For basketball players, they must have a good play style and have a respectable physical and height. Thus, the hand of the NBA player plays a vital role in supporting players to gain scores.
The bigger the player’s hand size, the more chances he can control the orange ball on the field. So, who has the biggest hands in the NBA history?
The player with the biggest hand in NBA so far is Boban Marjanovic. Boban Marjanovic hand sizes are 10.75 inches in length and 12 inches in width.
In this post, Langley Rams will give you the top 10 biggest hands in NBA history.
Let’s explore together!
Biggest hands NBA
Contents
What Is the NBA Standard Hand Size Measurement?
According to NBA convention, hand size measurement is the size of the hand length and hand span.
Hand length
Hand length is the distance between the base of the palm and the tip of the middle finger. Usually, the average hand length of an adult man is about 7.5 inches. However, with the physicality of players in the NBA, this number has far exceeded.
Hand span
The hand span is the distance between the tip of the thumb and the tip of the pinky finger. You can also call it the width or spread of the hand.
The hand span of players in the NBA usually does not exceed 12 inches. Meanwhile, the average hand span of an adult man is about 8.5 inches.
Who Has the Biggest Hands in the NBA?
Here we will share with you the top 10 biggest hands in NBA history:
1. Boban Marjanovic – 10.75”/12”
- Hand length: 10.75 inches.
- Hand span: 12 inches.
Boban Marjanovic is one of the NBA players with the biggest hand in history. Boban Marjanovic’s hand is 10.75 inches long and 12 inches wide. The hand span is much wider than the average hand span of the average person.
The striker is still 2.24 meters tall and weighs 134 kgs. Marjanovic’s physical superiority is “unsurpassed.” However, he is just a pretty average center forward in the NBA. Marjanovic’s ability to contrive is slow. Therefore, he only played a reserve role at the Dallas Mavericks.
Related: The Highest Vertical Jump NBA
2. Shaquille O’Neal – 10.25”/12”
- Hand length: 10.25 inches.
- Hand span: 12 inches.
Shaquille O’Neal is the next NBA player to carry the nickname “Terminator.” O’Neal possesses superior physicality compared to the strikers of the same time.
Shaquille O’neal’s hand size is 10.25 inches long and 12 inches wide. Before retiring, O’Neal had four NBA championships.
Shaquille O’Neal was too familiar with the image of a ball in hand to dunk. With a vast body, he holds the ball as gently as an orange. Thanks to oversized hands, he quickly destroys any defense.
Related: Top 10 NBA players of all time
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo – 9.85”/12”
- Hand length: 9.85 inches.
- Hand span: 12 inches.
ESPN hailed Giannis Antetokounmpo as a player with a “one in a hundred years” physique in the NBA. Giannis hand size is 2.11 m tall and weighs 110 kg.
The power forward has hands that are 9.85 inches long and 12 inches wide.
Antetounmpo excelled in both offensive and defensive roles. He won the title of MVP (best player) in the last two seasons in the NBA.
4. Gregory Smith – 9.8”/12”
- Hand length: 9.8 inches.
- Hand span: 12 inches.
Gregory Smith used to have five seasons playing in the NBA. However, fans remember him with his hand 9.8 inches long and 12 inches wide more than his achievements on the field. Since 2016, Smith has had to leave the NBA because of the limitation of qualifications.
5. Connie Hawkins – 10.5”/11”
- Hand length: 10.5 inches.
- Hand span: 11 inches.
Connie Hawkins won the ABA in 1968. He also received the MVP and MVP play-offs titles. One of the strong points of Connie Hawkins is the giant hands. His hand is 10.5 inches long and 12 inches wide.
6. Noah Vonleh – 9.75”/11.75”
- Hand length: 9.75 inches.
- Hand span: 11.75 inches.
With huge hand sizes of 9.75 inches in length and 11.75 in span, Noah Vonleh is one of the NBA players with the biggest hand size in NBA.
7. Julius Erving – 9.5 inches /11.75 inches
- Hand length: 9.5 inches.
- Hand span: 11.75 inches.
Julius Erving has larger hands than his face (9.5 inches long and 11.75 inches wide). Julius Erving was a “machine” that worked under the basket. It is thanks to his ability to attack and defend comprehensively. During his career, he has won the ABA championship twice and the NBA champion once.
8. Michael Jordan – 9.75”/11.375”
- Hand length: 9.75 inches.
- Handspan: 11.375 inches.
Michael Jordan is the “king of basketball.” Michael Jordan hand size is 9.75 inches long and 11.375 inches wide. Michael Jordan controlled the ball well and performed skillful one-handed dunking.
View more: Michael Jordan position
Big hands are an advantage for Jordan to defend. Michael Jordan was the NBA’s best defensive player in 1998.
9. Kawhi Leonard – 9.75”/11.25”
- Hand length: 9.75 inches.
- Hand span: 11.25 inches.
Kawhi Leonard is the number one star of the Los Angeles Clippers. At the same time, experts consider him to be in the top 5 best basketball players globally.
Kawhi Leonard is 2.01 meters tall and weighs 102 kilograms. Kawhi Leonard’s hand size is 9.75 inches long and 11.25 inches wide. According to experts, it is absurd for a player to be 2.01 meters tall but have 11.25 inches wide.
According to ESPN, basketball has a circumference of 75 centimeters. Leonard easily holds the ball with one hand.
It helps Leonard control the ball better. Leonard’s long one-handed passes ensure high accuracy. When dunking, he is also easy to do with one hand. Thanks to Kawhi Leonard hands, he has the advantage of blocking or stealing.
Leonard blocked Jamal Murray’s dunk with his finger in the Clippers – Denver Nuggets match. NBA fans are “amazed” at this moment because such a tackle can cause a player to break a finger. However, Kawhi Leonard hand size made all the difference.
10. Wilt Chamberlain – 9.5”/11.5”
- Hand length: 9.5 inches.
- Hand span: 11.5 inches.
Wilt Chamberlain is one of the players with the largest hands in NBA history. Wilt Chamberlain’s hand size is 9.5 inches long and 11.5 inches wide.
Thanks to this, he easily dunks, fights, or blocks the ball. Chamberlain was “praised” as the “destroyer” of American basketball in the 60s and 70s. He once scored 100 points in a game, which is an “unprecedented” record in history.
Royce White also has the same hand size as Chamberlain.
Biggest NBA hands
For a more in-depth look, you can watch this video.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below is a collection of questions related to the topic “biggest hands in NBA”.
1. What is the hand size of Rajon Rondo?
You can imagine that Rajon Rondo makes calls on an Ipad just like an average person using an iPhone. With just one hand, he can still hold the entire Apple tablet.
Although not equal to the top 10 above, the point guard is an NBA player with the biggest hands. His hand measurement is 9.5 inches in length and 10 inches in width.
2. Who has the biggest hand in the NBA draft combine?
He is Greg Smith with the 9.8/12 inches hand size.
3. What is Kobe Bryant’s hand size?
The length is 9 inches. It’s just slightly above average in size for NBA plays. However, Kobe Bryant can control the ball his way.
4. What are other names off this list?
In addition to the top 10 mentioned above, many names have extensive hands in the NBA. They are Royce White, Jahlil Okafor, Wayne Embry, Elgin Baylor, Lebron James, Dr J, Tacko Fall, etc.
Final Thoughts
Big hands give NBA players a significant advantage. However, if the NBA player is not lucky enough to have big hands, he will still have a way to handle orange balls.
The article about the biggest hands in the NBA above has selected ten players with the biggest hand size. Let’s find out more exciting basketball information with Langley Rams every day!
