Top 10 Tallest Players in NBA History

Here are the 10 tallest men to play the game of basketball in the NBA. Some are lucky to be here just for their height and are hardly known to anyone not deeply involved with basketball, while others completed a very respectful and successful career in the NBA.

8. Ralph Sampson, 7′ 4” (2.24 meters) -Tied
NBA career length: 9 seasons (1983-1992)
Ralph Sampson to this day is still considered one of the greatest players in the college level, leaving Virginia with 3(!!!) Naismith national player of the year awards. He was expected to dominate the game once becoming pro and hyped as being an heir to Chamberlain and Russel. He started out pretty well, winning Rookie of the year award for the 83-84 season after being picked 1st by the Rockets in the 1983 draft. The 1984 draft added the Rockets with another big man phenom, Hakeem Olajuwon. The two were nicknamed “The twin towers” and enjoyed a fruitful partnership their first 2 seasons together, reaching the NBA finals in 1986, losing to the Boston Celtics.
 

8. Rik Smits, 7′ 4” (2.24 meters)- Tied
NBA Career length: 12 seasons (1988-2000)
The Dunkin’ Dutchman played his entire NBA career for the Indiana Pacers and is still one of the all-time fan favorites there. He was drafted by the Pacers in the 1988 draft coming out of Marist College as the no.2 overall pick. Despite starting his first season as back up for Steve Stipanovich he took over as starting center after Stipanovich ended his career with a terrible injury. Smits took the chance with both hands and ended up on the All-Rookie first team that year, which was followed by a solid and successful career in which Smits scored in double figures each season he played, 95-96 being his best when he averaged 18.5 points per game
 

8. Mark Eaton, 7′ 4” (2.24 meters)- Tied
NBA career length: 11 seasons (1982-1993)
It’s probably a freak accident that Eaton got to play in the NBA. He preferred Water Polo to Basketball during high school and served as auto mechanic for a few years after high school, only to be discovered by an assistant coach from Cypress Junior College. He played there before transferring to UCLA where he received very little playing time.
 

5. Slavko Vranes, 7’5", (2.26 meters) - Tied
NBA career length: 1 season
Vranes probably suffered from being so tall at such a young age, cause people actually expected him to be as good as he is tall. At 18 was already snatched by Turkish giant Efes Pilsen but was moved around until the Knicks (of course) saw some sort of potential in him and decided to pick him in the 2nd round of the 2003 draft. He didn’t get to play for the Knicks and was signed by the Portland Trailblazers, only to play one game for the team before his NBA career came to an end. Since he has moved back to Europe, playing for Partizan Belgrade currently in Serbian League and the Euroleague. NBA career stats: 1 season, 1 game, 3 minutes, 1 missed field goal, 1 personal foul. Competes with Lauderdale for the worst player on this list.

5. Pavel Podkolzin, 7’5, (2.26 meters) - Tied
The 21 overall pick in the 2004 NBA draft, Podkolzin amassed a total of six NBA games, scoring 4 points, playing for the Dallas Mavericks. Since then, it’s been the Russian League for him.

5. Chuck Nevitt, 7’5, (2.26 meters) - Tied
NBA career length: 1982-1994 (12 seasons)
There’s an old basketball saying by Red Auerbach which said “You can’t teach height” and that’s pretty much the story about Chuck Nevitt. He was in and out of the league, he was on and off teams. He got to play for the Lakers, Bulls, Pistons, Rockets and Spurs and even got to be on the 1985 Lakers championship squad. If you add up his career minutes played total you get 18 total games played. He never played more than 43 games in one season, about half an NBA season. At least he got to be around some true legends.

3. Shawn Bradley, 7′ 6” (2.29 meters) - Tied
NBA career length: 12 seasons.
Bradley got picked no.2 in the 1993 draft by the 76′ers and that probably hurt the beginning of his career, as he was expected to be a savior of a sick franchise at the time. Bradley, like Eaton was a great shot blocker but wasn’t as big as Eaton, thus suffering against strong inside men. Bradley was notorious for picking up fouls very quickly which limited his playing time. Only after moving to Dallas in 1997 it seemed Bradley was picking up and really getting comfortable with the NBA game, but after a few seasons, like every tall and lanky player, injuries started mounting up on his back and legs and his playing time and availability slowly started diminishing until he eventually retired after 2004-2005 season.

3. Yao Ming, 7′ 6” (2.29 meters) - Tied
NBA career length: 8 seasons
Recently retired, Ming hardly played any basketball after going down in the 2009 NBA playoffs against the LA Lakers. Heading up to the 2011-2012 season, Ming announced his retirement, sparking debated about his eligibility regarding the NBA hall of fame. Probably the most talented offensive player on this list, Ming, while certainly a game changer in terms of spreading NBA popularity across the globe, didn’t do enough in eight seasons with the Rockets to claim a berth in the Hall of Fame, in my opinion.

1. Gheorghe Muresan, 7′ 7” (2.31 meters) - Tied
NBA career length: 6 seasons
He shares the title of the NBA’s tallest player ever with Sudanese born Manute Bol. Muresan, born in Romania has a pituitary disorder that is the cause for his great height. After playing for Cluj University he moved to France to play for Pau-Orthez, where he caught the eye of NBA scouts, and in the 1993 draft was picked by the Washington Bullets (Wizards today). Despite a promising start, injuries plagued his rookie season.
 

1. Manute Bol, 7′ 7” (2.31 meters) - Tied
NBA career length: 10 seasons (1985-1994)
Together with Romanian giant Manute Bol is the tallest player to play in the NBA, and one of the nicest and popular among fans and teammates. Manute Bol had a tough time before starting his NBA career, being declared ineligible to play after being picked in the 1983 draft. It took him another 2 years before finally making it, being picked in 1985 draft by the Washington Bullets.


RATE IT

Top 10 Sexiest Female Athletes for 2013

Here's the 10 to 1 countdown of the Top 10 Sexiest Female Athletes for 2013

10. Agnieszka Radwanska — Tennis
She might not be as well-known as Serena or Sharapova, but this Polish babe is quietly making waves on the pro tennis circuit. Radwanska is currently ranked number four in the world—and we have a feeling she’ll be moving on up to the top spot in no time.

9. Kaylyn Kyle — Soccer
If we didn’t know any better, we’d probably assume Kaylyn Kyle was a Playboy Playmate. But as it turns out, she’s a Canadian-born soccer player who stuns both on the field and off. Tip: This blonde-haired, blue-eyed babe recently left the Vancouver Whitecaps to join Seattle Reign FC, so you might want to start tuning into U.S. women’s soccer more regularly.

8. Aimee Fuller — Snowboarding
Aimee Fuller is the quintessential girl next door—if the girl next door just happened to be a ridiculously talented snowboarder. This past year, the fearless Fuller was one of the first women to land a double backflip on the slopes. When she’s not busy being super hot, she’s gearing up for a spot on the 2014 Winter Olympic Games. No big deal.

7. Alana Blanchard — Surfing
With a body like Blanchard’s, it’s no wonder she juggles careers as both a professional surfer and a bikini model. She snagged the second place spot during this summer’s Movistar Women’s Pro in Peru, but what we love most about her isn’t her surfing skills. It’s the smoking hot photos she routinely uploads to her Twitter feed.

6. Alissa Czisny — Figure Skating
Two-time U.S. champion figure skater Alissa Czisny has her eye on the 2014 Winter Olympic Games—and we have our eye on Alissa. The only problem? The brunette bombshell recently dislocated a hip. Perhaps we should volunteer to nurse her back to health?

5. Sydney Leroux — Soccer
Leroux was the youngest member of the U.S. Women's Soccer team at the London Olympics and managed to break the world record for number of goals from a substitute player: Sydney scored 10. She’s a Canadian-born cutie, but don’t be fooled—the feisty forward can kick your ass. She’s been referred to as one of the most dangerous attackers in the game.

4. Sydnee Michaels — Golf
We certainly wouldn’t associate golf with hot women, but that all changes when it comes to Sydnee Michaels. She’s the former Futures Tour Rookie of the Year, and has since joined the ranks of the LPGA. At the age of 24, we can only imagine there’s more to come from this gorgeous golfer—and we’ll be watching her the whole way.

3. Sage Erickson — Surfing
With blonde hair and blue eyes, Erickson is the California girl of your dreams. After a rocky season in early 2012, the 22-year-old surfer came back with a vengeance at the end of last year, and now holds the top spot in the Association of Pro Surfers Women’s World Ranking. Pretty but with a lot of fight—we sure like that in a woman, don't you?

2. Victoria Azarenka — Tennis
At just 22 years old, Azarenka won the 2012 Australian Open, and this year she’s on par to maintain her reputation as one of the top-ranked players in the world. There aren’t many women this sexy who can give Serena Williams a run for her money.

1. Tia Norfleet — Racing
Whether you’re a NASCAR guy or not, you’ll be blown away by Tia. The daughter of NASCAR driver Bobby Norfleet, she’s the youngest—and first African American—female driver on the NASCAR circuit. Now if only that racing uniform was a bit more revealing...

Top 10 Highest Paid NBA Players 2012

The total earnings of the athletes are derived from their bonuses, salaries, appearance fees, prize money, endorsement and licensing from June 2011 until June 2012, according to Forbes. The athlete’s agent’s fees and taxes were not deducted from their earnings.
Let’s look at the top ten highest paid basketball players:

10. Tim Duncan
Total earnings: $19.1 million
Salary/winnings: $17.1 million
Endorsements: $2 million


9. Chris Paul
Total earnings: $19.2 million
Salary/winnings: $13.2 million
Endorsements: $6 million

8. Kevin Garnett
Total earnings: $21.1 million
Salary/winnings: $17.1 million
Endorsements: $4 million

7. Amar’e Stoudemire
Total earnings: $22.7 million
Salary/winnings: $14.7 million
Endorsements: $8 million

6. Carmelo Anthony
Total earnings: $22.9 million
Salary/winnings: $14.9 million
Endorsements: $8 million

5. Dwyane Wade
Total earnings: $24.7 million
Salary/winnings: $12.7 million
Endorsements: $12 million

4. Kevin Durant
Total earnings: $25.5 million
Salary/winnings: $12.5 million
Endorsements: $13 million

3. Dwight Howard
Total earnings: $25.6 million
Salary/winnings: $14.6 million
Endorsements: $11 million

2. Kobe Bryant
Total earnings: $52.3 million
Salary/winnings: $20.3 million
Endorsements: $32 million

1. LeBron James
Total earnings : $53 million
Salary/winnings: $13 million
Endorsements: $40 million ( Nike, McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, State Farm and others)

Top 10 Creative Custom Designed Sneakers Collection 2012

Daniel Reese or how he calls himself “Sneaker Freaker” is 21 years old designer of these unusual and unique sneakers. He is taking plain Nike shoes and turning them into playful part of your outfit. The themes that he is using are web, video games, music, movies, comics and many other pop culture designs.

10. Kill Bill



9. Bob Marley


8. Michael Jackson / Thriller


7. Kick-Ass


6. Justice League


5. John Lennon


4. Run-DMC


3. Bioshock


2. Twitter


1. Google

Top 10 World's Most Popular Athletes of 2011

It is time to take a look at the top 10 athletes who attract the largest fan-base across all sports.

10. Usain Bolt (Athletics), Jamaica
Luckily the Jamaican is able to live up to his ironic last name, as he has smashed world records time and time again. When talking about that night in Berlin, 2009, Bolt is quoted In his autobiography saying "I was slowing down long before the finish and wasn’t tired at all. I could have gone back to the start all over again." With this kind of enthusiasm and child-like passion for his sport, Bolt is bound for a wealth of success and a following of thousands of fans.
 

9. Floyd Mayweather (Boxing), USA
The Money is a controversial figure amongst boxing fans. Some see Mayweather as a genius in the ring—a Goliath amongst mortal men when it comes to mastering the sweet science.
Others see him as a lesser impressive version of Sugar Ray—a jumped-up and arrogant individual who’s abilities and talents have been drowned by an ego, so big, that Muhammad Ali looks humble beside him.

8. Lewis Hamilton (F1), England
Lewis Hamilton has got it all. The boyhood dream of being a racing driver, the dashing good looks of a prince and the super sexy Nicole Sherzinger as his princess...not bad at the age of 26.
To go with all of this, whilst he is racing around in his McLaren Formula 1 rocket, a wage of extreme proportions is getting dumped into his bank account every month. If this is still not enough to make him a popular, if not envious, guy—then his charm and reserved manner when conducting interviews are certainly winners amongst his fans.
 

7. Randy Couture (Martial Arts), USA
What is not to love about Randy "The Natural" Couture? The man is a living legend of the UFC. His countless underdog brawls which have seen him ultimately overwhelm his, theoretically, superior opponent have helped him win the hearts of so many UFC fans around the world.
Randy has been a part of many epic encounters with the likes of Chuck Liddell, Vitor Belfort and even the man mountain Brock Lesnar. Couture fought well into his forties, 47 in fact, which is an impressive feat in itself.
 

6. Lionel Messi (Football), Argentina
A long time ago there was a football player by the name of Diego Maradona. He changed the game completely. His diminutive stature and unearthly speed on the ball was something the beautiful game had never quite seen before. A lot of people said they would never see it again.


5. Manny Pacquaio (Boxing), Philippines
Manny Pacquiao’s lightning fast hands, supremely swift footwork and shark-like predatory instincts have propelled him to the forefront of boxing’s ambassadors of the modern era. The Filipino has crushed 53 of his 58 opponents—38 of them by knockout. An impressive record by anyone’s standards. He’s beat big names too: Barrera, De la Hoya, Hatton and Mosley.
The current state of affairs regarding his position in the potential Mayweather fight is somewhat ambiguous though. Some say Mayweather is ducking the encounter, whilst others are determined that Pacquaio is avoiding a blood test.
But the fact of the matter is, Pacquiao has not ducked any fights before this and, for that reason, has earned a following of fans who believe Pacman to be the small candle of hope from which boxing can be revived.
 

4. Roger Federer (Tennis), Switzerland
Roger Federer is arguably the greatest tennis player in the history of the game. His success is only half of the story when it comes to his popularity however. His persona and aura when on-court is something quite different to the rest of the field.
Yes Rafael Nadal is quick and relentless, and Andy Roddick is brutally strong and precise—but nothing quite beats the sight of the cool, calm Swiss coasting across the court; turning this high-exertion sport into a graceful ballet. It is something you cannot quite place your finger on, it is vague and inexplicable, but when Roger Federer walks into a game in the height of his form—it becomes artistic. It makes me proud to be a human being when I see what some of us are capable of doing.


3. Georges St. Pierre (Martial Arts), Canada
How Georges St. Pierre has managed to maintain his handsome features whilst facing some of the toughest fighters on the planet defies all logical sense. The man is simply a god amongst his fans. I should know, I am one of them.
The French-Canadian has a charm and charisma which no other fighter seems to possess. His cheeky accent and innocent humour has proved to be a winner amongst a large fan base in the UFC. Along with this, his consistent sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct has gained him the respect of fellow fighters too.


2. LeBron James (Basketball), USA
LeBron James is already regarded as one of the greatest basketball players ever. His uncompromising talent on-court has seen him compared with the likes of Michael Jordan himself. As well as this, a constant chatter rings amongst universities and colleges across the U.S.—who is better, Kobe or LeBron?.
To which some reply with the Lakers legend—but most reply with the seven-time NBA All-Star, Miami Heat hero, LeBron James. With the colossal following that basketball has in the United States, it is no wonder that the most popular basketball player has to be on this list. His fan base spans across all of America, just as Jordan’s did—making him a hugely—6'8" to be precise—popular athlete.


1. David Beckham (Football), England
Ahh yes, the Golden Boy of Soccer.
Could anyone else have been No. 1...really?
David Beckham is every bit the celebrity and superstar as he is the complete footballer. What happens when you combine those enviously good lucks and charms of a perfect male model with the skills of a world class footballer? One of THE most popular athletes in the world—possibly in history.