Top 10 players with the biggest hand size in the NBA 2022

Top 10 players with the biggest hand size in the NBA 2022

Kevin Omuya
updated at April 12, 2023 at 8:04 PM

In basketball, having large hands might be a distinct advantage. It naturally means that you have a large palm size which consequently allows you to more easily palm the ball, which, while not essential, can be beneficial. The art of ball control is paramount in basketball, especially when all of the decisions are in your hands. Let us look at the players with the biggest hand size in the NBA.

Biggest hand size in NBA
Michael Jordan shakes hands with former Miami Heat forward LeBron James at Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, N.C., on April 28, 2014. Photo: Tribune News Service.
Source: Getty Images

When it comes to hand size in the NBA, the only two measurements that are critically considered are length and span. So, measure the length from the base of your palm to the tip of your middle finger straight upwards. This measurement is done by extending horizontally and taking the distance from the pinky to the thumb.

According to the latest statistics, these are the top 10 players with the biggest hand size in the history of the NBA, as of 2022.

10. Wilt Chamberlain

Biggest hand size in NBA history
Wilt Chamberlain, the #13 for the Kansas Jayhawks poses for a portrait during Media Day in November 1955, in Lawrence, Kansas. Photo: Rich Clarkson
Source: Getty Images

Exciting feature: Check out news exactly for YOU ➡️ find "Recommended for you" block and enjoy!

He was one of the most dominant players in NBA history because of his large hands. They measured 9.5 inches in length and 11.5 inches in breadth and were not spectacular for someone of his stature. However, compared to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt's hands were substantially larger than Abdul-Jabbar's.

  • Hand size (Length/Span): 9.5/11.5 inches
  • Height: 7’1”

9. Kawhi Leonard

Biggest hand size in NBA in 2022
Kawhi Leonard, the #2 for the LA Clippers dribbles against the Washington Wizards at Staples Center on February 23, 2021, in Los Angeles, California. Photo: Sean M. Haffey
Source: Getty Images

When Kawhi Leonard was born, his mother noticed his oversized hands. Leonard was a freshman wide receiver at Canyon Springs High. His school didn't have receiver gloves that fit him, so they sent him to a sports store. Unfortunately, the store's largest size didn't fit "The Claw," so they had to purchase some.

  • Hand size (Length/Span): 9.75”/11.25”
  • Height: 6’7”

8. Michael Jordan

Biggest hand size in NBA
Michael Reinsdorf Jr. (L) accepts the ceremonial All-Star ball from Michael Jordan at the 68th NBA All-Star Game on February 17, 2019, in Charlotte, North Carolina. Photo: Jeff Hahne
Source: Getty Images

If any name on the list is familiar, it's this one. Michael Jordan is the greatest NBA player ever. He won six NBA championships and was Finals MVP in every game he played. The size of Jordan's hands was a significant weapon in his game, from ball fakes to highlight-reel dunks, to superhuman lay-ups.

A 5-time NBA MVP, he moved on to act and establish a brand, which made him the richest athlete of all time. To understand more, Netflix's 2019 documentary "The Last Dance" is worth seeing.

  • Height: 6’6”
  • Hand size (Length/Span): 9.75”/11.375”

7. Julius Erving

Biggest hand size in NBA history
Julius Erving of Tri-State being interviewed after he was awarded "Coach of the Year" during the BIG3 - Playoffs at Atlantis Paradise Island on Aug 28th 2021, in Nassau, Bahamas. Photo: Michael Reaves
Source: Getty Images

From 1976 through to 1987, Julius Erving was a small forward with the Philadelphia 76ers. After the 1975-76 season, the American Basketball Association (ABA) amalgamated with the National Basketball Association (NBA), and Julius Erving served as the ABA's representative. Regarding free-throw line slam dunks, Erving was the first player to incorporate them into his game in a unique way. For his achievements in basketball, Erving was also a four-time NBA MVP while playing for the Philadelphia 76ers.

  • Height: 6’7”
  • Hand size (Length/Span): 9.75”/11.75”

6. Noah Vonleh

Largest NBA hands
Noah Vonleh of the New York Knicks shoots the ball in warm-ups before a game against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena on February 08, 2019, in Detroit, Michigan. Photo: Cassy Athena
Source: Getty Images

For the Shanghai Sharks, Noah Vonleh is a 26-year-old power forward/centre. Vonleh played in the NBA for seven years, making seven different teams after being chosen by the Charlotte Hornets in 2014. While his achievements don't measure up to those of the other stars on this list, the length and span of his hand certainly do – with a length of 9.75 inches and 11.75 inches, respectively.

  • Height: 6’10”
  • Hand size (Length/Span): 9.75”/11.75”

5. Connie Hawkings

NBA's biggest hand size players by position
Hawkins played for the Hawks from 1975-76. Photo: Focus on Sport
Source: Getty Images

From 1961 to 1976, Connie Hawkins played in the ABA, where he excelled before the league merged with the NBA. Connie Hawkins was one of the first players in the NBA to exhibit the kind of theatrics and style that Erving and Jordan would later become famous for. For his illustrious playing career (and huge hands), 'The Hawks' was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992.

  • Height: 6’8”
  • Hand size (Length/Span): 10.5”/11”

4. Gregory Smith

Biggest hand size in NBA history
Boston Celtics power forward Kevin Garnett (#5) intentionally fouls Houston Rockets power forward Greg Smith (#4) as the Boston Celtics play the Houston Rockets at TD Garden. (Photo: Barry Chin)
Source: Getty Images

Greg Smith, a 31-year-old basketball player, based in the Philippines, has played in Mexico, the United States, Japan, Taiwan, Turkey, and elsewhere. He had the most playing time during the 2013-2014 NBA season. Given how little success he has had on the grandest stage, Greg Smith's large hands will undoubtedly be the most enduring feature of his career.

  • Height: 6’10”
  • Hand size (Length/Span): 9.8”/12”

3. Giannis Antetokounmpo

Largest NBA hands
Antetokounmpo, the #34 for the Milwaukee Bucks reacts after a three-point basket against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on May 15, 2022, in Boston, Massachusetts. Photo: Adam Glanzman
Source: Getty Images

Giannis Antetokounmpo, nicknamed "The Greek Freak," is one of the NBA's top players, having won MVP awards in 2019 and 2020. The size of Antetokounmpo's hands, which were officially measured to be 12 inches wide in the 2013 NBA Draft Combine, is likely to have benefited his ball-handling talents. During the 2021 NBA season, he led the Milwaukee Bucks to their first NBA title in 40 years, completing an eight-year NBA tenure in Milwaukee.

  • Height: 6’11”
  • Hand size (Length/Span): 9.85”/12”

2. Shaquille O'Neal

Biggest hand size in NBA
Boston Celtics' Shaquille O'Neal forces Spur Manu Ginobili to pass in the first quarter of an NBA game at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts, on January 5, 2011. Photo: Matt Stone
Source: Getty Images

Shaquille O'Neal is perhaps the first name that comes to mind when thinking about the NBA's all-time great gargantuan centres. He was part of the most famous and formidable duos in the history of the NBA.

In his 19-year NBA career, Shaq established himself as one of the game's all-time great big men and a pillar of the Los Angeles Lakers organization. In addition, he has become a worldwide celebrity thanks to his name and brand recognition as an actor and a basketball analyst.

  • Height: 7’1”
  • Hand size (Length/Span): 10.25”/12”

1. Boban Marjanovic

Biggest hand size in NBA ever
Boban Marjanovic, the #51 for the Los Angeles Clippers before the game against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on November 17, 2018, in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. Photo: Matteo Marchi
Source: Getty Images

Which NBA player has the biggest hands? Boban Marjanovic is the current Dallas Mavericks center. Compared to the average guy, Boban's hands are three inches longer than the average male's. As you may guess, Boban is the tallest player on our roster and has the biggest hand size in the NBA ever.

San Antonio Spurs acquired Boban after he enjoyed success in the Serbian leagues. As of this writing, Boban is having his finest season since joining the NBA and is doing so in Dallas. It's unlikely that Boban's NBA career will phenomenal, but he'll go down in history as the NBA player with the largest hands ever and the biggest hand size by position as of 2022.

  • Height: 7’3”
  • Hand size (Length/Span): 10.75”/12”

How big were MJ’s hands? Despite having little feet, he was endowed with gigantic hands. They measured 9.75 inches in length and span 11.375 inches. As we have seen, Boban Marjanovic has the biggest hand size as of 2022.

READ ALSO: Rafael Nadal's net worth, wife, world rankings, trophies, coach

Sports brief recently published an article about Rafael Nadal. Nadal is considered one of the greatest tennis players. Few others have achieved what he has, including winning a record-tying twelve Rolland Garros tournaments. He is regarded as one of the best tennis players, alongside Roger Federer.

Rafa proved why he is the best player in French Open history by defeating long-time rival Novak Djokovic in a late-night thriller to advance to the men's singles semi-finals in 2022. For more information about Rafael Nadal, click on the link above.

Authors
Kevin Omuya photo
Kevin Omuya
Kevin Omuya is a Content Writer with 4 years of experience who joined Sports Brief in 2022. In 2019 he held a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism & Digital Media from KCA University.