10 shortest basketball player list in history

Have you ever heard the word NBA? Yeah, you of course, have. So you may know that is the association of basketball. Hearing of NBA one thing must have crossed your mind certainly that is; basketball is a game of tall players. Well that is true enough that it is a game of tall players. But today I’m here to provide you a list of 10 shortest players in the history of basketball.

Definitely, this is a sport where the taller guys are always supposed to be. But except these taller guys there are some shorter guys who were also part of this sport. And that’s the topic I have brought for you today. Now let’s move on to the list of 10 shortest players in the history of basketball.

shortest basketball player

10 shortest basketball player list

1. Muggsy Bogues

Muggsy Bogues

If you ever think about the shortest players in basketball history, then the first name that should come in your mind is Muggsy Bogues. This American basketball player is the shortest player ever stepped into the NBA court. He is 5 feet 3 inches or 1.60 meters guy who played point guard for four teams during his 14 season’s career in NBA. After retiring from NBA he served as a coach from 2005 to 2014. He got Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award in 1987.

2. Earl Boykins

The second name comes in this shortest player list is Earl Antoine Boykins. He was also a professional American basketball player. He is second in the list because he is 2 inches taller than Muggsy Bogues. The height of this former American basketball player is 5 feet 5 inches or 1.65 meters. His playing career duration is from 1998 to 2012. He is now serving as an assistant coach for the Arkansas Razorbacks. He received many awards including, USA basketball male athlete of the year in 1997 and Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award in 1998.

3. Mel Hirsch 

He is the third shortest player in the history of basketball. His full name is Melvin M. Hirsch. He was also a formal professional American basketball player. He was a man of 5 feet 6 inches or 1.68 meters. Until Muggsy Bogues was regarded as the shortest player in history, he was the guy supposed to be the shortest one. He had a short basketball career and died from leukemia at the age of 47.

4. Greg Grant 

Another former American basketball player, Gregory Alan Grant, is positioned four in this list of shortest players in basketball history. The height of this former American player is 5 feet 7 inches or 1.70 meters. He had a playing career of 10 years, from 1989 to 1998, and served his teams as a point guard. He was declared the NABC Division III player of the year in 1989.

5. Keith Jennings

Keith Russell “Mister” Jennings is a former American professional basketball player. He is at the fifth position of this shortest player list. This guy is 5 feet 7 inches or 1.70 meters tall. He had a playing career of 13 years, from 1991 to 2004. After saying goodbye to the court, he continued to serve basketball as a coach till now. He received a few awards including Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award in 1991 and was the French league-best scorer in 1999.

6. Red Klotz

Louis Herman “Red” Klotz, mostly known as Red Klotz was a former American basketball player who served NBA as a point guard. He is a guy who is 5 feet 7 inches or 1.70 meters tall. He had a long playing career of 48 years, from 1942 to 1989. He died at the age of 93 in 2014.

7. Wataru Misaka

Wataru Misaka is the first Asian guy to play in the NBA. He served Japanese descent as a point guard. Later on, went to play in the NBA as an American professional basketball player. He was 5 feet 7 inches or 1.70 meters tall guy. His NBA career was for three matches during the 1947 – 48 seasons. This Japanese guy died in 2019 at the age of 95. 

8. Monte Towe

A former American basketball player who is serving basketball as a coach at present. His full name is Monte Corwin Towe. This 5 feet 7 inches or 1.70 meters tall guy is at the eighth position of this shortest basketball players list. This guy had a short playing career of 3 years, from 1975 to 1977. He received Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award in 1975 and also few other awards.

9. Spud Webb

The second last guy in this shortest players list is Anthony Jerome Spud Webb. He is 5 feet 7 inches or 1.70 meters tall guy. He was a former professional American basketball player who served as a point guard. The noteworthy achievement in his career is winning the NBA slam dunk contest. Only two players under six feet have been able to win the slam dunk contest in the history of NBA and he is one of them. 

10. Charlie Criss

Charlie Washington Criss Jr. is the last player in this list of 10 shortest basketball players. This former American professional basketball player was 5 feet 8 inches or 1.73 meters tall. He had playing career of 8 years, from 1977 to 1985 and served as a point guard.

This is the list of 10 shortest players in basketball history, and hopefully, you guys have enjoyed reading this article.