It’s a big man’s world in the NBA, the taller you are the more of the ball you will eventually see. Players are always bringing their best to the court and are not letting a little thing like size get in their way.
Many of today’s great NBA players stand well over 6 feet tall. It can really make some guys nervous to go up against some of these great athletes. But what happens when you’re under 6 feet?
Well, here are 20 of the shortest NBA players of all time, some produced memorable runs, others not so much. Here are 20 of the shortest players to play in the NBA.
20. Nate Robinson
Nate Robinson (Getty Images)
Journeyman Nate Robinson played for the New York Knicks (2005–2010), Boston Celtics (2009–2011), Oklahoma City Thunder (2011), Golden State Warriors (2011–12), Chicago Bulls (2012–2013), Denver Nuggets (2013–2015), Los Angeles Clippers (2015), and New Orleans Pelicans (2015) for over 500 games and 6,800 points. Robinson was also the 3× NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion (2006, 2009, 2010) all at 5 ft 9 in.
19. Ralph O’Brien
Ralph O’Brien (NBA)
At 5 ft 9 in Ralph O’Brien suited up for the Indianapolis Olympians (1951–1952) and Baltimore Bullets (1953) and played 119 games in the old BAA and earned 7 points per game.
18. Angelo Musi
Angelo Musi (Getty Images)
Angelo Musi played for the Philadelphia Warriors (1946–1949) in 161 games and averaged 8.4 points per game. Musi won one league championship in 1947.
17. Calvin Murphy
Calvin Murphy (NBA)
Calvin Murphy is the shortest NBA player to be inducted to the Hall of Fame, as well as appearing in at least one All-Star Game. Murphy played from 1970-1983 for the San Diego and later Houston Rockets. Standing at 5 ft 9 in Murphy averaged 18 points per game.
16. Ed Melvin
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Standing at 5 ft 9 in, Ed Melvin played only 1 season in the old BAA for the Pittsburgh Ironmen, averaging 4.9 points per game. As a coach he won 3 WNYLTC championships (1950–1952).
15. Lionel Malamed
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New York native guard Lionel Malamed played for the Indianapolis Jets (1948) and the Rochester Royals (1948–1949), standing at only 5 ft 9 in, Malamed averaged just under 6 points per game.
14. Charlie Hoefer
Charlie Hoefer (NBA)
German point guard Charlie Hoefer went to Queens College in New York and would play for two NBA teams, most notably the Boston Celtics. In total the 5 ft 9 in Hoefer played 65 NBA games.
13. Howie Carl
Howie Carl (NBA)
Howie Carl for all of one season the Chicago native played for the then, Chicago Packers, it was 31 games and an average of 5.5 points per game for the 5 ft 9 in point guard.
12. Willie Somerset
Willie Somerset
Willie Somerset was a one hit wonder, playing for the Baltimore Bullets and appearing in all of 8 games. At 5 ft 8 in Somerset is on the list of shortest NBA players and not much else.
11. Dino Martin
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At only 5 ft 8 in, Dino Martin played two seasons for the Providence Steamrollers, and not really amounting to much in the old BAA. Martin would go on to coach Boston College after his brief career had ended.
10. Charlie Criss
Charlie Criss (Getty Images)
Charlie Criss was only 5 ft 8 in, but he more than held his own in the NBA playing for the Atlanta Hawks, San Diego Clippers, and Milwaukee Bucks for 8 seasons. Criss averaged 8.5 points per game and 3.2 assists per game.
9. Monte Towe
Monte Towe
Monte Towe played for the Denver Nuggets from 1975-77, not much can be said of Towe who was cut after the 77 season. Towe can hold is head up high as the shortest player in the original ABA.
8. Wat Misaka
Wat Misaka (Getty Images)
Standing at only 5´7” Wat Misaka played only one season for the New York Knicks in 1947-1948, Misaka played in three games and scored seven points and was cut by the team shortly after.
7. Red Klotz
Red Klotz
Red Klotz, 5’7”, was a point guard that played for the Baltimore Bullets from 1947 – 1948, he would later play and coach the Washington Generals, who toured with the Harlem Globetrotters.
6. Keith Jennings
Keith Jennings (Getty Images)
Keith Jennings was a world traveler playing in the NBA for the Golden State Warriors from 1992-1995, he also played in Spain, France, Germany, Turkey, and Russia being named the French league’s foreign MVP and leading scorer all at 5’7″.
5. Greg Grant
Greg Grant (Getty Images)
Greg Grant played nine years in the NBA and for six different teams in 90’s, standing at only 5’7″, Grant did not have a standout career but is one of the league’s shortest players.
4. Spud Webb
Spud Webb (Getty Images)
Anthony Jerome “Spud” Webb had a lengthy career in the NBA playing from 1985- 1996, then moving on to Italy and in 1998 playing his final season in the NBA for the Orlando Magic. Webb stood at 5 ft 6 in and won the NBA Slam Dunk Contest in 1986.
3. Mel Hirsch
Mel Hirsch
Mel Hirsch played only one season in the NBA for the Boston Celtics in 1946-47, Hirsch appeared in 13 games and stood at 5 feet 6 inches tall. Hirsch died in December 1968, aged 47, from leukemia.
2. Earl Boykins
Earl Boykins(Getty Images)
At 5ft 5in Earl Boykins was a journeyman point guard that had two stints in the NBA and played in Italy as well. Boykins had over 5,000 points in his NBA career and was a Euro Challenge champion in 2009.
1. “Muggsy” Bogues
“Muggsy” Bogues
The shortest player to ever play in the NBA at 5 feet 3 inches and only weighing 130 pounds, “Muggsy” Bogues should have been grilled cheese on the court. He wasn’t, Bogues was pure heart and dangerous. Bogues had a respectable 6,858 career points total to match almost an even number of assists (6,726) and over 1,000 steals.
