Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular court, compete with the primary objective of shooting a basketball through the defender's hoop, while preventing the opposing team from shooting through their own hoop. A field goal is worth two points, unless made from behind the three-point line, when it is worth three. After a foul, timed play stops and the player fouled or designated to shoot a technical foul is given one, two or three one-point free throws. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins, but if regulation play expires with the score tied, an additional period of play (overtime) is mandated.
Shawn Paul Bradley is a German-American former professional basketball player who played center for the Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets, and Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is one of the tallest players in NBA history at 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m). Bradley was born in Landstuhl, West Germany, as his family was stationed at the U.S. military base medical facility, and grew up in Castle Dale, Utah. He holds citizenship in both the United States and Germany.
Manute Bol was a Sudanese-American professional basketball player and political activist. Listed at 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m) or 7 ft 7 in (2.31 m) tall, Bol was one of the tallest players in the history of the National Basketball Association (NBA).
Gheorghe Dumitru Mureșan, known as The Giant is a Romanian-American former professional basketball player. At 7 feet 7 inches (2.31 m), he is one of the two tallest players to have played in the NBA.
The center (C), or the centre, also known as the five, the big or the pivot, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is almost always the tallest player on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well. In the NBA, the center is typically close to 7 feet (2.13 m) tall; centers in the WNBA are typically above 6 feet 4 inches (1.93 m). Centers traditionally play close to the basket in the low post. The two tallest players in NBA history, Manute Bol and Gheorghe Mureșan, were both centers, each standing 7 feet 7 inches (2.31 m) tall.
Jorge González was an Argentine professional wrestler, basketball player and actor best known for his appearances in World Championship Wrestling under the ring name El Gigante and in the World Wrestling Federation under the ring name Giant Gonzalez. González remains the tallest man to have competed for both companies and the tallest Argentinian to have ever lived.
Sun Mingming is a Chinese former professional basketball player. He was the tallest professional basketball player in the world and was measured by the Guinness World Records as 2.36 m tall and weighing 168 kg (370 lb).
Ri Myung-hun, also known as Michael Ri after his favorite basketball player Michael Jordan, is a North Korean former basketball player. At a height of 235 cm and a weight of 128 kg (282 lb), he is believed to be the tallest person in North Korea.
Neil Fingleton was an English actor and basketball player. Neil became the tallest living British-born man and the tallest man in the European Union at 7 ft 7.56 in (232.6 cm) and among the 25 tallest men in the world.
The Euro step, two-step, or long lateral is a basketball move in which an offensive player picks up their dribble, takes a step in one direction, and then quickly takes a second step in another direction. It is intended to allow the offensive player to evade a defender and attack the basket.
Mamadou N'Diaye is a Senegalese former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for UC Irvine, where he was the tallest basketball player at the NCAA Division I level, standing at 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m).
El Hadji Tacko Sereigne Diop Fall is a Senegalese professional basketball player for the New Zealand Breakers of the Australian National Basketball League (NBL). He has previously played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers.
Benjamin Von Wong is a Canadian artist, activist, and photographer best known for his environmental art installations and hyper-realist art style. He is a global inspirational speaker and an advocate against ocean plastics. He is also notable for creating several viral social media campaigns, including the most funded GoFundMe campaign which raised over US$2M for Eliza O'Neill, a sufferer of Sanfilippo syndrome.
Robert Bobroczkyi, alternatively anglicized as Robert Bobroczky and originally Róbert Bobróczky in Hungarian, is an ethnic Hungarian former college basketball player from Romania. Standing 2.31 m, he has drawn attention for his exceptional height. After moving to the United States in 2016 and attending high school in Geneva, Ohio, he attended and played for Rochester Christian University in Rochester Hills, Michigan, through the 2021–2023 season.
Afeez Agoro Oladimeji was a Nigerian citizen who was previously recognised as the tallest man in Nigeria. At 2.25 metres, he stood 6 inches shorter than his 2.41 metres compatriot, Abiodun Adegoke, who is likely the tallest man in Nigeria.
Jason Preston is an American professional basketball player who last played for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA), on a two-way contract for the Salt Lake City Stars of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for the Ohio Bobcats.
Olivier Rioux is a Canadian college basketball player for the Florida Gators of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). Guinness World Records declared him the tallest teenager in the world in 2021, he measured 7 ft 5 in (2.26 m) at age 15. He now stands 7 ft 9 in (2.36 m) tall.
Zhang Ziyu is a Chinese basketball player. She is known for her height; sources vary from 220 to 226 centimetres. She was named the most valuable player of the 2024 FIBA Under-18 Women's Asia Cup.
