Nearly 20% of 7-Footers Make it to the NBA

[Neurotic Guy]

I find this amazing.  According to this article, there are about 70 7-footers in America between the ages of 20-40.  The conclusion is that nearly 20% of all American 7-footers in that age group are (or have been) NBA players. 

I've always wondered where the 7-footers are who don't play in the NBA -- it's pretty rare to see a person that tall out in the world.  I am not surprised you don't need elite physical tools to play in the NBA as a 7 footer, but I would have guessed it required pretty good natural skills (in addition to height).  And when you consider guys like  Tim Duncan, KG, Dirk, Pau-- aren't these guys elite athletes (I realize 2 of the examples aren't American)?  These guys come out of an astronomically small pool of 7-footers.  I know the adage "you can't teach height" but I think I've underrated to some extent the advantage of height.  I would have guessed there would be way more 7-footers "hidden" out there.


http://www.truthaboutit.net/2012/05/true-or-false-half-of-all-7-footers-are-in-the-nba.html

[jpotter33]

I find this amazing.  According to this article, there are about 70 7-footers in America between the ages of 20-40.  The conclusion is that nearly 20% of all American 7-footers in that age group are (or have been) NBA players. 

I've always wondered where the 7-footers are who don't play in the NBA -- it's pretty rare to see a person that tall out in the world.  I am not surprised you don't need elite physical tools to play in the NBA as a 7 footer, but I would have guessed it required pretty good natural skills (in addition to height).  And when you consider guys like  Tim Duncan, KG, Dirk, Pau-- aren't these guys elite athletes (I realize 2 of the examples aren't American)?  These guys come out of an astronomically small pool of 7-footers.  I know the adage "you can't teach height" but I think I've underrated to some extent the advantage of height.  I would have guessed there would be way more 7-footers "hidden" out there.


http://www.truthaboutit.net/2012/05/true-or-false-half-of-all-7-footers-are-in-the-nba.html

Interesting. I used to train mixed martial arts with a legit 7 footer (talk about a reach advantage), and he reminded a lot of Big Z from Cleveland - bald, white, huge, lanky. I would think there are more than 70 in America alone.

[moiso]

I read about this several months ago.  It is amazing.  So there are probably around 200 living 7 footers in the entire country.  I wonder what the percentage to play in the NBA was in the 80's, when every team had a 7 foot stiff at backup center.  Those guys weren't athletic at all.  Remember Chuck Nevit???

[Neurotic Guy]

I read about this several months ago.  It is amazing.  So there are probably around 200 living 7 footers in the entire country.  I wonder what the percentage to play in the NBA was in the 80's, when every team had a 7 foot stiff at backup center.  Those guys weren't athletic at all.  Remember Chuck Nevit???

And we had Eric Fernsten.  Not gifted.  But I did always think that even these guys had to have some measure of skill to manage the physical rigor and to compete on the same court with the smaller incredible athletes in the NBA. 

[SHAQATTACK]

Fab Melo

[Neurotic Guy]

I remember being at a clinic with Hank Finkel when I was in my early teens and he was with the C's.  I actually thought he seemed OK -- he had good form to his shot when he demonstrated his outside shooting (hitting a decent %).  That's my memory of it anyway.

[BballTim]

I read about this several months ago.  It is amazing.  So there are probably around 200 living 7 footers in the entire country.

  Probably less than that. Figure very few women, very few under 15, and people that tall have a shorter than average life

[jambr380]

My only guess with the skill level of some of these seven footers is that when a kid is so tall, coaches put a lot of extra effort into helping them become as effective as possible. It's not everyday a coach gets to work with a seven footer - maybe the coach and player know there is an actual chance of making it to the highest level, just by becoming serviceable.

[Denis998]

I wonder that those numbers are for people that are 6'5

[KG Living Legend]

 I grew up with a kid that was 6'11" and I used to have to cover him because I was the next biggest slash strongest.

 He really sucked and did not make the NBA, he did well at times but Generally I could just push him away from the basket.