Tyrone Bogues is a great example of someone beating the odds against their height. He was the shortest person in history to play in the NBA, at only 5’3”. Tyrone has retired his career as a pro-player, but not before he blocked 39 shots from other players, some from from players like Patrick Ewing, who is 7’ tall!
Another note worthy name is Nathaniel Robinson, who is the shortest player in history to dunk a ball. Robinson, at only 5’9”, specializes in jumping vertically. He has been the ‘NBA All-Star Weekend Slam Dunk Contest’ winner three times so far, and is the only player who has won that many times.
Today, Earl Boykins holds the spot for the shortest player in the NBA. Playing for the Milwaukee Bucks, he ranked #2 in the National College Athletic Associations Men’s Divison - Basketball Championship. He has averaged about 26 points per game. Boykins definitely plays an important part of the Bucks team. Boykins stands at only 5’5” tall, which makes him not too much taller than an average height American girl!
Any player, professional or otherwise, can tell you that if you are playing against a team of people who are 6’ to 7’, it will probably be a rough game. However, they can also attest that no matter how tall or short a player is, it would be a mistake to underestimate them before the ball is dropped, because if you do that you might be in for a rude awakening. Height means a lot in basketball, but it certainly does not mean everything, as all of these players have demonstrated.