Top 10 Heaviest NBA Players of All-Time
Who holds the title of the heaviest NBA player of all time? Here's a rundown of the top 10 heaviest players in NBA history, along with their weights listed in pounds and kilograms.
In a physically demanding sport like basketball, players often rely on their size and weight to dominate the game and intimidate their opponents. But what happens when a player's weight reaches extreme levels?
Join us as we explore the careers of the top 10 heaviest NBA players in history—those who struggled to control their weight and those who turned their bulk into a formidable advantage on the court.
10. Gheorghe Muresan
Weight: 137 Kilograms (302 Pounds)
Gheorghe Muresan rose to fame for his towering height, earning him the title of the tallest NBA player in history, standing at an impressive 231 centimeters.
Hailing from Romania, this NBA star had a brief yet impactful career spanning just six years. In the 1995-96 season, he clinched the Most Improved Player award, showcasing his remarkable progress on the court.
Despite his passion and commitment to the game, Muresan faced challenges stemming from his exceptional stature. Physical ailments linked to his height, coupled with a pituitary gland disorder, cut short his basketball career prematurely, preventing him from continuing his journey in the sport.
9. Dexter Pittman
Weight: 139 Kilograms (306 Pounds)
Dexter Pittman began his career with high hopes, showcasing his talents at the University of Texas before moving on to play for Virtus Bologna. During his time at Terry High School, he established himself as a consistent performer over three years.
Selected as the 32nd pick by the Miami Heat in the 2010 NBA draft, Pittman's career failed to gain momentum. Hindered by issues related to his weight, he struggled to secure a spot on any team. Despite his efforts, averaging just 2.3 points and 1.8 rebounds per game, he found himself moving between teams, ultimately exiting the NBA after a brief stint of five years.
8. Mengke Bateer, 141Kg
Weight: 141 Kilograms (310 Pounds)
Following in the footsteps of players like Wang Zhi Zhi and Yao Ming, the esteemed Mongolian athlete who represented China ventured to the USA.
Bateer, renowned as one of China's finest players, encountered a significant disparity in skill upon his arrival in the United States. Beyond the language and cultural challenges, he faced the stark reality that the NBA game was vastly different and more sophisticated.
Mengke Bateer's NBA tenure lasted merely three years, marked by sparse appearances and limited successes.
7. Yao Ming, 141Kg
Weight: 141 Kilograms (310 Pounds)
Standing tall at 229cm, Yao Ming secured the 5th spot among the tallest NBA players ever, while also ranking 7th for weight.
However, his weight of 141kg brought numerous physical challenges, particularly affecting his feet, throughout his career. Nevertheless, he managed to carve out an extraordinary albeit brief career.
During his 8-year tenure with the Rockets, he boasted an average of 19 points per game, securing a spot on the All-Star team a notable 8 times and the All-NBA team 5 times. Yao also stands as the greatest Asian player to grace the NBA stage.
6. Robert Traylor
Weight: 145 Kilograms (319 Pounds)
Selected as the sixth pick in the 1998 Draft, Robert "Tractor" Traylor entered the NBA with immense expectations. Surprisingly, he was chosen ahead of notable players like Dirk Nowitzki and Paul Pierce.
However, Traylor failed to live up to the lofty expectations, unable to fulfill the role of the anticipated "Baby Shaq." Struggling to control his weight upon entering the NBA, he managed to play only 7 seasons, averaging a modest 4.8 points and 3.7 rebounds per game.
5. Kevin Duckworth
Weight: 145 Kilograms (319 Pounds)
Kevin Duckworth ranks as the 5th heaviest NBA player ever, weighing in at 147kg.
During his 12-year NBA tenure in the early '90s, "Duck" achieved All-Star status twice and earned the Most Improved Player award in the 1987-1988 season. He represented several teams including the Spurs, Trail Blazers, Bullets (now Wizards), Bucks, and Clippers. Notably, he contributed minutes in the 1992 Finals against Jordan’s Bulls while with the Portland Trail Blazers.
As long as Duckworth maintained his weight under 130kg, he proved to be a highly effective player. In his fifth season in the league, he boasted averages of 18.1 points and 8.0 rebounds per game.
However, as he aged, Duckworth began to put on weight, leading to a decline in his agility and the threat he posed under the basket.
4. Michael Sweetney
Weight: 158 Kilograms (348 Pounds)
Ranking fourth is Michael Sweetney, weighing in at 158kg.
His NBA stint lasted a mere 5 years. Initial expectations were high when he was selected by the Knicks as the 9th pick in the notorious 2003 Draft, with hopes of infusing the team with grit and tenacity.
However, Sweetney's performance quickly faltered, leading to disappointment. After just two seasons with the Knicks, he transferred to the Chicago Bulls, where he spent an additional two years before departing the NBA scene.
3. Eddy Curry
Weight: 159 Kilograms (350 Pounds)
Known as "Baby Shaq," Eddy Curry is another heavyweight contender in the NBA.
Drafted straight from high school by the Chicago Bulls as the fourth pick in the 2001 draft, Curry showed promise from the start: in his second year, he led the league in field goal percentage.
During his fourth season with the Bulls, Curry averaged 16.1 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. By his seventh season with the New York Knicks, those numbers rose to 19.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game, establishing Curry as a formidable offensive threat.
However, by his tenth season, signs of obesity began to manifest: Curry's weight continued to climb, hampering his agility. Eventually reaching 159kg, despite attempts to shed the pounds, Curry struggled to regain his former shape and was forced to retire prematurely due to excessive obesity.
2. Shaquille O’Neal
Weight: 163 Kilograms (359 Pounds)
Shaq takes second place, weighing in at 163kg and towering at 216cm tall.
Entering the NBA in 1992 at a relatively svelte 133kg, Shaq quickly became a sensation: tall, muscular, and incredibly athletic. However, his weight began to climb after joining the Los Angeles Lakers.
Following his first championship win with the Lakers in 2002, Shaq's weight ballooned to 155kg due to a lax approach to training, much to the chagrin of his teammate Kobe Bryant, who often criticized him for it.
While Shaq had a passion for basketball, it wasn't quite the same as Kobe's. He pursued other interests during the off-season, leading to fluctuations in his weight. Despite this, Shaq managed to maintain relative health throughout his career, only retiring after sustaining a severe Achilles tendon injury.
1. Oliver Miller
Weight: 170 Kilograms (375 Pounds)
Oliver Miller holds the title of the heaviest NBA player ever, tipping the scales at 170 kilograms. Miller's NBA career spanned from 1992 to 1998, with a brief return for the 2003-2004 season.
Initially entering the league at 120kg, Miller's weight steadily increased over his career. Throughout his 18-year tenure, he frequently changed teams, venturing into other leagues worldwide in between NBA stints. Miller logged nine NBA seasons across 493 games, averaging 7.4 points per game.
His most recent notable news dates back to 2012 when he received a one-year prison sentence for intimidating an individual who harassed him during a barbecue.