You've seen the photos. Maybe it was the one where he’s holding a regular-sized baseball that looks like a literal marble in his hand. Or perhaps the shot of him standing next to Tom Brady—a man who is 6'4" and a literal giant to most of the population—looking like a middle schooler next to his older brother.
When you see Victor Wembanyama next to normal person, your brain kind of short-circuits. It’s not just that he’s tall. We’ve seen tall. We’ve seen Shaq. We’ve seen Yao Ming. But "Wemby" is different. He has this slender, almost ethereal build that makes him look less like a traditional basketball center and more like a character from a sci-fi flick.
He’s officially listed at 7'4" (some sources and recent Spurs updates have even bumped that to 7'5"), but the height is only half the story. It’s the proportions. The 8-foot wingspan. The size 20.5 shoes. When he stands next to a fan or a reporter, the perspective doesn't just look "big"—it looks fake. Like a bad Photoshop job that actually happens to be real life.
The Math of Standing Next to a Giant
Let’s talk about what "normal" actually means. The average American male is roughly 5'9". If that guy stands next to Victor Wembanyama, the top of his head barely clears Victor’s chest. He's looking directly at the Spurs logo on the jersey, not the man’s face.
Honestly, even other NBA players look "normal" when they’re in his orbit. Think about Chris Paul. He’s 6'0". In the real world, Chris Paul is the guy you notice immediately at the grocery store. Next to Wemby? He looks like a toddler.
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There was a viral photo of Wembanyama next to Malika Andrews, an ESPN host. She’s not particularly short, but even in heels, she didn't even reach his shoulder. It’s a jarring visual because our eyes are trained to expect a certain ratio between humans. When Victor enters the frame, those ratios go out the window.
- Average Man (5'9"): Reaches Victor's lower chest.
- Average Woman (5'4"): Barely reaches the bottom of his ribcage.
- NBA Guard (6'3"): Looks like a regular-sized person standing next to a skyscraper.
Why Victor Wembanyama Next To Normal Person Photos Go Viral
It’s the "uncanny valley" of human biology. We are used to seeing 7-footers who are bulky. Think of Boban Marjanović or Shaquille O'Neal. They are wide. They occupy a massive amount of horizontal space. Victor is different because he’s lean.
When he stands next to a "normal" person, his legs seem to go on forever. Tristan Thompson, who is 6'9", once stood next to him, and onlookers noted that while their waists were at similar heights, Victor’s torso and neck just... kept going. It’s like he has an extra foot of "person" built into his upper body.
And then there are the hands.
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If you meet Victor and shake his hand, your entire hand will disappear. He can palm a basketball like you palm a grapefruit. There is a famous clip of him warming up where he’s just casually dribbling, and the ball looks like a toy. Seeing that level of scale compared to a regular human hand is what keeps these images circulating on Reddit and Twitter.
The Gear is Just as Big
Imagine trying to buy shoes if you’re Wemby. Most people go to the mall and pick a size 10. Victor wears a size 20.5.
To put that in perspective, a standard piece of printer paper is 11 inches long. Victor's shoe is nearly 16 inches long. If he left a sneaker in your living room, you could probably use it as a small planter or a very sturdy doorstop. Nike actually had to develop specific technology for his footwear because the torque a 7'4" man puts on a shoe while moving like a point guard is enough to shred standard materials.
Living in a World Built for 5'9"
We don't often think about how inconvenient the world is for someone this size. When Victor stands next to a normal door frame (usually 6'8"), he has to duck. Every single time.
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Think about a regular flight. Or a standard kitchen counter. Or a showerhead. For Wembanyama, a "normal" life involves a lot of crouching and specialized furniture. Seeing him in a regular environment—like a fan photo at a restaurant—really drives home how much he has to adapt to a world that wasn't built for him.
He once mentioned in an interview that he doesn't even know his height with shoes on because he always measures barefoot, the French way. Barefoot, he's 7'3.5". With those massive Nikes? He's pushing 7'5" or 7'6".
Practical Takeaways for Fans
If you ever find yourself in a position to take a photo with Victor, don't try to stand on your tiptoes. You won't win. The height gap is too massive.
Instead, appreciate the rarity. We are currently watching a biological outlier perform at the highest level of sport. To get a true sense of his scale, look at his "standing reach." Victor can almost touch the rim (10 feet high) without leaving the ground.
- Check the wingspan: If he's near you, notice how his arms seem to span the width of a small car.
- Look at the footwork: Despite being the size of a giant, he moves with the fluidity of a much smaller man.
- The "Normal" Baseline: Keep a 6-foot friend nearby for scale; it makes the visual even more ridiculous.
Wembanyama isn't just a basketball player; he’s a walking lesson in human possibility. Seeing him next to a normal person is the only way we can truly grasp just how different he really is.
To get the most out of your next NBA viewing experience, try to watch the players' feet during the broadcast. You'll notice Victor covers the distance from the three-point line to the rim in about two strides, a feat that takes "normal" NBA players three or four. Focusing on the floor level gives you a better appreciation for the sheer physics of his movement compared to the rest of the league.