When a name as big as Kobe Bryant says he would like to have those massive hands that Michael Jordan had, then it's a no-brainer that bigger hands give you a significant edge over opponents in the court.
It's not just Kobe. Over the years, numerous players have talked about the benefits of having huge hands in basketball. Michael Jordan, Julius Erving, Phil Jackson are just to name a few. In this article, we'll have a look at the biggest hands in the NBA players of all time.
Table of Contents
What are the advantages of having big hands in basketball:
1. Superior ball control and dribbling skill
2. Palming the ball gets easier
3. Improved defense and means more rebounds
How does NBA measure hand size?
Hand size is measured in two sections; hand length and hand span. From the base of the palm to the tip of the middle finger is called the hand length. When outstretching your hand, the measurement from the tip of the thumb to the tip of the pinky finger is known as hand span.
15 players with the Biggest Hands In The NBA league history:
1. Boban Marjanovic:
A. Hand Size: 10.75” (Hand length); 12” (Hand span)
B. Height: 7 feet 4 inches
C. Weight: 290 lb
D. Playing Position: Center
Boban, currently playing for Dallas Mavericks in the NBA, is the second tallest active player on the roster (only behind Tacko Fall). His hand length is 14% longer than the average player of his height. Handspan is 11% wider than the average player of his height. In terms of hand length, he is close to the person with the world's biggest hand size, Sultan Kosen.
He is a lovable character in NBA. It's true, his size makes him popular, but you can't underestimate his skill as an NBA player. Besides, he is from Serbia, so he has worked his way to come into this position. With that sort of height, it isn't easy to guard him in the post. He has a field goal percentage of 58%, which makes him a decent scorer. Mobility is definitely an issue for such big players, so he is trying to compensate for that.
2. Giannis Antetokounmpo:
A. Hand Size: 9.85” (Hand length); 12” (Hand span)
B. Height: 6 feet 11 inches
C. Weight: 242 lb
D. Playing Position: Power Forward/Small Forward
Giannis Antetokounmpo has earned the nickname "Greek freak" quite rightfully thanks to his astonishing hand size, speed and ball-handling skills. He is currently playing for Milwaukee Bucks. His hand length is 9% longer than the average player of his height. The hand span is 20% wider than the other players of his height. He has certainly improved as a player in the last couple of seasons. He has made it into the NBA All-Star team on four successive occasions (2017-2020).
Besides, in 2017 he got the most improved player award. He was named the defensive player of the 2019-20 NBA season. His career graph is certainly moving upwards
3. Noah Vonleh:
A. Hand Size: 9.75” (Hand length); 11.75” (Hand span)
B. Height: 6 feet 10 inches
C. Weight: 257 lb
D. Playing Position: Power Forward/Center
Noah Vonleh plays for Denver Nugget in NBA. Compared to his height players, his hand size is 8% longer and 21% wider. More than the performance, his massive hand size is the talking point. In his six seasons of his NBA career, he has already played for six different franchises.
Hence, it gives an indication big hands do not always guarantee success in basketball. With that being said, he is just 25, so the age is on his side to turn things around.
4. Kawhi Leonard:
A. Hand Size: 9.75” (Hand length); 11.25” (Hand span)
B. Height: 6 feet 7 inches
C. Weight: 225 lb
D. Playing Position: Small Forward
Kawhi Leonard has earned the nickname "Claw" or "Klaw" for his ball-hawking skills. His hand size has played a crucial factor behind it. His hand size is 11% longer & 18% wider than the average player of his height.
Currently, he plays for Los Angeles Clippers in NBA. He is a two-time NBA champion and the recipient of several awards. He was named NBA Finals MVP twice, and in two successive years, he won the defensive player of the year award (2015 and 2016).
5. Jahlil Okafor:
A. Hand Size: 9.5” (Hand length); 11.25” (Hand span)
B. Height: 6 feet 10 inches
C. Weight: 270 lb
D. Playing Position: Center
Jahlil Okafor, a Nigerian-American professional basketball player, plays for the New Orleans Pelicans of NBA. He came into NBA with high expectations because of consistent performance in youth ranks. His NBA career though is yet to match those expectations, but several controversial and dangerous off-court situations didn't help him either.
There was no doubts at all about his physical attributes. Speaking of hand size, it is 5% longer and 14% wider than an average player of his height.
6. Rajon Rondo:
A. Hand Size: 9.5” (Hand length); 10” (Hand span)
B. Height: 6 feet 1 inch
C. Weight: 180 lb
D. Playing Position: Point Guard
Rajon Rondo was the first point guard to be picked in the 2006 NBA draft. Thus, it speaks for his ability and excellent basketball IQ as a point guard. Rajon, a stat sheet stuffer, is a four-time NBA All-Star. He is currently playing for Los Angeles Lakers. In terms of assists per game, he had topped the chart in 3 seasons.
He is absolutely a freak if you compare the hand size with his height. It is 14% longer and 11% wider. Truly he has counted upon his physical attributes to become one of the most versatile players on the court.
7. Shaquille O’Neal:
A. Hand Size: 10.25” (Hand length); 12” (Hand span)
B. Height: 7 feet 1 inch
C. Weight: 325 lb
D. Playing Position: Center
Shaq was undoubtedly one of the tallest and heaviest NBA players ever. His physical stature made him famous. Such is the impact of his physical presence; it caused changes in the opponent's offensive and defensive strategies. His shoe size was 23, so you can get an idea of how gigantic Shaq's hands were! It is 11% longer and 19% wider than the average player of his height.
Shaq is thought one of the best players in NBA history. He won 3 All-Star Game MVP Awards, 3 Finals MVP Awards, and had 14 All-NBA team selections. O'Neal ranks 3rd in all-time in field goal percentage. It would not be too wrong to say he had the physical advantage over most opponents.
8. Julius Erving:
A. Hand Size: 9.5” (Hand length); 11.75” (Hand span)
B. Height: 6 feet 7 inch
C. Weight: 210 lb
D. Playing Position: Small Forward
Julius, also known as "Dr. J" is one of the greatest basketball dunkers in NBA history. The size of his hands is still the talking point of many basketball lovers. He had huge mitts for easy grip on the basketball. The control and arm speed he had while palming the ball is simply beyond imagination.
The hand size was 8% longer and 24% wider than the average player of his height. No doubt it played a big part in getting recognized as one of the game's best dunkers.
9. Gregory Smith:
A. Hand Size: 9.8” (Hand length); 12” (Hand span)
B. Height: 6 feet 11 inches
C. Weight: 251 lb
D. Playing Position: Center/Power Forward
Gregory Smith's hands are 9% longer and 21% wider than players of his height. Although it seems big hand size has done very little in contributing to his career. Even he went undrafted in 2011. He is yet to prove his mettle here. Smith has frequently changed teams, further proving the fact that his career never had any stability.
10. Connie Hawkins:
A. Hand Size: 10.5” (Hand length); 11” (Hand span)
B. Height: 6 feet 8 inches
C. Weight: 210 lb
D. Playing Position: Power Forward/Center
Connie Hawkins, a New York City playground legend, played in NBA for only seven seasons. His impressive performances throughout the ABL and ABA got him as the Basketball Hall Of Fame Inductee.
This 4 time, NBA All-Star has unusually large hands, and palming the ball was a cup of tea for him. Statistically, his hands were 18% longer and 13% wider than the other players of his height.
11. Michael Jordan:
A. Hand Size: 9.75” (Hand length); 11.375” (Hand span)
B. Height: 6 feet 6 inches
C. Weight: 216 lb
D. Playing Position: Shooting Guard/Small Forward
No words can describe how great Michael Jordan was! In 15 years of his NBA career, he won the title 6 times. He is a global icon and helped to popularize NBA in the 1980s and 1990s.
Although he had relatively smaller feet and shoe size was a mere 13, it didn't stop him from becoming the GOAT of basketball because of his enormous hands combined with great leaping ability and lightning footwork. It made him a prolific scorer of the game.
His hands were 12% longer and 21% wider than the other players of his height's. He has a career regular-season scoring average of 30.12 points per game and a career playoff scoring average of 33.45 points per game.
12. Wilt Chamberlain:
A. Hand Size: 9.5” (Hand length); 11.5” (Hand span)
B. Height: 7 feet 1 inch
C. Weight: 275 lb
D. Playing Position: Center
The big dipper was physically gifted like all these players on this list. He was called other nicknames in attention to his height, such as "Goliath" and "Wilt the stilt". Besides, this 7 foot taller also had a ridiculous size of hands that helped him dismantle opponents. Wilt Chamberlain's hands were 3.3% longer and 15% wider than his average height's players.
He holds multiple NBA records in different categories. Once he scored 100 points in a single NBA game (for Philadelphia Warriors), he is the only player in the history of the NBA.
13. Royce White:
A. Hand Size: 9.5” (Hand length); 11.5” (Hand span)
B. Height: 6 feet 8 inches
C. Weight: 260 lb
D. Playing Position: Power Forward
Royce White is a former professional basketball player. White actually struggled with mental health issues during his NBA career. Now he is looking to embark on Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) career. His hand size was 7% longer and 19% wider than other players at his height's.
14. Wayne Embry:
A. Hand Size: 9.25” (Hand length); 11.75” (Hand span)
B. Height: 6 feet 8 inches
C. Weight: 240 lb
D. Playing Position: Center/Power Forward
Wayne Embry had large mitts. It is believed that Embry's hands were 4% longer and 21% wider than his comparatives. The retired American basketball player later became a professional basketball executive. Embry won the NBA title both as a player and executive.
15. Elgin Baylor:
A. Hand Size: 9.75” (Hand length); 11” (Hand span)
B. Height: 6 feet 5 inches
C. Weight: 225 lb
D. Playing Position: Small Forward
Elgin Baylor was renowned for his tremendous athleticism on the court. His passing and shooting skills are unmatched. Unsurprisingly, he had one of the biggest hands in the NBA history.
His hand size was 13% longer and 16% wider than the other players of his height. Laker fans fell in love with his trademark hanging jump shots. He is basketball's one of the all-time greatest players.