
That’s dead.
Basically, the "new" tallest people in the nba are playing like shooting guards. Wembanyama is leading the league in blocks while simultaneously bringing the ball up the court and hitting step-back jumpers. It’s scary.
The mobility of players like Dereck Lively II or Chet Holmgren (who sits at 7'1" but plays much longer) allows teams to run "switch" defenses. In the past, a 7-footer on a perimeter guard was a disaster. Now? It’s a trap. These guys have wingspans reaching 8 feet, meaning even if a guard gets "past" them, they aren't actually past them.
The Physical Cost
There is a downside. Physics is a jerk. The human body—specifically the feet and knees—isn't always designed to handle the torque generated by a 7'5" frame moving at NBA speeds. We've seen it with Kristaps Porziņģis and his long injury history. The Spurs have been incredibly cautious with Wembanyama’s training, focusing on "pliancy" and foot strength to avoid the fate of guys like Bill Walton or Yao Ming.
Does Height Still Guarantee Success?
Sorta. But not like it used to.
You can't just be "tall" anymore. Remember Tacko Fall? He was 7'6" and a fan favorite, but he struggled to stay on the floor because the game became too fast. To be one of the successful tallest people in the nba today, you need:
- Lateral Quickness: If you can't guard a pick-and-roll, you're a liability.
- Conditioning: Running 94 feet for 30 minutes is a lot harder when you're 280 lbs.
- A "Gravity" Skill: You either need to be an elite rim protector or a floor spacer.
Zach Edey is a great example. Many skeptics thought he was "too slow" for the modern NBA. Instead, the Grizzlies used his 7'4" frame to create "vertical spacing." You don't just have to worry about shooters on the wing; you have to worry about a guy who can catch a lob three feet above the rim.
What to Watch Next
If you're following the league's growth—literally—keep an eye on the medical side. Teams are spending millions on "biomechanics" specifically for these giants. The goal is to see if we can finally have a 7'6" superstar who plays 15 seasons without a major breakdown.
Also, watch the draft boards. The success of Wemby has GMs scouting the globe for the next "long" prospect. We are seeing kids in Europe and Africa who are 7'2" and being trained as point guards from age 10. The "Tallest People in the NBA" list is only going to get more talented, more mobile, and frankly, more ridiculous.
If you want to see this in action, pay attention to the San Antonio vs. Memphis matchups. Seeing Wembanyama and Edey go at it is the closest thing we’ve had to the Godzilla vs. King Kong battles of the 90s, just with better footwork and more three-pointers. Keep an eye on the official NBA injury reports and "load management" news, as these are the primary indicators of how teams are preserving their giants for the long haul.