In basketball, having large hands might be a distinct advantage. It naturally means that you have a large palm size which consequently allows you to more easily palm the ball, which, while not essential, can be beneficial. The art of ball control is paramount in basketball, especially when all of the decisions are inyour hands. Let us look at theplayers with the biggest hand size in the NBA.
When it comes to hand size in the NBA, the only two measurements that are critically considered are length and span. So, measure the length from the base of your palm to the tip of your middle finger straight upwards. This measurement is done by extending horizontally and taking the distance from the pinky to the thumb.
According to the latest statistics, these are the top 10 players with the biggest hand size in the history of the NBA, as of 2022.
10. Wilt Chamberlain
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He was one of the most dominant players in NBA history because of his large hands. They measured 9.5 inches in length and 11.5 inches in breadth and were not spectacular for someone of his stature. However, compared to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt's hands were substantially larger than Abdul-Jabbar's.
- Hand size (Length/Span): 9.5/11.5 inches
- Height: 7’1”
9. Kawhi Leonard
When Kawhi Leonard was born, his mother noticed his oversized hands. Leonard was a freshman wide receiver at Canyon Springs High. His school didn't have receiver gloves that fit him, so they sent him to a sports store. Unfortunately, the store's largest size didn't fit "The Claw," so they had to purchase some.
- Hand size (Length/Span): 9.75”/11.25”
- Height: 6’7”
8. Michael Jordan
If any name on the list is familiar, it's this one. Michael Jordan is the greatest NBA player ever. He won six NBA championships and was Finals MVP in every game he played. The size of Jordan's hands was a significant weapon in his game, from ball fakes to highlight-reel dunks, to superhuman lay-ups.
A 5-time NBA MVP, he moved on to act and establish a brand, which made him the richest athlete of all time. To understand more, Netflix's 2019 documentary "The Last Dance" is worth seeing.
- Height: 6’6”
- Hand size (Length/Span): 9.75”/11.375”
7. Julius Erving
From 1976 through to 1987, Julius Erving was a small forward with the Philadelphia 76ers. After the 1975-76 season, the American Basketball Association (ABA) amalgamated with the National Basketball Association (NBA), and Julius Erving served as the ABA's representative. Regarding free-throw line slam dunks, Erving was the first player to incorporate them into his game in a unique way. For his achievements in basketball, Erving was also a four-time NBA MVP while playing for the Philadelphia 76ers.
- Height: 6’7”
- Hand size (Length/Span): 9.75”/11.75”
6. Noah Vonleh
For the Shanghai Sharks, Noah Vonleh is a 26-year-old power forward/centre. Vonleh played in the NBA for seven years, making seven different teams after being chosen by the Charlotte Hornets in 2014. While his achievements don't measure up to those of the other stars on this list, the length and span of his hand certainly do – with a length of 9.75 inches and 11.75 inches, respectively.
- Height: 6’10”
- Hand size (Length/Span): 9.75”/11.75”
5. Connie Hawkings
From 1961 to 1976, Connie Hawkins played in the ABA, where he excelled before the league merged with the NBA. Connie Hawkins was one of the first players in the NBA to exhibit the kind of theatrics and style that Erving and Jordan would later become famous for. For his illustrious playing career (and huge hands), 'The Hawks' was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992.
- Height: 6’8”
- Hand size (Length/Span): 10.5”/11”
4. Gregory Smith
Greg Smith, a 31-year-old basketball player, based in the Philippines, has played in Mexico, the United States, Japan, Taiwan, Turkey, and elsewhere. He had the most playing time during the 2013-2014 NBA season. Given how little success he has had on the grandest stage, Greg Smith's large hands will undoubtedly be the most enduring feature of his career.
- Height: 6’10”
- Hand size (Length/Span): 9.8”/12”
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis Antetokounmpo, nicknamed "The Greek Freak," is one of the NBA's top players, having won MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. The size of Antetokounmpo's hands, which were officially measured to be 12 inches wide in the 2013 NBA Draft Combine, is likely to have benefited his ball-handling talents. During the 2021 NBA season, he led the Milwaukee Bucks to their first NBA title in 40 years, completing an eight-year NBA tenure in Milwaukee.
- Height: 6’11”
- Hand size (Length/Span): 9.85”/12”
2. Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille O'Neal is perhaps the first name that comes to mind when thinking about the NBA's all-time great gargantuan centres. He was part of the most famous and formidable duos in the history of the NBA.
In his 19-year NBA career, Shaq established himself as one of the game's all-time great big men and a pillar of the Los Angeles Lakers organization. In addition, he has become a worldwide celebrity thanks to his name and brand recognition as an actor and a basketball analyst.
- Height: 7’1”
- Hand size (Length/Span): 10.25”/12”
1. Boban Marjanovic
Which NBA player has the biggest hands? Boban Marjanovic is the current Dallas Mavericks center. Compared to the average guy, Boban's hands are three inches longer than the average male's. As you may guess, Boban is the tallest player on our roster and has the biggest hand size in the NBA ever.
San Antonio Spurs acquired Boban after he enjoyed success in the Serbian leagues. As of this writing, Boban is having his finest season since joining the NBA and is doing so in Dallas. It's unlikely that Boban's NBA career will phenomenal, but he'll go down in history as the NBA player with the largest hands ever and the biggest hand size by position as of 2022.
- Height: 7’3”
- Hand size (Length/Span): 10.75”/12”
How big were MJ’s hands? Despite having little feet, he was endowed with gigantic hands. They measured 9.75 inches in length and span 11.375 inches. As we have seen, Boban Marjanovic has the biggest hand size as of 2022.
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