Meet the Tallest Basketball Player Ever!

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Abiadun: The Tallest Basketball Player in the World
   1. Early Life and Struggles
   2. Basketball Career
   3. Pros and Cons
3. Robert Babrowski: The Seven Foot Seven High School Player
   1. Family Background and Early Life
   2. Basketball Career
   3. Pros and Cons
4. Sun Ming Ming: The Chinese Giant
   1. Early Life and Health Struggles
   2. Basketball Career
   3. Pros and Cons
5. Neil Fingleton: The Tallest British Man and Actor
   1. Early Life and Basketball Career
   2. Acting Career
   3. Pros and Cons
6. Olivier Ryu: The World's Tallest Teenager
   1. Early Life and Family Background
   2. Basketball Career
   3. Pros and Cons
7. Conclusion

Abiadun: The Tallest Basketball Player in the World

Basketball is a sport that requires a combination of skill, athleticism, and Height. While most players in the NBA are over six feet tall, there are some players who stand out for their exceptional height. One such player is Abiadun, also known as Adagoki, who is currently the tallest basketball player in the world at seven feet and 11 inches.

Early Life and Struggles

Abiadun was born in Nigeria and grew up in poverty. He was so tall that he couldn't stand up straight in his house, which caused him to have a hunchback. Despite his height, he had to walk around in shoes made of plastic and truck tires because there were no shops in Nigeria that sold shoes in his size.

At the age of 16, Abiadun was already seven feet tall when he was discovered by a coach at the International College in Nigeria. The coach invited him to play for his team, and Abiadun accepted despite his poverty.

Basketball Career

Abiadun quickly became a star at the university, but he disappeared at the age of 17. A few months later, the university received a call from Abiadun, who had received an offer to play basketball professionally in the Middle East. He is still playing there today.

Abiadun's highlights in the elite youth league in Dubai Show that he is a force to be reckoned with inside the paint. He can dunk over people like they aren't even there, and defenders have a hard time guarding him. However, he is not in the best Shape and can barely run up and down the court. It takes him about 15 seconds to even reach the other end of the court, and his movements look awkward and stiff.

Pros and Cons

Abiadun's height is undoubtedly an AdVantage on the basketball court, but it also comes with its own set of challenges. He is not in the best shape and can barely run up and down the court. His basketball technique is subpar, and he is quite uncoordinated, which is no surprise for someone of his stature. Defenders only need to manage to stay in front of him and deny him the ball to completely remove him from any offensive action.

While Abiadun's height is impressive, it is unlikely that he will ever play in the NBA. He is far from playing any kind of professional basketball, and his lack of mobility and coordination make him an easy target for defenders.

Robert Babrowski: The Seven Foot Seven High School Player

Robert Babrowski is another basketball player who stands out for his exceptional height. At seven foot seven inches tall, he is one of the tallest high school players in history.

Family Background and Early Life

Robert's father was a former basketball player who played on the Romanian national team with George Muresan, a seven-foot-seven giant and the tallest player in NBA history. Robert's mom was a six-foot-one volleyball player, and little Robert surpassed her in height at just eight years old. By the age of 12, he had reached seven feet two inches, surpassing his father's height.

Basketball Career

Robert was recruited by an Italian under-15 team, Stella Azura, and helped them win the national championship. His family then moved to America, and at the age of 17, Robert made his high school debut at the Spire Academy, where he became a teammate to Lamelo Ball.

While Lamelo usually stole all the headlines, Babrowski made sure it wasn't like this at Spire because he was an attraction everywhere he went. However, Robert was limited by a lack of endurance, muscle mass, and mobility on the court. He suffers from scoliosis, a disorder marked by a lateral curvature of the Spine, which causes back pain at any height, let alone seven foot seven.

In 2022, he played for Rochester University, but without any significant impact on the court. Even though he had dreams to play in the NBA like Kristaps Porzingis, his favorite player, it doesn't look like pro basketball is in the cards for this gentle giant.

Pros and Cons

Robert's height is undoubtedly an advantage on the basketball court, but his lack of endurance, muscle mass, and mobility make him an easy target for defenders. His scoliosis also causes back pain, which can limit his playing time.

While Robert's height is impressive, it is unlikely that he will ever play in the NBA. He lacks the necessary skills and mobility to compete at the highest level.

Sun Ming Ming: The Chinese Giant

Sun Ming Ming is another basketball player who stands out for his exceptional height. At seven foot nine inches tall, he became as popular as Yao Ming, just without playing in the NBA.

Early Life and Health Struggles

Sun was naturally big, and at 15 years old, he was standing at seven feet, which pushed him to play basketball. However, he was Never supposed to reach his Current height. Sun had a tumor on his brain that forced his body to grow rapidly, even in his later years. It's a condition called acromegaly that caused Sun's body to release high levels of growth hormone, which, if not treated, could cause premature death.

His basketball career was threatened to be over before his 21st birthday, and he didn't have the $100,000 needed for surgery until his agent saved the day, organized a highly successful fundraiser, and got the money for Sun's surgery.

Basketball Career

Sun always hoped to play in the NBA like his countryman Yao, but he was not nearly as skilled or mobile as him. Three inches short of me, Sun went on to play in minor American leagues, Mexico, and Japan before he returned to China, where he had the most successful period of his career playing for the Beijing Ducks alongside Stefan Marbury. Ming Ming won two CBA titles, even though he could dunk without jumping and had a bit of skill.

Sun couldn't catch other players running up and down the court. He was never a big contributor in terms of production, but he was the main attraction and one of the most popular players everywhere he played. In 2013, he got married to a six-foot-two Chew Yan, and together they entered the Guinness World Record as the tallest couple in the world with a combined height of 13 feet and 11 inches.

Pros and Cons

Sun's height is undoubtedly an advantage on the basketball court, but his lack of mobility and coordination make him an easy target for defenders. He couldn't catch other players running up and down the court, and he was never a big contributor in terms of production.

While Sun's height is impressive, it is unlikely that he will ever play in the NBA. He lacks the necessary skills and mobility to compete at the highest level.

Neil Fingleton: The Tallest British Man and Actor

Neil Fingleton was another basketball player who stood out for his exceptional height. At seven feet seven and a half inches, he entered the Guinness World Record book as the tallest British man ever and among the 25 tallest men in the world.

Early Life and Basketball Career

When he sprouted to seven foot seven as a teenager, Fingleton decided to cash in on his height and pursue a basketball dream in America. He led his high school to a divisional championship and was named Massachusetts high school player of the year, primarily due to his defense as he was blocking more shots than Dikembe Mutombo. This earned him an invite to the 2000 McDonald's All-American Game, facing the best players in the nation and six future NBA players. Fingleton made his mark by blocking three shots in 10 minutes on the court.

There was a legit recruiting battle for Fingleton's services, and when the time came in 2000, he picked North Carolina. He was supposed to be the most devastating defensive force in college, but then a disaster struck. Fingleton broke his back and was forced to miss his freshman season after undergoing back surgery and wound up playing only one career game for the Tar Heels. He then transferred to another school, but Neil couldn't really move anymore, and his career came to an end.

Acting Career

Fingleton soon found a new calling in acting. He had some notable roles, fighting with Keanu Reeves in 47 Ronin, playing the gigantic Fisher King in Doctor Who, and in Game of Thrones, he was Mag the Mighty.

Pros and Cons

Fingleton's height was undoubtedly an advantage on the basketball court, but his career was cut short due to a back injury. He found success in acting, but his height also limited the roles he could play.

While Fingleton's height is impressive, it is unlikely that he would have ever played in the NBA. His lack of mobility and coordination would have made him an easy target for defenders.

Olivier Ryu: The World's Tallest Teenager

Olivier Ryu is a 16-year-old basketball player who stands out for his exceptional height. At seven foot six inches tall, he made the Guinness World Record book in 2022 as the world's tallest teenager.

Early Life and Family Background

Olivier's father is six foot eight, and his mom is six foot two, and everybody knew he was going to be tall. Olivier was already five foot two in kindergarten, and he probably didn't stop growing just yet.

Basketball Career

Olivier can play basketball. He's mobile, balanced, and agile enough to carry his enormous body up and down the court. Ryu became a sensation after a YouTube video showed him in an Under 12 tournament standing at six foot ten, looking twice as tall as everybody else. In Denver, Jamal Murray even took a picture with Ryu. If you photoshopped Murray's beard onto Olivier, it would look like Murray was his son.

Pros and Cons

Olivier's height is undoubtedly an advantage on the basketball court, but being taller decreases effectiveness after a certain point. For Olivier's NBA dreams, it may be better if he didn't grow another inch.

While Olivier's height is impressive, it remains to be seen whether he will be able to compete at the highest level. He is still young, and with the right training and coaching, he may be able to develop the necessary skills to play in the NBA.

Conclusion

Basketball players who stand out for their exceptional height have always been a fascination for fans. While their height is undoubtedly an advantage on the basketball court, it also comes with its own set of challenges. The players discussed in this article have all faced their own struggles, whether it be health issues, lack of mobility, or coordination.

While it is unlikely that any of these players will ever play in the NBA, their stories serve as a reminder of the incredible diversity of talent and skill that exists in the world of basketball.