The NBA has decided to clamp down on the listed heights of it's players. The little guys have often been listed as taller than the reality, while bigs over 7-feet have have sometimes insisted that they are shorter than what the numbers indicate.
Start with Bill Walton. He played two seasons in Boston and was always shown to be 6'11", yet he clearly was taller than teammate, Robert Parish, who was listed at 7'0.5". Wes Unseld was listed at 6'7" but that must have included the height of his large Afro. Charles Barkley was alleged to be 6'6", but 6'4" may have been closer to his real height.
In the modern NBA, Isaiah Thomas comes to mind. He shows at 5'9" on paper, but my daughter stood next to him and told me that he was closer to 5'7"-5'8" in height. How about Kevin Durant? No way he is 6'9" tall. To get his actual height, add at least two or three inches.
The current listed heights for NBA players indicate how tall they are with shoes. The new numbers will show their heights without shoes, eliminating the variability of sole thickness.
So expect the height of most players to drop from their current listings due to the "Barefoot Rule". There will be some exceptions, and it is projected that Kevin Durant, even barefoot, will still come in taller than 6'9". Photos can be deceiving, but Durant appears to be taller than "Boogie" Cousins, although Boogie is slouching a bit. The real measurements are supposed to come out of training camps, so get ready to get the long-and-short of it.
Follow Tom at @CelticsSentinel and @_Celtics_Center
Start with Bill Walton. He played two seasons in Boston and was always shown to be 6'11", yet he clearly was taller than teammate, Robert Parish, who was listed at 7'0.5". Wes Unseld was listed at 6'7" but that must have included the height of his large Afro. Charles Barkley was alleged to be 6'6", but 6'4" may have been closer to his real height.
In the modern NBA, Isaiah Thomas comes to mind. He shows at 5'9" on paper, but my daughter stood next to him and told me that he was closer to 5'7"-5'8" in height. How about Kevin Durant? No way he is 6'9" tall. To get his actual height, add at least two or three inches.
For years some players have been listed as taller -- and some shorter -- than they really are. The league clearly wants to change that.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) September 26, 2019
The current listed heights for NBA players indicate how tall they are with shoes. The new numbers will show their heights without shoes, eliminating the variability of sole thickness.
Boogie joked that he told KD to stop standing next to him. Boogie listed at 6-11, Durant at 6-9. pic.twitter.com/E2OIJwXKVS
— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) June 29, 2016
So expect the height of most players to drop from their current listings due to the "Barefoot Rule". There will be some exceptions, and it is projected that Kevin Durant, even barefoot, will still come in taller than 6'9". Photos can be deceiving, but Durant appears to be taller than "Boogie" Cousins, although Boogie is slouching a bit. The real measurements are supposed to come out of training camps, so get ready to get the long-and-short of it.
Follow Tom at @CelticsSentinel and @_Celtics_Center
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