List of Top Players With The Biggest Hands In The NBA History

A set of very big hands is obviously a big advantage for players that are competing in the NBA. Over time and with more games being played, we can see this correlation better and better, especially in players like Julius Erving or Michael Jordan. Erving. Although there are a lot more factors that would make a player sand out, this particular physical feature still plays a very important role in making the perfect basketball player. This article will give you a list of the players that have the biggest hands in the NBA.

What Are The Benefits Of Having The Biggest Hands In The NBA?

Basketball is a game that revolves around ball control. When you have a big hand, it means you have many advantages, both offensively and defensively.

When attacking, you can easily pick up the basketball and control it to your liking. On the defensive side, the biggest hand in NBA will make it easier for you to grab rebounds, swipe the basketball, or pass the ball to teammates.

Keep in mind that although big hands help, at this point studies haven’t been able to make a clear correlation between scoring ability and hand size. Finger strength will be more important than hand size when it comes to both dribbling and scoring skills. In fact, you will need considerably more hand strength than hand size when it comes to scoring as well as possible. But in the end, a big hand can be a hard-to-ignore advantage when you’re playing basketball, especially at a professional level.

How Does NBA Measure Hand Sizes?

Both hand span and hand length will be measured when measuring the actual size of the hand. You will measure the distance between the base of the palm and the tip of the middle finger to get the hand length. When it comes to hand span, on the other hand, it will be measured from the tip of the little finger to the end of the thumb when the player stretches their hand.

Interestingly enough, there was no standard hand size measurement before 2010. It was at that point that the NBA added hand sizes to the Draft Combine. When the first measurements were made, there was no hand span bigger than 12 inches and a hand length of more than 10 inches.

As a general rule, the hand length is pretty much always smaller than the hand span. Even so, the difference between them is usually less than 2 inches.

Based on these measurements, there are some players that stand out. So who has the largest hands in the NBA and how is their career going?

The List With The Top 15 Players Having The Biggest Hands In The NBA History

1. Boban Marjanovic: Approximately 10.75/12 inches

• Hand size: a hand span of 12 inches and a hand length of 10.75 inches.
• Weight: 290 lbs.
• Height: 7’3”.
• Position: Center.

Boban Marjanovic is still holding the title, although unofficial at this point, for the biggest hands in the NBA, and of course, in the world as well. The only issue is that these numbers are simple assumptions from people that have been close to the player because his hands have never actually been measured.

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His hands are even better estimated with the help of pictures made of him while being hand-to-hand with other teammates.

His old pictures show him holding a basketball as easy as a normal individual would hold a toy ball, that’s how big his hand actually was. His on-field scoring rate is about 58%.

2. Shaquille O’Neal: Approximately 10.25/12 inches

• Hand size: a hand span of 12 inches and a hand length of 10.25 inches.
• Weight: 325 lbs.
• Height: 7’1”.
• Position: Center.

There are actually some people that genuinely believe that Shaquille O’Neal had an issue landing free throws due to his large hands. Large hands can sometimes lead to unintentional use of too much strength and quite a lot of awkwardness. There are also exceptions to this, and people like Kawhi Leonard and Michael Jordan have surely proven that big hands can also be of big help.

Shaquille O’Neal is another player that didn’t have an official hand measurement. In his case, it is easier to guesstimate, considering that he played against Kawhi Leonard in the past.

Shaquille O’Neal is also among the best players to ever show their skills in the NBA, with 14 All-Star rosters and 3 MVP finals. When it comes to his general appearance, you can’t argue the fact that Shaq actually has quite the advantage when compared to teammates and players he goes against.

3. Giannis Antetokounmpo: 9.85/12 inches

• Hand size: a hand span of 12 inches and a hand length of 9.85 inches.
• Weight: 242 lbs.
• Height: 6’11”.
• Position: Power Forward /Small Forward.

Giannis actually got the nickname “Greek Freak” due to his impressive hands. He is one of the Milwaukee Bucks players.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, as a professional basketball player, had quite an impressive career. His amazing skills got him on the NBA All-Star roster from 2017 to 2022, all four seasons in a row.

He was also able to land the title of the best defensive player between the years 2019 and 2022. He is still part of the NBA and seems to be doing quite well, having a very bright future ahead.

4. Gregory Smith: 9.8/12 inches

• Hand size: a hand span of 12 inches and a hand length of 9.8 inches.
• Weight: 251 lbs.
• Height: 6’11”.
• Position: Center/Power Forward.

Gregory Smith didn’t really have a stable career and nothing impressive happened for him aside from having a big set of hands. In fact, he didn’t even manage to get on the draft list from the year 2011. Gregory Smith has also changed teams a lot, especially due to his very erratic form.

5. Connie Hawkins: 10.5/11 inches

• Hand size: a hand span of 11 inches and a hand length of 10.5 inches.
• Weight: 210 lbs.
• Height: 6’8”.
• Position: Power Forward/Center.

Although Connie Hawkins was only able to play for about seven seasons in the NBA, he was known as the legend of New York City. His amazing performances at the ABA and ABL made him reach the Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee.

Connie Hawkins has some of the largest hands in all of NBA history and due to this, he was able to control the basketball with amazing ease.

6. Noah Vonleh: 9.75/11.75 inches

• Hand size: a hand span of 11.75 inches and a hand length of 9.75 inches.
• Weight: 257 lbs.
• Height: 6’10”.
• Position: Power Forward/Center.

When talks come of Noah Vonleh, at some point they turn into discussions around his big hands. Vonleh has a width of the hand of 11.75 inches and a length of the hand of 9.75. Thanks to the strength of his hand, he took the lead in the 2014 NBA Draft.

Vonleh’s career, on the other hand, was far less memorable. While playing in the NBA, Noah had to change teams continuously for six seasons straight, due to his inability to find a foothold.

7. Julius Erving: Approximately 9.5/11.75 inches

• Hand size: a hand span of 11.75 inches and a hand length of 9.5 inches.
• Weight: 210 lbs.
• Height: 6’7”.
• Position: Small Forward.

One of the best dunkers in all of NBA history is Dr. J, by his real name Julius Erving. His hands were so impressive that not only other players but also the audience noticed them and talked about them. Most basketball enthusiasts know about Julius Erving’s amazing arm speed and ball control whenever he was on the field.

His hand sizes are actually pretty impressive, being 24% wider and 8% longer than the average. Experts say that the size of Dr. J’s hands had a direct impact on his overall success in the NBA.

8. Michael Jordan: 9.75/11.375 inches

• Hand size: a hand span of 11.375 inches and a hand length of 9.75 inches.
• Weight: 216 lbs.
• Height: 6’6”.
• Position: Shooting Guard/Small Forward.

Most people, when having to decide between adding Kobe Bryant or Michael Jordan to their All-Star team, will pick MJ. They usually argue that he has amazing ball control due to his large hands.

Although his great technique and Airness’s power are known worldwide, his massive hands were certainly part of his success. Michael Jordan has frequently got past the best defenders in the NBA while quickly dribbling with just one hand.

9. Kawhi Leonard: 9.75/11.25 inches

• Hand size: a hand span of 11.25 inches and a hand length of 9.75 inches.
• Weight: 225 lbs.
• Height: 6’7”.
• Position: Small Forward.

Due to his very large hands, Kawhi Leonard managed to establish his role in his team. He got the nickname “The Klaw” and got famous for his unique two-way play. He was a player that taught us all what dedication to work actually means.

With his amazing hand size, he was able to lock up some of the best players around the world. Especially considering that most players in his position don’t have hands bigger than 9.5 inches.

10. Wilt Chamberlain: 9.5/11.5 inches

• Hand size: a hand span of 11.5 inches and a hand length of 9.5 inches.
• Weight: 275 lbs.
• Height: 7’1”.
• Position: Center.

Due to the amazing size of his hands, Wilt Chamberlain managed to get a name as one of the most dominant players in the NBA. Even though he is somewhat shorter in body height than Kareem Abdul Jabbar, his hands are actually quite larger.

11. Royce White: 9.5/11.5 inches

• Hand size: a hand span of 11.5 inches and a hand length of 9.5 inches.
• Weight: 260 lbs.
• Height: 6’8”.
• Position: Power Forward.

Royce White is yet another player with very imposing hands in size. According to the 2012 NBA Draft Combine, he was the player with the widest hand span, with a width of 11.5 inches, and a length of 9.5 inches.

12. Wayne Embry: Approximately 9.25/11.75 inches

• Hand size: a hand span of 11.75 inches and a hand length of 9.25 inches.
• Weight: 240 lbs.
• Height: 6’8”.
• Position: Center/Power Forward.

Wayne Embry clearly needs a very big pair of gloves. This American basketball player became a very popular basketball operator right after retiring. Embry managed to win NBA titles not only as a player but also as an executive.

13. Elgin Baylor: Approximately 9.75/11 inches

• Hand size: a hand span of 11 inches and a hand length of 9.75 inches.
• Weight: 225 lbs.
• Height: 6’5”.
• Position: Center / Power Forward.

Elgin Baylor has pretty large hands, that’s pretty obvious. Even though he never went through an official measuring, his hands had a size very similar to the hands of Michael Jordan.

14. Jahlil Okafor: Approximately 9.5/11.25 inches

• Hand size: a hand span of 11.25 inches and a hand length of 9.5 inches.
• Weight: 270 lbs.
• Height: 6’10”.
• Position: Center.

Jahlil Okafor was actually able to hold 13 tennis balls in just one hand at one point, something that really amazed everyone. The average individual is only able to hold around six. Jahlil Okafor didn’t have the most successful career even though his amazing physique surely warranted it.

15. Rajon Rondo: 9.5/10 inches

• Hand size: a hand span of 10 inches and a hand length of 9.5 inches.
• Weight: 180 lbs.
• Height: 6’1”.
• Position: Point Guard.

Rajon Rondo is the 15th player on our list of NBA players with the biggest hands. Rajon Rondo is known as one of the best point guards the NBA has ever seen and is considered a monster on the field. His cross-to-height ratio is one of the craziest in the history of the NBA.

Conclusion

A basketball player can have a clear advantage if they have a big pair of hands. That’s undeniably true. Even so, the size of the hands isn’t enough to make a winner out of the average player, and technique, as well as flexibility, also have an important role in their success.