List of shortest players in National Basketball Association history


This is a complete listing of the shortest players in National Basketball Association history at a listed height of or shorter. Only 25 players in NBA history have been at or below this height. The shortest NBA player to be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is Calvin Murphy at 5' 9". With one exception, Dino Martin, all of the players listed here have played or play the position of point guard. When 5'9" Isaiah Thomas tipped off against 5'9" Tyler Ulis, it was speculated to be the shortest combined jump ball ever.

Table

HeightWeightPlayerNationalityTeamsGPPtsPPGFG%FT%AstAPGStlSPGNotes
Washington Bullets
Charlotte Hornets
Golden State Warriors
Toronto Raptors 		8896,8587.7.458.8276,7267.61,3691.54Played alongside the second tallest player in NBA history, Manute Bol, during the season for the Washington Bullets; their difference in height was 28 inches.
Appeared in the film Space Jam, which was filmed in 1995.
New Jersey Nets
Cleveland Cavaliers
Orlando Magic
Los Angeles Clippers
Golden State Warriors
Denver Nuggets
Milwaukee Bucks
Charlotte Bobcats
Washington Wizards
Houston Rockets 		6525,7918.9.417.8762,0923.23900.60
Boston Celtics 13191.5.200.500100.8——During his time, was the NBA's shortest player.
Phoenix Suns
New York Knicks
Charlotte Hornets
Philadelphia 76ers
Washington Bullets
Denver Nuggets 		2747672.8.383.7107512.71610.59
Golden State Warriors 1641,0906.6.436.8526143.71641.00
Baltimore Bullets 11151.4.226.33370.6——Shortest player to ever win an NBA championship. Later served as longtime head coach of the Washington Generals.
New York Knicks 372.3.33300.0———First Non-Caucasian player and first Asian player in the NBA.
Denver Nuggets 511302.5.406.720871.7160.31The shortest player in the original ABA.
Atlanta Hawks
Sacramento Kings
Minnesota Timberwolves
Orlando Magic 		8148,0729.9.452.8484,3425.39221.13Won the NBA Slam Dunk Contest in 1986; shortest player to participate in the Slam Dunk Contest.
Atlanta Hawks
San Diego Clippers
Milwaukee Bucks 		4183,5348.5.432.8311,3353.23660.88
Providence Steamrollers 928349.1.294.638730.8——The only player on this list who did not play the guard position.
Baltimore Bullets 8455.6.419.81891.1——
Chicago Packers 311705.5.333.706571.8——
Toronto Huskies
Boston Celtics 		653615.6.250.646360.6——
Indianapolis Jets
Rochester Royals 		442585.9.334.831611.4——
Pittsburgh Ironmen 572814.9.263.654370.6——
*San Diego/Houston Rockets 1,00217,94917.9.482.8924,4024.41,1651.53Shortest NBA player to be inducted to the Hall of Fame, as well as appear in at least one All-Star Game.
Philadelphia Warriors 1611,3598.4.290.7711170.7——
Indianapolis Olympians
Baltimore Bullets		1198487.1.360.8301801.5——
New York Knicks
Boston Celtics
Oklahoma City Thunder
Golden State Warriors
Chicago Bulls
Denver Nuggets
Los Angeles Clippers
New Orleans Pelicans 		5746,56911.4.427.8001,7253.05220.91The only three-time winner of the NBA Slam Dunk Contest, winning in 2006, 2009 and 2010.
Chicago Stags 11100.9.222.50000.0——
Phoenix Suns 471.8.1671.00030.800.00The first Japanese born player to play in the NBA.
^Sacramento Kings
Phoenix Suns
Boston Celtics
Cleveland Cavaliers
Los Angeles Lakers
Denver Nuggets
Washington Wizards 		4859,02018.6.437.8742,4535.14510.9Shortest player to be included in an All-NBA Team.
Shortest player to play in an NBA All-Star game.
Shortest player to play in multiple All-Star games.
Shortest player to record a triple-double in a game.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Chicago Bulls
Detroit Pistons 		582233.8.364.754781.3210.4