Top 15 Players With The Biggest Hands In The NBA History

Having a big hand brings a lot of advantages to players when playing in the NBA. Over time, we have seen clear examples of that, like Michael Jordan or Julius Erving. Of course, that is not the only reason, but it plays a vital role for the players to shine in the game. In this article, let’s look at the players with NBA biggest hands with Scott Fujita.

What Are The Benefits Of Having Biggest Hands In The NBA?

Basketball is a game that revolves around ball control. When you have a big hand, it means you have many advantages, both offensively and defensively.

When attacking, you can easily pick up the basketball and control it to your liking. On the defensive side, the biggest hand in NBA will make it easier for you to grab rebounds, swipe the basketball, or pass the ball to teammates.

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However, contrary to some popular belief, there is no link between hand size and scoring ability. Scoring and some dribbling skills depend on finger strength more than hand size. So, you will need more hand strength than a big hand to score well. But even so, a big hand is an undeniable advantage when participating in basketball.

The biggest hands.

The Way NBA Measure A Hand Size

Usually, when measuring hand size, we will measure two parts, hand length, and hand span. The hand length is from the base of the palm to the tip of the middle finger. The hand span is the measurement from the tip of the thumb to the end of the little finger when the hand is outstretched.

Before 2010, hand size measurement was not a standard. That year the NBA decided to add hand sizes to the Draft Combine. Hands at that time usually had a hand length of no more than 10 inches and a hand span of no more than 12 inches.

View more: Average NBA height

In general, the hand span will always be larger than the hand length. However, the maximum difference is only about 2 inches.

Still, some players excel with their hand sizes. Together, let’s explore who has the biggest hands in the NBA with the list below.

How does the NBA measure hand size.

Top 15 Players With The Biggest Hands In The NBA History

1. Boban Marjanovic: Approximately 10.75/12 inches

• Hand size: 10.75 inches (hand length) and 12 inches (hand span).
• Height: 7’3”.
• Weight: 290 lbs.
• Position: Center.

Boban Marjanovic could hold the unofficial title for the biggest hand in the NBA and even the world. Unfortunately, there has never been an official measurement of his hand. So the numbers we give are just assumptions.

Based on photos of Boban Marjanovic hand-to-hand with his other teammates, we can estimate his hand size.

His hand is so big that he can hold a basketball as quickly as a toy ball. He also has an on-field scoring rate of 58%.

Boban Marjanovic owns the largest hands in the NBA

2. Shaquille O’Neal: Approximately 10.25/12 inches

• Hand size: 10.25 inches (hand length) and 12 inches (hand span).
• Height: 7’1”.
• Weight: 325 lbs.
• Position: Center.

There is a belief that the size of the hand is too large to prevent Shaquille O’Neal from succeeding in the free throw. Large hands will lead to awkwardness and unintended use of strength. However, there are exceptions like Michael Jordan or Kawhi Leonard.

Shaquille O’Neal has also not participated in any official hand measurements. However, we can guess because he has fought against Kawhi Leonard before. How big are Shaq’s hands? People said that Shaq hand size is 10.25 inches in length and 12 inches in width.

Shaquille O’Neal is one of the NBA’s best players with three finals MVP and 14 All-Star rosters. You can say that Shaq has a massive advantage in appearance compared to his teammates.

3. Giannis Antetokounmpo: 9.85/12 inches

• Hand size: 9.85 inches (hand length) and 12 inches (hand span).
• Height: 6’11”.
• Weight: 242 lbs.
• Position: Power Forward / Small Forward.

Thanks to Giannis hand size , he earned the nickname “Greek Freak.” He’s a player for the Milwaukee Bucks.

As a basketball player, Giannis Antetokounmpo has had remarkable achievements. He has been on the NBA All-Star roster four times in a row from 2017-2022.

In the 2019-2022 season, Giannis Antetokounmpo won the title of the best defensive player. We can see that his career future is very bright.

4. Gregory Smith: 9.8/12 inches

• Hand size: 9.8 inches (hand length) and 12 inches (hand span).
• Height: 6’11”.
• Weight: 251 lbs.
• Position: Center / Power Forward.

Despite having a big hand, Gregory Smith’s career was not very stable. He wasn’t even on the draft list in 2011. Until now, Gregory Smith has often changed teams because of his erratic form.

5. Connie Hawkins: 10.5/11 inches

• Hand size: 10.5 inches (hand length) and 11 inches (hand span).
• Height: 6’8”.
• Weight: 210 lbs.
• Position: Power Forward / Center.

Legend of the New York City playground, Connie Hawkins only participated in seven NBA seasons. He made it to the Basketball Hall Of Fame Inductee thanks to his impressive performances at ABL and ABA.

Connie Hawkins has the largest hands in NBA history. Thanks to that advantage, controlling basketball with him became extremely easy.

6. Noah Vonleh: 9.75/11.75 inches

• Hand size: 9.75 inches (hand length) and 11.75 inches (hand span).
• Height: 6’10”.
• Weight: 257 lbs.
• Position: Power Forward/Center.

When it comes to Noah Vonleh, we will immediately remember his big hands. Vonleh’s hand is 9.75 inches in length and 11.75 inches in width. Thanks to the strength of his hand, he took the lead in the 2014 NBA Draft.

However, Vonleh’s career was not so successful. In the NBA, he failed to find a foothold and changed teams continuously for six seasons.

7. Julius Erving: Approximately 9.5/11.75 inches

• Hand size: 9.5 inches (hand length) and 11.75 inches (hand span).
• Height: 6’7”.
• Weight: 210 lbs.
• Position: Small Forward.

Julius Erving, as known as Dr. J, is one of the greatest dunkers in NBA history. The size of his hand makes every NBA player and audience go crazy. Julius Erving’s control and arm speed when manipulating the ball are amazing.

His hand size is massive, with a hand size 8% longer and 24% wider than the average hand size. We can confirm the size of Dr. J played a significant role in his success.

8. Michael Jordan: 9.75/11.375 inches

• Hand size: 9.75 inches (hand length) and 11.375 inches (hand span).
• Height: 6’6”.
• Weight: 216 lbs.
• Position: Shooting Guard/Small Forward.

If they had to compare Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant, some people said that they would choose MJ. The main reason is that he has a larger hand size.

His Airness’s power and genius technique are evident. However, Michael Jordan hand size certainly played a massive part in that success. Michael Jordan can quickly dribble with one hand and get past the best defenders.

9. Kawhi Leonard: 9.75/11.25 inches

• Hand size: 9.75 inches (hand length) and 11.25 inches (hand span).
• Height: 6’7”.
• Weight: 225 lbs.
• Position: Small Forward.

Kawhi Leonard’s monstrously large hand helped him establish his position on the court. “The Klaw” is famous for his two-way play. It contributes to showing us the spirit of dedication to the work.

Usually, players in the position of Kawhi Leonard will have a hand size of 8.8 to 9.5 inches. Kawhi Leonard hand size has helped him lock up even the best superstars today.

10. Wilt Chamberlain: 9.5/11.5 inches

• Hand size: 9.5 inches (hand length) and 11.5 inches (hand span).
• Height: 7’1”.
• Weight: 275 lbs.
• Position: Center.

Wilt Chamberlain’s hand size has made him one of the most dominant players in the NBA. His hands are significantly larger than those of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, although he is slightly shorter in height.

11. Royce White: 9.5/11.5 inches

• Hand size: 9.5 inches (hand length) and 11.5 inches (hand span).
• Height: 6’8”.
• Weight: 260 lbs.
• Position: Power Forward.

Royce White also has an imposing hand size. He has the widest hand span at 9.5 inches in length and 11.5 inches in width at the 2012 NBA Draft Combine.

12. Wayne Embry: Approximately 9.25/11.75 inches

• Hand size: 9.25 inches (hand length) and 11.75 inches (hand span).
• Height: 6’8”.
• Weight: 240 lbs.
• Position: Center / Power Forward.

Wayne Embry has big gloves. The retired American basketball player who later became a professional basketball operator. Embry has won NBA titles both as a player and as an executive.

13. Elgin Baylor: Approximately 9.75/11 inches

• Hand size: 9.75 inches (hand length) and 11 inches (hand span).
• Height: 6’5”.
• Weight: 225 lbs.
• Position: Center / Power Forward.

Although we cannot find the exact figures, it is easy to see that Elgin Baylor has large hands. His hand size is quite similar to Michael Jordan’s.

14. Jahlil Okafor: Approximately 9.5/11.25 inches

• Hand size: 9.5 inches (hand length) and 11.25 inches (hand span).
• Height: 6’10”.
• Weight: 270 lbs.
• Position: Center.

Jahlil Okafor amazed everyone when he was able to hold thirteen tennis balls with one hand. That number for the average person is only six. Despite his fantastic physique, Jahlil Okafor’s career has not been so outstanding.

15. Rajon Rondo: 9.5/10 inches

• Hand size: 9.5 inches (hand length) and 10 inches (hand span).
• Height: 6’1”.
• Weight: 180 lbs.
• Position: Point Guard.

The last name on the list of the biggest hands in NBA history is Rajon Rondo. Rajon Rondo is an absolute monster and one of the best point guards in the NBA. He has one of the craziest crosses to height ratios in NBA history.

Final Thoughts

Owning a big hand brings many advantages to the player. No one can deny that. However, many factors influence their success, such as flexibility or technique. It creates unpredictability and surprises with every game we watch.

Thank you for reading!