Who Was the Shortest NBA Player?
Who Was the Shortest NBA Player? We take a look at the shortest NBA players in history and how they’ve managed to find success on the court.
Introduction
In basketball, size has always been an advantage. The taller and bigger a player is, the easier it is for him or her to block shots, rebound the ball, and score. So it’s no surprise that some of the most successful players in NBA history were also some of the tallest.
But there have also been a number of very successful players who were shorter than average. In fact, some of the greatest players in NBA history were shorter than six feet tall. Here are five of the shortest players in NBA history.
Gheorghe Muresan
At 7’7″, Gheorghe Muresan was the tallest player in NBA history when he retired in 2005. But at just shy of 6’3″, Earl Boykins was the league’s shortest player during that same period.
Earl Boykins
Earl Joseph Boykins Jr. (born June 2, 1976) is an American former professional basketball player who was one of the shortest players in NBA history, standing at 5 feet 5 inches (1.65 m). Boykins had a successful college career at Eastern Michigan University, where he is the school’s all-time leading scorer. He went undrafted in the 1998 NBA draft but carved out a 13-year professional career in the NBA and other leagues.
Muggsy Bogues
Muggsy Bogues is considered to be one of the shortest NBA players of all time. He was born Tyrone Curtis Bogues on January 9, 1965, in Baltimore, Maryland. Bogues played high school basketball at Dunbar High School where he led his team to a perfect 29-0 record and the #1 ranking in the country. He then went on to play college basketball at Wake Forest University.
In 1987, Bogues was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets with the 12th overall pick. He went on to play for the Hornets for 10 years before being traded to the Golden State Warriors in 1997. He then spent one season with the Toronto Raptors before retiring from NBA in 2001.
At just 5’3” tall, Muggsy Bogues is considered one of the shortest NBA players of all time. Nevertheless, he had a successful career in the league and was even named to the NBA All-Star team in 1988.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the shortest player in NBA history is Muggsy Bogues, who played for four different teams during his 14-year career. Standing at just 5’3″, Bogues is more than a foot shorter than the average NBA player. Despite his diminutive stature, Bogues was a competent player and even made an All-Star team during his career. While there have been other short players in the NBA, none have been as successful as Bogues.
