Largest Hand Sizes: The physical attributes of a basketball player have long been important considerations in the sport. Not only were players like Shaquille O’Neal and Karim Abdul Jabbar skilled, but they were also large players, which has always made them dominate. The largest hand sizes of many NBA players help them grab and shoot the ball more successfully. Basketball players with enormous hands are not the only ones with an advantage; they also have an edge in many other sports.
Because of their enormous hand proportions, athletes like Michael Jordan and Rajon Rondo became well-known globally. Having stated that, let’s examine the ten NBA players with the largest hand sizes.
The NBA’s Top 10 Largest Hand Sizes
Check out below the NBA’s top largest hand sizes:
1. Boban Marjanovic: 10.75 inches
Boban Marjanovic, one of the NBA’s most entertaining players, has the largest hands in the league. Due to his shy nature and ability to shoot from wherever on the floor, Boban is still a fan favourite today. Marjanovic was an excellent three-point shooter, and his 7-4 wingspan helped him rack up some incredible career rebounding totals.
Boban Marjanovic was nurtured in eastern Serbia and started to grow tall at a young age. Marjanovic was already six feet tall at the age of 14. Owing to his height, Borban started his professional basketball career with the Serbian team Hemofarm.
He would make one brief appearance with the group before deciding to negotiate a contract with CSKA Moscow. Boban Marjanovic may have gigantism because his parents are typical in height despite his enormous height.
You might also be interested in reading this: Top 5 Shortest NBA Players in the History
2. Connie Hawkins: 10.5 Inches
“The Hand” Connie Hawkins played with the Harlem Globetrotters prior to entering the NBA, as did the majority of players in the 1960s. Hawkins rose to fame while attending college, but he was prohibited from participating due to his legal issues.
Connie was detained by the local police for pilfering cash from a YMCA locker room that he and a few buddies were utilising. Despite being 6 feet 8 inches tall, he was known as “The Hand” because of his largest hand size and skill on the court.
Hawkins received a 5-to-15-year term after being found guilty along with his five pals. Connie eventually ran away, though, and went to Chicago where he was given a scholarship to play basketball at the University of Iowa. In an attempt to remain anonymous, he changed his identity from Connie Hawkins Jr. to Daniel Rivers.
3. Shaquille O’Neal: 10.25 inches
Shaq has one of the biggest feet in NBA history, but he also has massive hands. Because of his large hands, Shaquille Oneal had no trouble palming and handling the ball.
He was a force to be reckoned with because of his enormous size and his ability to control the ball. Even though O’Neal wasn’t known for having a long shooting range, few can argue that they wouldn’t give anything to have a big player like O’Neil on their side. Not to be overlooked while discussing Shaq’s domination are his enormous hands and wingspan, which surpass those of almost every other current NBA player.
4. Giannis Antetokounmpo: 9.85 inches
Unquestionably one of the best players we’ve seen in a while, Giannis Antetokounmpo is one of the NBA’s most dominant big men. Giannis is a very gifted power forward who is one of the NBA’s most powerful players on both the offensive and defensive sides thanks to his remarkable wingspan.
Giannis has developed into one of the NBA’s top rebounders and shot blockers over the years. Although Giannis Antetokounmpo’s wingspan is a major asset to his game, his largest hand size also enables him to seize complete grip of the ball.
The Greek Freak is a dedicated player who has been a formidable presence on the underground scene for many years. With a wingspan of more than seven feet, he can both offensively overpower smaller players and guard the rim.
5. Michael Jordan: 9.75 Inches
It’s difficult to believe that Michael Jordan, who is regarded as the greatest NBA player of all time, had one of the largest hands in the league. Michael Jordan shares Rajon Rondo’s ridiculous hand-to-body proportion.
Jordan is 6 feet 6 inches tall, yet his hand length is typical of guys who are 7 feet 1 inch or taller. In technical terms, Jordan’s ridiculously long hands are around 12% longer than typical persons of the same height. Despite being of ordinary height, Jordan was one of the most dominant players because of the size of his hands. Jordan’s effortless ability to palm the ball allowed him to do a variety of acrobatics and manoeuvres while in the air.
In addition to his facile ball theft, Jordan’s hand came in handy when he was rebounding, as he could easily collect the rebound with just one hand. Phil Jackson asserted that the main difference between Michael Jordan and Kobe was the size of Jordan’s hands.
6. Noah Vonleh: 9.75 inches
It’s difficult to believe that Noah Vonleh, who is most known for his brief time spent with the Charlotte Hornets, has some of the largest hand sizes in NBA history. In contrast to the majority of athletes on this list, Noah Vonleh’s hand size was caused by an uncommon illness called macro-dystrophia lipomastosa.
Noah Vonleh is 6 feet 8 inches tall, yet his hands are almost the same size as Yao Ming’s, who is 7 feet 4 inches. Vonleh was a member of the Charlotte Hornets for just one season before joining the Portland Trail Blazers in 2015.
Vonleh had a miserable season with the Blazers, averaging 3.8 points and 4.7 rebounds. Vonleh would be traded by the Blazers to the Chicago Bulls, where he played for just one season. After one season, Vonleh was moved by the Bulls to the New York Knicks, who then sent him to the Timberwolves. Noah Vonleh signed with the Shanghai Sharks of China after a very short NBA career.
7. Elgin Baylor: 9.75 Inches
Elgin Baylor had enormous 9.5-inch hands, which made him an excellent rebounder and ball handler. Like other players in the past, Elgin Baylor made a brief appearance for the Harlem Globetrotters upon his graduation from college.
Elgin Baylor filed to enter the NBA draft in 1950. He was signed by the Minneapolis Lakers (now the LA Lakers) as the third overall pick. Elgin Baylor showed himself to be a potent rebounder in the NBA. Having one of the largest hands in the NBA and being 6 feet 5 inches tall undoubtedly helped.
Elgin Baylor would create basketball history in November 1960 when he defeated the Knicks with 71 points. Elgin Baylor is still one of the most formidable players in the NBA, despite the fact that many fans may not have heard of him. Elgin Baylor was recently honoured by the NBA for his outstanding career by being a part of both its 50th and 75th anniversary celebrations. Ultimately, Elgin acquired a stake in The Los Angeles Lakers prior to his demise from cardiac issues.
8. Wilt Chamberlain- 9.5 inches
Wilt Chamberlain, one of the all-time great basketball players, is well-known for a variety of accomplishments. In addition to having one of the best scoring games in the NBA, Wilt Chamberlain is the owner of other records in terms of scoring, rebounding, and endurance.
Wilt Chamberlain won nine titles for rebounds and seven for scoring at the end of his storied NBA career. He also received seven All-NBA team accolades and thirteen all-star selections. Wilt Chamberlain was seven feet one inch tall and had enormous hands, which frequently provided him an advantage over other players.
Wilt Chamberlain was one of those players who prompted the NBA to amend a number of regulations due to his domination. The NBA changed the regulations governing the shooting of free throws in addition to widening the lane and implementing goaltending.
Aside from using his height advantage to dunk on everyone in front of him. Wilt Chamberlain, the most dominant big man in the NBA, owns a career record of 72 All-Star selections, an astonishing feat that continues to this day. During his best years, Chamberlain was not only a prolific scorer but also a formidable rebounder who made many opposing players battle to get rebounds off him.
9. Rajon Rondo – 9.5 inches
It’s difficult to believe Rajon Rondo has one of the largest hands in the NBA for a guy his stature. Rajon Rondo is 6 feet 1 inch tall and has 9.5 inches of hand length and 10 inches of hand spread. Rajon Rondo is not like other athletes on this list in that his hands are not disproportionately large for their frame.
Rajon Rondo has enormous hands, which allow him to distribute and control the ball with ease. He has unmatched overall technical mastery of basketball. Rajon Rondo was a four-time all-star who was unquestionably one of the NBA’s top point guards prior to a string of injuries that limited his playing time.
Rajon Rondo helped the Kentucky Wildcats to a national title while he was a part of the squad before entering the NBA. Although Rajon Rondo’s enormous hands are a source of great admiration for many NBA fans, it is these very hands that have enabled him to win several titles.
10. Julius Erving: 9.5 Inches
Julius “Dr. J” Erving, one of the most powerful players in the NBA, is primarily recognised for his tenure with the Philadelphia 76ers. Dr. J, who is regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time, captured four MVP awards, three championships, and three scoring crowns.
With the Philadelphia 76ers, Dr. J was a graceful and easy-going shooter. Erving had the best hanging time ever. Erving was incredibly smooth and in control of his flight on the basketball floor. His big hands, which gave him superior control over the basketball in the air compared to all the other players, contributed to this in part.
Erving’s domination started at UMass, when he averaged 20 rebounds, 5 assists, and 24 points per game early in his collegiate career. Erving played a brief stint for the Virginia Squires in the ABA before entering the NBA. In the end, Julius Erving entered the 1972 NBA draft.
Because of his height and enormous hand size, Dr. J almost always topped the league in scoring and rebounds throughout his time in the league.
The NBA’s Top 10 Largest Hand Sizes. Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
