Have you ever wondered what the average height of an NBA player is? Well, the height requirement actually depends on the position of the player.
When it comes to basketball, the main concern among people is the height of the players. Physical characteristic like height is one of the essential requirements in the NBA. Although the height of a player matters, it is not the only requirement.
Just because a player is tall doesn’t mean he is good at basketball. Many players in the NBA are not as tall as others but still have better statistics than them.
Example: Michael Jordan, the basketball legend, is a former player with an average height of 6’6”. Not only was he a versatile player by won 6 championships in 8 years.
This clearly proves that along with height, you need other skills as well. In an NBA team, the players are chosen based on different positions, skills, height, and IQ. Not every post needs an extremely tall player.
You will find players with a significant height difference in each team. Not all the players in a team need to be tall. This brings us to our main topic, i.e., the average height of an NBA player by position.
In this port, we will give you the average height requirement of an NBA player by position.
Average Height of an NBA Player
With every new season, the average height keeps on changing. Earlier players were not quite tall as they are now. There were only a few incredibly tall players in the NBA. But now, you can easily spot taller players in each team.
The average NBA height in 1952 was 6’4”. The height went on increasing. The average NBA height in 1987 reached to 6’7”. Nowadays, you will find many tall athletes because people are giving extra attention to nutrition and health.
In the 2019-2020 NBA season, the average height is 6-foot-6.54”. The tallest player of the season is Boban Marjanovic from Mavericks. Height of this Serbian player is 7’4”.
Height of an NBA Player by Position
Now that we know what the average height is let’s see what the average height of an NBA player by position is.
Average Height of a Point Guard in NBA
Point Guard position doesn’t require much taller players. As the role of a point guard is handling the ball, height doesn’t make much difference. They are mostly responsible for directing the plays on the court.
The primary requirement is long-distance shooting and court vision. Stephen Curry is only 6’3” but one of the best point guards on the court. The same goes for Chris Paul, whose height is just 6’.
In early NBA days, the average height of a point guard was 6’. Then in 1987, the average height became 6’3”. Around that time, Magic Johnson, 6’9” was the tallest point guard in NBA. It was not at all common to have a tall point guard.
As of the now the average height for a point guard is 6’ to 6’3”. The current NBA tallest point guard is Ben Simmons with a height of 6’10”.
Average Height of a Shooting Guard in NBA
The shooting guard is the best shooter in the team. They need to have skills to shoot the ball even from a long distance. They also need dribbling skills. The shooting guard needs to be slightly tall than a Point Guard.
Height is not really essential to become a right-shooting guard. Most of the NBA teams choose the shortest player as the shooting guard. A shooting guard should be able to pass the ball fast and have a court vision to make the right play.
James Harden, with a height of 6’4” is one of the best shooting guards in the NBA. Then we have Klay Thompson with the same height. He is also a good shooting guard. You don’t have to be 7 foot tall to shoot the ball in the hoop. In 1952 the average height of a shooting guard was 6’1’”. The height changes to 6’5” in the 2005 NBA season.
As of now, the average height is 6’3” to 6’5”. Corey Brewer 6’9” is one of the tall shooting guards.
Average Height of a Small Forward in NBA
Small Forward play against the opposite players who are small and large. A small forward can roam all over the court. They can also score points. They can make a long shot as well as close shots to earn points.
From the two forward position players, the shorter player is the small forward. They need to be highly versatile while playing. Small forward needs average height to play inside the court, make small shots, and play outside and make long shots. They need agility as well.
They also need to be good at shooting. The best shooter is the shooting guard, while the second-best is always the small forward. LeBron James, the best small forward in NBA have a height of 6’7”. Kevin Durant, 6’8” is also a notable small forward.
Earlier the average height for this position was 6’4”. It became 6’8” in 2015. Now the average height range from 6’5” to 6’10”.
Average Height of a Power Forward in NBA
Power Forward mostly does all the things done by the center. They have to play near the basket and defend the players. Apart from this, they also have to make long shots.
Height is significant for this position. Power Forwards are mostly the second tallest in the team. They need more speed and agility than the center. They have to guard the players near the basket.
Anthony Davis and Paul Millsap are two notable power forwards. Their respective heights are 6’8” and 6’5”. As you can see, one player is taller than the other but can still make the most of this position.
It shows that along with height, you need other skills as well. This position has gone through many changes. The early power forwards was tremendous. Their main focus was rebounding. But now they also help by shooting three-pointers.
Their average height is the same, i.e., 6’7” to 6’11”. But there is a significant difference in their weight.
Average Height of a Center in NBA
They are the tallest player in the team. Centers need a height advantage to make close shots and rebound. They have to play near the basket to keep making shots and block the other team’s shot. They also have to rebound the shots the team misses.
A center needs to be tall as well as strong, they need physical strength, as well. They score most of the points through rebounds. They need a height advantage to block the shots and have to fight with the other player for a rebound. Shaquille O’Neal and Rudy Gobert are two notable centers. Their respective height is 7’. In 1996 the average height of a center was 7’.
Along with height, they need an average weight as well. As of now, the average height for a center is 6’9” to 7’.
Average NBA Height Table
Follow this table to understand the average height of a player by position. Here samples were taken to find the average height requirement.
Change in NBA Height Trends
The average height in the NBA has continuously been changing throughout the year. Before every season, the assessment is done. The average height for different positions keeps changing every season.
In early NBA years, the average height of an NBA player was 6’4”. As the seasons passed away, the height kept on increasing. People have this preconceived notion that height is the only requirement in the NBA.
But most of the tall players do nothing in the game. Because players started using their height for advantage, in the 1980s, their positions were decided on the basis of their height.
It was clear that some positions like center require height advantage. If a player with 6’ height plays as the center, he won’t be able to block the shots or make points from rebounds. So while height is not the only important factor, it is still essential for playing positions.
Minimum Height Requirement for NBA
If you are planning to try out for the NBA, you might be interested in the answer. Yes, height is an essential factor in the NBA, but many players did not qualify as per height. But these players still made it to NBA.
One example is MuggsyBogues. His height was 5’3,” but he was in NBA. Another example is Earl Boykins with a height of 5’5”. So if you are planning to try out, you can start playing different positions as per your height. If you are outstanding, you don’t have to worry about height.
Shortest and Tallest NBA Player in History
The tallest player in NBA history was Gheorghe Muresan with the height of 7’7”. He was tied with Manute Bol, but he is slightly taller than him.
The shortest player was Muggsy Bogues with the height of 5’3”. Although he was short, he played from 1987 to 2001 with 7.7 PPG.
This is all you need to know about the average height of an NBA player by position. Now, you can start playing as per your height to improve your skills.
