Stephen Curry’s arms barely beat his height. Manute Bol’s stretched 8’6″. Here’s the best NBA player at every wingspan in between
Ask anyone how tall Michael Jordan is and they’ll say 6’6″. Ask how far his arms reach and you’ll get a blank stare. But wingspan is the number that decides who can block a shot, jump a passing lane, or finish over a bigger defender. So we sorted NBA history by reach and asked one question: who was the best player at each wingspan? The answers run from Stephen Curry, whose arms barely beat his height, to Manute Bol, whose arms stretched eleven inches past his. Some of the greatest players ever had ordinary reach. Others built careers on freakish length.
How this list works
- Wingspan decides the spot. Every player is placed at their wingspan, rounded to the nearest inch. Heights are the listed heights you already know, and the ape index is simply wingspan minus height. The numbers match our earlier list of players with wingspans that are absurd for their height.
- Official where possible. Wingspans come from NBA Draft Combine and pre-draft camp measurements when they exist. A † means the number is widely reported but was never officially measured, which covers most legends from before the 2000s.
- “Best” means best career: peak, longevity and awards. When a few legends share a wingspan, they share the spotlight.
Under 6’1″: The Shortest Reach
Under 6’1″ · T.J. Ford
T.J. Ford: 6’0″ tall · 5’11.5″ wingspan · ape index −0.5″
The shortest reach on the list belongs to a player who made up for it with speed. Ford stood 6’0″ and measured 5’11.5″ across the arms, giving him a slightly negative ape index. He won the 2003 national player of the year awards at Texas and went eighth in that year’s draft, before a spinal injury cut his NBA career short. Muggsy Bogues (5’3″), Earl Boykins (5’5″) and Spud Webb
(5’6″) almost certainly belong here too, but nobody ever recorded their wingspans. Bogues lasted 14 seasons anyway, so arms clearly weren’t the point.
6’1″ to 6’11”: Guards and Wings
6’1″ · Nate Robinson
Nate Robinson: 5’9″ tall · 6’1″ wingspan · ape index +4.0″
Robinson is the best-known name at this wingspan because he could fly. He won the Slam Dunk Contest three times (2006, 2009, 2010) as a 5’9″ guard.
6’2″ · Isaiah Thomas and Kyle Lowry†
Isaiah Thomas: 5’10” tall · 6’2″ wingspan · ape index +4.0″
Kyle Lowry†: 6’1″ tall · 6’2″ wingspan · ape index +1.0″
Thomas turned a 5’10” frame into one of the great scoring seasons for a small guard: 28.9 points a game in 2016-17, All-NBA Second Team, and a fifth-place MVP finish. Lowry did it with muscle, beating bigger players by drawing charges and refusing to get pushed around. He made six All-Star teams and won the 2019 title with Toronto.
6’3″ · Allen Iverson†
Allen Iverson†: 6’0″ tall · 6’3″ wingspan · ape index +3.0″
Iverson’s arms were average. His crossover wasn’t. Four scoring titles, the 2001 MVP, and a whole generation of guards copying his game.
6’4″ · Stephen Curry and Chris Paul
Stephen Curry: 6’3″ tall · 6’3.5″ wingspan · ape index +0.5″
Chris Paul: 6’0″ tall · 6’4″ wingspan · ape index +4.0″
Curry is the funniest entry on the list. His arms are barely a half-inch longer than he is tall, and he still changed basketball with four titles, two MVPs and more threes than anyone in history. Paul is his opposite: four extra inches of reach helped, but his real weapon was his brain. He controlled pace, read every pick-and-roll and piled up assist and steals titles for more than a decade.
Also in this tier: Kyrie Irving (6’2″ with 6’4″ arms; 2016 champion), Tony Parker† (four titles, 2007 Finals MVP), Kemba Walker† (four-time All-Star)
6’5″ · Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk
Svi Mykhailiuk: 6’8″ tall · 6’5″ wingspan · ape index -3.0″
This one is strange: Mykhailiuk’s arms are shorter than his height. He’s listed at 6’8″ with a 6’5″ wingspan, three inches short, which is rare in the NBA. He was a second-team All-Big 12 pick at Kansas, has played for eight NBA teams, and won a ring with Boston in 2024. In a thin tier, he’s the only player we could confirm with an official measurement. JJ Redick, who often gets listed near this slot, belongs in the T-Rex arms club below.
6’6″ · Deron Williams
Deron Williams: 6’3″ tall · 6’6.25″ wingspan · ape index +3.25″
Williams was a three-time All-Star and a two-time Olympic gold medalist (2008 and 2012), a big guard who could see over the defense.
Also in this tier: Mike Conley (2021 All-Star), C.J. McCollum (2016 Most Improved Player)
6’7″ · Ja Morant†
Ja Morant†: 6’2″ tall · 6’7″ wingspan · ape index +5.0″
Morant plays like his arms are longer than they look, and by the reported numbers they are: a 6’2″ guard with a 6’7″ wingspan. He won Rookie of the Year in 2020 and Most Improved Player in 2022, made two All-Star teams, and earned All-NBA Second Team honors in 2022. He now plays for Portland after a 2026 trade from Memphis. He skipped the measurements at the 2019 combine, so the 6’7″ is a reported number.
6’8″ · Russell Westbrook, Damian Lillard and Derrick Rose
Russell Westbrook: 6’3″ tall · 6’7.75″ wingspan · ape index +4.75″
Damian Lillard: 6’3″ tall · 6’7.75″ wingspan · ape index +4.75″
Derrick Rose: 6’3″ tall · 6’8″ wingspan · ape index +5.0″
Three MVP-caliber point guards, three different games. Westbrook ran on pure explosiveness and won the 2017 MVP with the career triple-double record. Lillard shot from farther than anyone should. Rose won the 2011 MVP at 22, the youngest ever, before injuries reshaped his career.
Also in this tier: Brandon Roy (three-time All-Star), Ray Allen† (ten-time All-Star, two titles, Hall of Famer), Jimmy Butler† (perennial All-Star, two Finals runs), Bradley Beal† (three-time All-Star)
6’9″ · Klay Thompson, Luka Dončić† and Anthony Edwards†
Klay Thompson: 6’7″ tall · 6’9″ wingspan · ape index +2.0″
Luka Dončić†: 6’7″ tall · 6’9″ wingspan · ape index +2.0″
Anthony Edwards†: 6’5″ tall · 6’9″ wingspan · ape index +4.0″
Three of the best guards of their generation share one reach. Thompson has four rings and five All-Star selections, and he guarded bigger wings on footwork and discipline. Dončić won the 2024 scoring title and has been an All-NBA regular. Edwards is the explosive version: an All-Star and 2024 Olympic gold medalist.
Also in this tier: John Wall (five-time All-Star), Rajon Rondo† (2008 champion, 6’1″ with 6’9″ arms), DeMar DeRozan† (multiple-time All-Star), Victor Oladipo† (two-time All-Star), Marcus Smart† (2022 Defensive Player of the Year)
6’10” · Gilbert Arenas and Donovan Mitchell†
Gilbert Arenas: 6’3″ tall · 6’9.5″ wingspan · ape index +6.5″
Donovan Mitchell†: 6’3″ tall · 6’10” wingspan · ape index +7.0″
Arenas was a three-time All-Star who carried Washington’s offense at his peak. Mitchell is a 6’3″ scoring guard with a 6’10” wingspan, a seven-inch gap that helps explain how he gets shots off over taller defenders.
Also in this tier: Mario Chalmers† (two-time champion; 6’2″ with 6’10” arms), Rodrigue Beaubois†, Leandro Barbosa† (2007 Sixth Man of the Year)
6’11” · Dwyane Wade, Michael Jordan†, Kobe Bryant† and James Harden†
Dwyane Wade: 6’4″ tall · 6’11” wingspan · ape index +7.0″
Michael Jordan†: 6’6″ tall · 6’11” wingspan · ape index +5.0″
Kobe Bryant†: 6’6″ tall · 6’11” wingspan · ape index +5.0″
James Harden†: 6’5″ tall · 6’11” wingspan · ape index +6.0″
This is the stacked tier. Wade won three titles and the 2006 Finals MVP, and a 6’11” wingspan on a 6’4″ body made him a shot-blocking guard. Jordan and Kobe both sit at a reported 6’11”. Jordan’s résumé barely needs listing (six titles, five MVPs, six Finals MVPs, ten scoring titles), and Kobe added five rings and the 2008 MVP. Harden’s arms carried the 2018 MVP and three scoring
titles.
Also in this tier: Jayson Tatum† (2024 champion), Paul George† (perennial All-Star), Blake Griffin† (six-time All-Star), Kevin Love† (2016 champion), Zion Williamson†
7’0″ to 7’5″: Forwards and Modern Bigs
7’0″ · LeBron James and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
LeBron James: 6’8″ tall · 7’0″ wingspan · ape index +4.0″
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: 6’6″ tall · 6’11.5″ wingspan · ape index +5.5″
LeBron has the arms of a power forward and the handle of a point guard, which is why he could play all five positions. Four titles, four MVPs and the all-time scoring record. Gilgeous-Alexander is the modern long guard: two MVPs and the 2025 title and Finals MVP.
Also in this tier: Andre Iguodala (four titles, 2015 Finals MVP), Carmelo Anthony (ten-time All-Star), Devin Booker† (multiple-time All-Star), Ben Simmons† (three-time All-Star), Luol Deng† (two-time All-Star)
7’1″ · Draymond Green and Tracy McGrady†
Draymond Green: 6’7″ tall · 7’1″ wingspan · ape index +6.0″
Tracy McGrady†: 6’8″ tall · 7’1″ wingspan · ape index +5.0″
Green is 6’7″ with a 7’1″ wingspan, which is how a forward ended up anchoring four championship defenses at center. He also has the 2017 Defensive Player of the Year award. McGrady put the same arms on a 6’8″ frame and used them as a perimeter scorer: seven All-Star selections, seven All-NBA selections and two scoring titles.
Also in this tier: Al Horford† (five-time All-Star, 2024 champion), MarShon Brooks† (6’5″ with 7’1″ arms), Talen Horton-Tucker† (6’4″ with 7’1.25″ arms)
7’2″ · Amar’e Stoudemire and Dirk Nowitzki†
Amar’e Stoudemire: 6’10” tall · 7’1.75″ wingspan · ape index +3.75″
Dirk Nowitzki†: 7’0″ tall · 7’2″ wingspan · ape index +2.0″
Nowitzki is the easy call on résumé: the 2007 MVP, the 2011 champion and Finals MVP, and 14 All-Star selections. Stoudemire is the officially measured name in the tier, a 2003 Rookie of the Year and six-time All-Star who ran the floor like a guard.
Also in this tier: Carlos Boozer (two-time All-Star), Trevor Ariza (2009 champion), Zach Randolph† (two-time All-Star), Jalen Williams† (6’6″ with 7’2″ arms)
7’3″ · Kawhi Leonard, Giannis Antetokounmpo†, Nikola Jokić† and Scottie Pippen†
Kawhi Leonard: 6’7″ tall · 7’3″ wingspan · ape index +8.0″
Giannis Antetokounmpo†: 6’11” tall · 7’3″ wingspan · ape index +4.0″
Nikola Jokić†: 7’0″ tall · 7’3″ wingspan · ape index +3.0″
Scottie Pippen†: 6’8″ tall · 7’3″ wingspan · ape index +7.0″
Four of the best players of their eras share one wingspan. Kawhi is the most extreme: a 6’7″ wing with 7’3″ arms, and it shows up in two Defensive Player of the Year awards and two Finals MVPs. Giannis turned that reach into two MVPs and a title (he now plays for Miami). Jokić has three MVPs and a Finals MVP at 7’0″. Pippen may be the original long-armed wing, with six titles and seven All-Star selections.
Also in this tier: Pascal Siakam† (2019 champion), Tyson Chandler† (2012 Defensive Player of the Year), Brandon Ingram† (All-Star), Karl-Anthony Towns† (multiple-time All-Star)
7’4″ · Chris Bosh, Bill Russell† and Pau Gasol†
Chris Bosh: 6’11” tall · 7’3.5″ wingspan · ape index +4.5″
Bill Russell†: 6’10” tall · 7’4″ wingspan · ape index +6.0″
Pau Gasol†: 7’0″ tall · 7’4″ wingspan · ape index +4.0″
Bosh had the arms of a center and the mobility of a wing: 11 All-Star teams, two titles and a Hall of Fame call in 2021. Russell’s 7’4″ is a number nobody could officially measure, since he played from 1956 to 1969, and he won 11 championships and five MVPs. Gasol was 7’0″ with 7’4″ arms and won two titles with six All-Star selections.
Also in this tier: Roy Hibbert† (two-time All-Star), Andrei Kirilenko† (2004 All-Star), Montrezl Harrell† (2021 Sixth Man of the Year)
7’5″ · Kevin Durant, Dwight Howard and Kevin McHale†
Kevin Durant: 6’11” tall · 7’5″ wingspan · ape index +6.0″
Dwight Howard: 6’10” tall · 7’4.5″ wingspan · ape index +6.5″
Kevin McHale†: 6’10” tall · 7’5″ wingspan · ape index +7.0″
Durant is a 6’11” scorer with 7’5″ arms, a big part of why nobody can block his shot: an MVP, two titles, two Finals MVPs and four scoring titles. Howard’s 7’4.5″ wingspan powered three straight Defensive Player of the Year awards (2009-11) and the 2020 title. McHale’s arms are the stuff of legend. Some say nearly eight feet, and the commonly cited number is 7’5″, but either way they
fueled one of the great post games ever, with three titles in Boston and a Hall of Fame call.
Also in this tier: LaMarcus Aldridge (seven-time All-Star), Yao Ming (7’6″ with 7’5″ arms, one of the few players whose arms are shorter than his height), Jaren Jackson Jr.† (2023 Defensive Player of the Year), Jarrett Allen† (two-time All-Star), Deandre Ayton† (No. 1 pick in 2018)
7’6″ and Up: The Giants
7’6″ · Joel Embiid and Anthony Davis
Joel Embiid: 7’2″ tall · 7’6″ wingspan · ape index +4.0″
Anthony Davis: 6’10” tall · 7’5.5″ wingspan · ape index +7.5″
Embiid is 7’2″ with 7’6″ arms, and he used them to win the 2023 MVP and two scoring titles. Davis is 6’10” with a 7’5.5″ wingspan, a 2020 champion and a regular on All-NBA teams.
Also in this tier: Elton Brand† (two-time All-Star), Kristaps Porziņģis† (2024 champion), DeMarcus Cousins† (four-time All-Star), Andre Drummond† (two-time All-Star), Brook Lopez† (2021 champion), Chet Holmgren†, Bismack Biyombo† (6’8″ with 7’6″ arms)
7’7″ · Shaquille O’Neal† and Alonzo Mourning
Shaquille O’Neal†: 7’1″ tall · 7’7″ wingspan · ape index +6.0″
Alonzo Mourning: 6’10” tall · 7’6.5″ wingspan · ape index +8.5″
Shaq’s 7’7″ is the wingspan everyone quotes, although one report from his 1992 pre-draft camp says 7’6″. He won four titles, three Finals MVPs and the 2000 MVP. Mourning was 6’10” with a 7’6.5″ wingspan and won back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year awards (1999, 2000), led the league in blocks both years, won the 2006 title and made the Hall of Fame.
Also in this tier: Udoka Azubuike (6’11.5″ with 7’7.25″ arms), Bruno Caboclo† (6’9″ with the same 7’7″ arms as Shaq), Hassan Whiteside† (former blocks leader)
7’8″ · Wilt Chamberlain†
Wilt Chamberlain†: 7’1″ tall · 7’8″ wingspan · ape index +7.0″
Chamberlain’s 7’8″ is the number that always gets quoted, and it fits a player who scored 100 points in a game and averaged 50.4 for a season. Four MVPs, two titles, and records that still look untouchable.
7’9″ · Rudy Gobert
Rudy Gobert: 7’1″ tall · 7’8.5″ wingspan · ape index +7.5″
Gobert’s 7’8.5″ wingspan rounds up to 7’9″, and he uses every inch. His four Defensive Player of the Year awards tie Dikembe Mutombo and Ben Wallace for the record.
Also in this tier: Mouhamed Sene† (7’0″ with 7’8.5″ arms), Alexis Ajinça† (near 7’9″), Edy Tavares† (7’9″)
7’10” · Mo Bamba and Boban Marjanović†
Mo Bamba: 7’0″ tall · 7’10” wingspan · ape index +10.0″
Boban Marjanović†: 7’4″ tall · 7’10” wingspan · ape index +6.0″
Bamba is 7’0″ with a 7’10” wingspan. That ten-inch gap is the biggest of any player featured here, and it helped make him the sixth pick in 2018. Marjanović is the crowd favorite: a reported 7’10” reach on a 7’4″ frame, and a cult hero as a reserve. Neither is a strong “best of all time” case, so the tier is shared.
7’11” · Zach Edey
Zach Edey: 7’4″ tall · 7’10.75″ wingspan · ape index +6.75″
Edey’s 7’10.75″ wingspan is a hair short of eight feet. He’s a two-time national player of the year at Purdue, and his NBA story is just getting started.
8’0″ · Victor Wembanyama†
Victor Wembanyama†: 7’5″ tall · 8’0″ wingspan · ape index +7.0″
Eight feet of arms on a 7’5″ body that also handles like a guard and shoots threes. Wembanyama won the 2024 Rookie of the Year award and the 2025-26 Defensive Player of the Year award by unanimous vote, led the league in blocks, and took San Antonio to the 2026 Finals. He never did the combine, so his 8’0″ is a widely reported number.
8’2″ · Tacko Fall
Tacko Fall: 7’7″ tall · 8’2.25″ wingspan · ape index +7.25″
Fall’s 8’2.25″ is the longest wingspan ever measured at the NBA Draft Combine, and he’s the only player measured above eight feet there. He played briefly in the NBA, but he’s in the record book for good.
8’6″ · Manute Bol†
Manute Bol†: 7’7″ tall · 8’6″ wingspan · ape index +11.0″
Bol’s 8’6″ is the most famous wingspan in league history, eleven inches longer than he was tall. He averaged five blocks a game as a rookie and led the league in blocks twice.
The legends nobody can pin down
A few of the greatest big men ever are missing from the tiers on purpose. Everyone has a number for their arms, and nobody agrees on it.
| Player | The number people quote | The catch |
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | About 7’5″ | Repeated for decades, never tied to an official measurement. |
| Hakeem Olajuwon | Anywhere from 7’2″ to 7’7″; 7’4″ is popular | The range is too wide to pick a spot. |
| Tim Duncan | No agreed number | He never went through a pre-draft measurement, so nobody can check it. |
The T-Rex arms club
Not everyone has long arms. Some players’ wingspans are shorter than their height. Yao Ming is the most famous member (7’6″ with a 7’5″ wingspan), and JJ Redick (6’5″ with 6’3″ arms), Kelly Olynyk (7’0″ with 6’10”) and Frank Kaminsky (7’1″ with 6’11”) each come up two inches short. Mykhailiuk is three inches short, and he still has a ring.
The full index
| Tier | Player | Height | Wingspan | Ape Index | Known for |
| Under 6’1″ | T.J. Ford | 6’0″ | 5’11.5″ | −0.5 | 2003 Naismith and Wooden |
| 6’1″ | Nate Robinson | 5’9″ | 6’1″ | +4.0″ | 3x Slam Dunk champion |
| 6’2″ | Isaiah Thomas | 5’10” | 6’2″ | +4.0″ | 2x All-Star, All-NBA 2nd |
| Kyle Lowry† | 6’1″ | 6’2″ | +1.0″ | 6x All-Star, champion | |
| 6’3″ | Allen Iverson† | 6’0″ | 6’3″ | +3.0″ | MVP, 4x scoring champ |
| 6’4″ | Stephen Curry | 6’3″ | 6’3.5″ | +0.5″ | 2x MVP, 4x champion |
| Chris Paul | 6’0″ | 6’4″ | +4.0″ | Assist and steals leader | |
| 6’5″ | Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk | 6’8″ | 6’5″ | -3.0″ | 2024 champion |
| 6’6″ | Deron Williams | 6’3″ | 6’6.25″ | +3.25″ | 3x All-Star |
| 6’7″ | Ja Morant† | 6’2″ | 6’7″ | +5.0″ | ROY, MIP, 2x All-Star |
| 6’8″ | Russell Westbrook | 6’3″ | 6’7.75″ | +4.75″ | MVP, triple-double record |
| Damian Lillard | 6’3″ | 6’7.75″ | +4.75″ | Perennial All-Star | |
| Derrick Rose | 6’3″ | 6’8″ | +5.0″ | Youngest MVP ever | |
| 6’9″ | Klay Thompson | 6’7″ | 6’9″ | +2.0″ | 4x champion, 5x All-Star |
| Luka Dončić† | 6’7″ | 6’9″ | +2.0″ | 2024 scoring champ | |
| Anthony Edwards† | 6’5″ | 6’9″ | +4.0″ | All-Star, Olympic gold | |
| 6’10” | Gilbert Arenas | 6’3″ | 6’9.5″ | +6.5″ | 3x All-Star |
| Donovan Mitchell† | 6’3″ | 6’10” | +7.0″ | Perennial All-Star | |
| 6’11” | Dwyane Wade | 6’4″ | 6’11” | +7″ | 3x champion, Finals MVP |
| Michael Jordan† | 6’6″ | 6’11” | +5.0″ | 6x champion, 5x MVP | |
| Kobe Bryant† | 6’6″ | 6’11” | +5.0″ | 5x champion, MVP | |
| James Harden† | 6’5″ | 6’11” | +6.0″ | MVP, 3x scoring champ | |
| 7’0″ | LeBron James | 6’8″ | 7’0″ | +4.0″ | 4x champion, 4x MVP |
| Shai Gilgeous-Alexander | 6’6″ | 6’11.5″ | +5.5″ | 2x MVP, Finals MVP | |
| 7’1″ | Draymond Green | 6’7″ | 7’1″ | +6.0″ | 4x champion, DPOY |
| Tracy McGrady† | 6’8″ | 7’1″ | +5.0″ | 7x All-Star, 2x scoring champ | |
| 7’2″ | Amar’e Stoudemire | 6’10” | 7’1.75″ | +3.75″ | 6x All-Star, ROY |
| Dirk Nowitzki† | 7’0″ | 7’2″ | +2.0″ | MVP, Finals MVP | |
| 7’3″ | Kawhi Leonard | 6’7″ | 7’3″ | +8.0″ | 2x Finals MVP, 2x DPOY |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo† | 6’11” | 7’3″ | +4.0″ | 2x MVP, DPOY | |
| Nikola Jokić† | 7’0″ | 7’3″ | +3.0″ | 3x MVP, Finals MVP | |
| Scottie Pippen† | 6’8″ | 7’3″ | +7.0″ | 6x champion, 7x All-Star | |
| 7’4″ | Chris Bosh | 6’11” | 7’3.5″ | +4.5″ | 11x All-Star, 2x champion |
| Bill Russell† | 6’10” | 7’4″ | +6.0″ | 11x champion, 5x MVP | |
| Pau Gasol† | 7’0″ | 7’4″ | +4.0″ | 2x champion, Hall of Fame | |
| 7’5″ | Kevin Durant | 6’11” | 7’5″ | +6.0″ | MVP, 2x Finals MVP |
| Dwight Howard | 6’10” | 7’4.5″ | +6.5″ | 3x DPOY | |
| Kevin McHale† | 6’10” | 7’5″ | +7.0″ | 3x champion, Hall of Fame | |
| 7’6″ | Joel Embiid | 7’2″ | 7’6″ | +4.0″ | 2023 MVP |
| Anthony Davis | 6’10” | 7’5.5″ | +7.5″ | 2020 champion | |
| 7’7″ | Shaquille O’Neal† | 7’1″ | 7’7″ | +6.0″ | 4x champion, MVP |
| Alonzo Mourning | 6’10” | 7’6.5″ | +8.5″ | 2x DPOY, Hall of Fame | |
| 7’8″ | Wilt Chamberlain† | 7’1″ | 7’8″ | +7.0″ | 4x MVP, record holder |
| 7’9″ | Rudy Gobert | 7’1″ | 7’8.5″ | +7.5″ | 4x DPOY |
| 7’10” | Mo Bamba | 7’0″ | 7’10” | +10.0″ | 2018 No. 6 pick |
| Boban Marjanović† | 7’4″ | 7’10” | +6.0″ | Cult-favorite reserve | |
| 7’11” | Zach Edey | 7’4″ | 7’10.75″ | +6.75″ | 2x national POTY |
| 8’0″ | Victor Wembanyama† | 7’5″ | 8’0″ | +7.0″ | 2025-26 DPOY |
| 8’2″ | Tacko Fall | 7’7″ | 8’2.25″ | +7.25″ | Longest combine reach |
| 8’6″ | Manute Bol† | 7’7″ | 8’6″ | +11.0″ | 2x blocks leader |
The takeaway
Reach helps, but it doesn’t decide anything. Among the players featured here, ape indexes run from -3″ (Mykhailiuk) to +11″ (Bol), and greatness shows up all along the way. Curry’s arms barely beat his height and he’s the greatest shooter ever. Bol’s arms were eleven inches longer than he was tall and he blocked shots for a living. What the best players share is a way to turn their own body into an advantage. Wingspan is a weapon. It isn’t destiny.
Sources
- NBA.com, “NBA Draft Combine: Largest Wingspans”
- DraftExpress and NBADraft.net combine and pre-draft analyses
- Canada Hoops compilation of NBA pre-draft camp measurements, 2000-2006
- Basketball-Reference, RealGM and Britannica (awards and career records)