The China Mail - Wembanyama's height sparks debate once again in NBA

A clerical error before the start of the season reignited the rumor mill around the San Antonio Spurs star, who says he is "surprised that it's still a conversation".

How tall is Wembanyama?

As when he first entered the NBA, the 21-year-old Wembanyama is officially listed this season at 7 feet 4 inches -- about 2.24 meters -- making him the tallest player in the league, tied with Memphis center Zach Edey.

Has his height changed?

Observers jumped on the topic when the Spurs briefly listed the Frenchman at 7ft 5in (about 2.26m). The team later said that this was due to a data entry error.

His height is in fact the same as when he arrived in the NBA in 2023, although last year Wembanyama was initially reported as 7ft 3in.

The discrepancy can be explained by his 2023 measurement of 7ft 3.5in, a figure that was rounded up to 7'4" that season and then rounded down the following year.

Can he still grow?

Wembanyama was measured at 2.21 meters (7'3") when he played for ASVEL in the French league aged 17, meaning he has grown roughly three centimeters since then.

Men generally stop growing at the end of puberty -- on average between 16 and 18 years old. Some, however, continue to gain a few centimeters afterwards.

Growth plates are closed in almost all men by the age of 20.

Height can still vary slightly depending on posture, age, or even within the same day, with the spine more "relaxed" after sleep.

Why is height often uncertain in the NBA?

In a sport of giants -- Houston, for example, started a lineup on Tuesday averaging 2.10m (6'11") -- every centimeter matters.

Shorter players sometimes exaggerate their height to gain recognition, while taller players tend to downplay theirs so they are not confined to playing under the basket or scaring off teams (since extreme height is often linked to higher injury risk).

Former Celtics star Kevin Garnett was jokingly listed as 6ft 13in, to avoid being labeled as a 7-footer and boxed into a certain position.

Since 2019, when the NBA stopped measuring players with shoes on, the league has made efforts to standardize measurements and now sends teams a detailed protocol memo to ensure players' listed heights are verified.

What does Wembanyama think about it?

"I literally never think about my height," the Spurs big man said recently. "When people ask you, 'How is it to be tall?' It's like, I don't know, I've been like this forever."

"Over the years, it has become a non-subject to me," added Wembanyama, who was already 2m tall (6'7") at the age of 12. "In my opinion, there's so many more interesting things about me."

In an interview with France TV last year, Wembanyama emphasized that he has lived his whole life with comments about his height.

"I've always used that as a strength. I'd never want it to be different -- not even a centimeter shorter."

M.Zhou--ThChM