Have you ever heard someone ask or been asked yourself, "wow! You're really tall. Do you play basketball?"
When it comes to basketball, height is an obvious physical advantage for the athletes who possess it. Still, it's not the only physical feature in the gene pool that grants players a leg up.
Players with big hands have a greater potential to dominate on the playing ground. While bigger paws don't always translate to success, there's no denying it sure helps with ball control, dribbling, finishing and of course, palming the basketball.
So in this article, we'll be flipping through the history pages and exploring the biggest hands in the NBA.
Top Seven Players By Hand Size
7. Ranjo Rondo
- Hand Length: 9.5 inches
- Hand Span: 10 inches
Who better to start off the list than the amazing Ranjo Rondo. Ranjo proves himself as a statistical outlier by proudly boasting his 9.5 inches hand length. This is a whopping 14% larger than that of the average man with his height.
At six foot one, he uses his size and large mitts well in his point guard position, displaying fantastic ball-handling technique and speed. As a result, he is a two-time NBA champ with a superb track record for facilitating dunks for his team.
6. Jahlil Okafor
Hand Length: 9.5 inches
Hand Span: 11.25 inches
Jahlil Okafor puts his athletic prowess, impressive 6 foot 10 height, and long hands to the test as a center. After coming out as the third pick in his NBA draft position, he signed with the Philadelphia 76ers. Then, he went on to carry his team to win an NBA All-Rookie First Team award in 2016.
There's no doubt in our minds that the player with hands that can hold thirteen tennis balls simultaneously is certainly a wide-handed nuisance to his opponents on the court.
5. Kawhi Leonard
Hand Length: 9.75 inches
Hand Span: 11.25 inches
Kawhi Leonard, affectionately known as the Klaw, quickly bagged a spot on our list with his massive palms. Kawhi has many awards to prove that he is a sound player.
Since his career's start, Kawhi can proudly boast of two NBA championships, two NBA final MVPs, and five All-Star awards. His impressive mechanics, legendary steals, and of course, big hands undoubtedly earn him a spot amongst the greats.
You might also like: What is the Average Height of NBA Players?
4. Michael Jordan
Hand Length: 9.75 inches
Hand Span: 11.375 inches
So far, we've primarily focused on players currently in the NBA. But this list would be incomplete without an honorary mention to the great Michael Jordan.
Popularly known as MJ, Michael won the hearts of Americans. He is undoubtedly one of, if not the best, basketball players ever to grace the NBA court. For most of his career, he dazzled us with his ferocious dunks, even earning the nickname Air Jordan.
Michael put his gigantic hands to work from the moment he got a spot on the NBA field in 1985, till his retirement from the sport in 2003. Along the way, he bagged himself and his team over 40 awards.
If you caught the segment "Can Michael Jordan Palm It?" on the Jimmy Kimmel live show a couple of years back, you'd see one of the notable physical attributes that launched him to success.
3. Noah Vonleh
- Hand Length: 9.75 inches
- Hand Span: 11.75 inches
Two inches shy of claiming a height of 7 feet, Noah Vonleh is a walking tower of basketball potential. He is very versatile using his 11.75 inches broad palms, easily fitting either the center or power forward position.
He has been a regular in the NBA since the Charlotte Hornets first drafted him in 2014. However, he hasn't done much to impress so far in his career despite having the largest hands in his draft class.
Some might describe Noah's career as somewhat erratic as he can't seem to stick with one team for too long. However, he still earns his spot on this list by wielding hands that are 15% bigger than the average male.
2. Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Hand Length: 9.85 inches
- Hand Span: 12 inches
Legally, he bears the name Giannis Antetokounmpo. But on the court and to his fans, Giannis is none other than the Greek Freak. Anyone that sees Giannis on the playing field can't help but agree. His nickname is earned due to his frame, agility, and ball-handling skills.
Giannis has come a long way from his early days of youth basketball in Athens. But early in his career, his huge mitts paved the way for him to stand out from the crowd when he became the first person in a regular season to come out in the top 20 of all categories.
Today, Giannis can proudly boast of other awards, including his most recent NBA championship in 2021.
1. Boban Marjanovic
- Hand Length: 10.75 inches
- Hand Span: 12 inches
Boban, at seven foot tall, is a Serbian beast. He has one of the largest hands in NBA history to date. One of the most frequently asked questions about Boban is whether his massive figure is due to gigantism, a disorder of the pituitary gland.
Whatever the answer is, there's no denying his enormous fame is a great asset when he gets into the center position on the court. His height makes it nearly impossible to avoid running into him on the court.
And once he palms the ball, it's as good as gone till he passes. Boban's hands are so massive that regular phones are too tiny for his palms. It's more convenient for him to use an iPad to keep in touch with the world.
Conclusion: Biggest Hands in the NBA
In basketball, having big hands that can easily palm the ball is an excellent and valuable physical attribute. This helps with dribbling, ball control, and dunking.
Undoubtedly, it takes more than large mitts to stand out, though. The athletes we reviewed in this article combined their large hands with strategy and technique to launch themselves to fame.
