The 15 Largest Hand Sizes

 I love writing about sports, particularly about NBA players.

A cement impression of Michael Jordan's hands allows you to test your hand size against those of this basketball legend.

Having big hands can be a nice advantage in basketball. It gives you the ability to easily palm the ball which, though not critical, can be very helpful. This can affect passing, shooting, and ball handling. Basketball, ultimately, is about ball control. You can imagine how much easier it would be to play if the ball felt like a softball in your hands. You would have so much control.

Some NBA greats like Michael Jordan and Julius Erving benefited from having huge hands. Obviously, it wasn’t the only reason these players were great but it was a huge advantage and probably why they were able to finish so well at the rim.

Kobe Bryant recognized this advantage. When asked what he wished he could change about his game, his answer was his hands. He revealed he wished he had massive hands like Michael Jordan. Also, when Phil Jackson was asked who would win in a game of one-on-one between Jordan and Bryant, the Zen Master went with MJ. His main reason for picking MJ was simply because of the hand size advantage he enjoys over Kobe.

This article will take a look at some NBA players both past and present with the most impressive hand sizes. Both the hand length and span of the players will be considered. Reasonable estimates will also be made on the sizes of players that have not been officially measured. It's usually obvious who has the biggest hands though. They're the ones who can wave the ball around like a grapefruit and don't need the off hand to secure the ball.

15 NBA Players With the Biggest Hands (Length/Span)

1. Boban Marjanovic: Estimated to be 10.75/12 inches
2. Shaquille O'Neal: Estimated to be 10.25/12 inches
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo: 9.85/12 inches
4. Gregory Smith: 9.8/12 inches
5. Connie Hawkins: 10.5/11 inches
6. Noah Vonleh: 9.75/11.75 inches
7. Julius Erving: Estimated to be 9.5/11.75 inches
8. Michael Jordan: 9.75/11.375 inches
9. Kawhi Leonard: 9.75/11.25 inches
10. Wilt Chamberlain: 9.5/11.5 inches
11. Royce White: 9.5/11.5 inches
12. Wayne Embry: Estimated to be 9.25/11.75 inches
13. Elgin Baylor: Estimated to be 9.75/11 inches.
14. Jahlil Okafor: Estimated to be 9.5/11.25 inches
15. Rajon Rondo: 9.5/10 inches

Hand length is measured from the base of the palm to the tip of the middle finger.

Hand span is measured from the tip of the thumb to the tip of the pinky finger with your hand outstretched.

How Is Hand Size Measured in the NBA?

The NBA has measured the length and span of prospective rookie hands since the 2010 Combine. Hand size measurement consists of two parts; hand length and hand span.

Hand length is measured from the base of the palm to the tip of the middle finger. Very few NBA players have hand lengths of 10 inches or longer. Examples include Andrew Nicholson, Jaren Jackson Jr, and Dexter Pittman. The average hand length for a male is around 7.4 inches.

Hand span is measured from the tip of the thumb to the tip of the pinky finger with your hand outstretched. Hand span is sometimes referred to as hand width or spread. It’s extremely rare for even an NBA player to have a hand span of 12 inches or wider. Gregory Smith and Giannis Antetokounmpo are a few who can boast of such measurements. The average male’s hand span is about 8.5 inches.

An individual’s span is almost always greater than his length. However, there are rare cases where the opposite is the case. Joseph Young of the Indiana Pacers strangely has a hand span of 7 inches, which is less than his hand length of 8.25 inches. NBA players like Anthony Davis, TJ McConnell, Markieff Morris, Harrison Barnes, and Alec Burks also have hand spans that are smaller than their hand lengths.

It’s also not uncommon for some players to have their spans and lengths be equal. NBA players like JaMychal Green, Al Farouq Aminu, Sean Kilpatrick, and Andre Drummond fall under this category.

The difference between these two measurements rarely exceeds two inches. Hassan Whiteside, Noah Vonleh, and Phil Pressey are few of the NBA players whose hand spans exceed their hand lengths by at least 2 inches.

Rajon Rondo is currently a point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers.

15. Rajon Rondo

Rajon Rondo is a true freak of nature and is one of the best point guards in the NBA. He has one of the craziest wingspans to height ratios in the history of the NBA. And that’s not the only remarkable thing about this elite player. At only 6’1”, Rondo’s hand length measures 9.5 inches and his hand span measures 10 inches.

Rajon's hands are the same length as 7'1" Wilt Chamberlain's. The average at his height is around 8.3 inches. It's amazing that Nikola Vucevic's hands are 2.2% shorter than Rondo's despite being almost a foot taller.

Rondo has the same span as 6'11" DeMarcus Cousins. Interestingly, his span is a whopping 17.6% wider than Anthony Davis' despite being nine inches shorter.

• Hand size (Length/Span): 9.5”/10”
• Height: 6’1”
• Percent longer than the average player his height: 14%
• Percent wider than the average player his height: 11%
• Predicted height with this hand length: 7’5”
• Predicted height with this hand span: 7’1"

Sport Science - Rajon Rondo

Jahlil Okafor is currently a center for the New Orleans Pelicans.

14. Jahlil Okafor

Jahlil Okafor is one of the few people in the world who can hold 13 tennis balls in one hand. The average person can hold a maximum of six. He also stunned everyone when he held three apples in one hand for a draft photoshoot.

Okafor’s hand span measures 11.25 inches and so it’s not surprising that he can do some remarkable things with his hands. Unfortunately, there is no reliable data on his hand length but it is safe to assume it should be at least 9.5 inches. At 6’11", he has exceptionally big hands for his size. Nerlens Noel stands at the same height as Jahlil but his hand span is 12.5% narrower. Remarkably, Okafor has a wider hand span than 7’0" Steven Adams.

• Hand size (Length/Span): Estimated to be 9.5”/11.25”
• Height: 6’11”
• Percent longer than the average player his height: 5%
• Percent wider than the average player his height: 14%
• Predicted height with this hand length: 7’5”
• Predicted height with this hand span: 8’0"

Okafor holding his own against Boban Marjanovic.

The No. 1 draft pick in 1958, NBA Rookie of the Year in 1959, 11-time NBA All-Star, and a 10-time member of the All-NBA first team, Elgin Baylor is regarded as one of the game's all-time greatest players.

13. Elgin Baylor

Anyone can tell Elgin Baylor had huge hands from the way he handled the ball. Unfortunately, getting accurate measurements on his hand size has proven difficult. However, a comparison with the handprint of Michael Jordan shows that Baylor has roughly the same hand length.

MJ's thumb appears to stick out further for some added spread, giving him a slightly wider hand span than Baylor. It is therefore safe to say that Baylor's hand length is around 9.75 inches and his span is around 11 inches. This is really mind-blowing considering he stands at 6’5".

• Hand size (Length/Span): Estimated to be 9.75”/11”
• Height: 6’5”
• Percent longer than the average player his height: 13%
• Percent wider than the average player his height: 16%
• Predicted height with this hand length: 7’9”
• Predicted height with this hand span: 7’10"

The hand print of Michael Jordan (in red) and Elgin Baylor (in blue).

Wayne Embry played in the NBA All-Star game for five consecutive seasons (1961–1965) and won the NBA Championship with the Celtics in 1968.

12. Wayne Embry

This 6’8" gentle giant has a large set of mitts for his height. Unfortunately, it’s difficult to find consistent data about his hand size. Embry’s hand span is believed to be 12 inches. His hand length measurement is unknown. Luckily, Embry volunteered to compare his hand with Noah Vonleh whose hand size we know with certainty and so we can use this to predict what his true hand measurements are.

Vonleh’s hands are at least 0.5 inches longer than Embry’s in length. Their spans are about the same. The hand length of Embry should therefore be about 9.25 inches and his span around 11.75 inches. Lebron James is the same height as Wayne Embry and his hands are nowhere near this size.

• Hand size (Length/Span): Estimated to be 9.25”/11.75”
• Height: 6’8”
• Percent longer than the average player his height: 4%
• Percent wider than the average player his height: 21%
• Predicted height with this hand length: 7’1”
• Predicted height with this hand span: 8’4"

Wayne Embry compares hands with Vonleh

Royce White currently plays for Auxilium Torino in the Italian LBA.

11. Royce White

The average hand length of a 6’8" player in the NBA is around 8.9 inches. The average hand span for that height is around 9.7 inches. Royce stands at 6'8" but has the same hand size, both in span and length, as 7’1" Wilt Chamberlain. His hand span of 11.5 inches was the widest at the 2012 Draft Combine.

• Hand size (Length/Span): 9.5”/11.5”
• Height: 6’8”
• Percent longer than the average player his height: 7%
• Percent wider than the average player his height: 19%
• Predicted height with this hand length: 7’5”
• Predicted height with this hand span: 8’2"

"The Big Dipper" is the first NBA player to score 100 points in a game

10. Wilt Chamberlain

Wilt’s hand size certainly contributed to his status as one of the most dominant players in NBA history. His hands which were 9.5 inches in length and 11.5 inches in span were not particularly impressive for someone his size but they were still significantly bigger than the average. Wilt's hands were significantly bigger than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's, who is slightly taller than "The Big Dipper".

• Hand size (Length/Span): 9.5/11.5 inches
• Height: 7’1”
• Percent longer than the average player his height: 3.3%
• Percent wider than the average player his height: 15%
• Predicted height with this hand length: 7’5”
• Predicted height with this hand span: 8’2”

Kawhi Leonard (in red) is a small forward who is currently playing for the Los Angeles Clippers.

9. Kawhi Leonard

It was said that when Kawhi Leonard was born, his mum immediately noticed that his hands were disproportionate to the rest of his body. He had enormous hands even as a baby. His mum knew that nobody could switch babies on her.

As a freshman at Canyon Springs High, Leonard was a wide receiver on the football team. His school didn’t have receiver gloves that fit him in the equipment room and they had to send him to a local sporting goods store to get some. Unfortunately, the biggest size in the store didn’t fit "The Claw" and they finally had to special order some.

At 6’7", Leonard possesses a hand length of 9.75 inches and a hand span of 11.25 inches. The average length and span of a 6’7" player in the NBA are around 8.8 inches and 9.5 inches respectively. Terrence Ross, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green stand at the same height but their hand sizes are nowhere near Leonard's. It's interesting to note that Kawhi's hand span is 7.1% wider than Tacko Fall's, who is a foot taller than him.

• Hand size (Length/Span): 9.75”/11.25”
• Height: 6’7”
• Percent longer than the average player his height: 11%
• Percent wider than the average player his height: 18%
• Predicted height with this hand length: 7’9”
• Predicted height with this hand span: 8’0"

Kawhi's hands vs Boban's hands.

Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time.

8. Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan is an anomaly down to his very genes and was designed to be a basketball god. He is one of the few NBA players to grow tall despite having relatively short parents. He’s 6’6" but wears a size 13 shoe which is pretty small for a man his height hence his lightning footwork and creativity using his feet. Interestingly, his left foot (size 13.5) is bigger than his right (size 13).

Smaller feet (especially relative to height) allows for more nimble and graceful movement. The downside of having small feet is that it usually comes with small hands which take away the ability to control the ball. This isn’t the case with Michael. He beat the odds again and got to enjoy the best of both worlds. He was blessed with enormous hands despite having relatively small feet. Michael Jordan’s hand length and span are 9.75 inches and 11.375 inches respectively.

MJ's hands are significantly longer than Bol Bol's, who stands at 7'2". It's mind-boggling that Wilt Chamberlain's hands are 2.6% shorter than Jordan's despite being seven inches taller. MJ's hand span is 3.4% wider than 7'0" Steven Adams. Surprisingly, Rudy Gobert's hand span is 13.8% narrower than Jordan's despite being seven inches taller.

• Hand size (Length/Span): 9.75”/11.375”
• Height: 6’6”
• Percent longer than the average player his height: 12%
• Percent wider than the average player his height: 21%
• Predicted height with this hand length: 7’9”
• Predicted height with this hand span: 8’1"

Julius Erving was the only player voted Most Valuable Player in both the ABA and the NBA..

7. Julius Erving

Julius Erving’s hands have always been big for his size. It was said that Dr. J could palm a basketball off the dribble when he was in junior high school. Erving’s humongous mitts allowed him great control of the ball which enabled him to throw down almost any kind of dunk imaginable. The way he could swing his arms around with so much speed while palming the ball was unbelievable.

His hand size has been the subject of many debates. Erving’s hand size has been estimated to be as low as nine inches in length and 11 inches in span to as high as 12 inches in length and 13 inches in span. Fortunately, Erving did us a favour by comparing his hands with Noah Vonleh, whose hand size we know with certainty.

Vonleh’s hand length appears to be about a quarter of an inch longer than Erving's. However, there is very little difference in their span. Though Noah’s thumb is longer than Dr. J’s, it doesn’t stick out like MJ’s does. Dr. J’s hand length is probably somewhere around 9.5 inches. His hand span is also probably around 11.75 inches. His hand size is not far behind one of the largest hands ever measured at the Draft Combine. It’s even more impressive considering he stands shorter than Vonleh.

• Hand size (Length/Span): Estimated to be 9.5”/11.75”
• Height: 6’7”
• Percent longer than the average player his height: 8%
• Percent wider than the average player his height: 24%
• Predicted height with this hand length: 7’5”
• Predicted height with this hand span: 8’4"

Julius Erving compares his hands with Noah Vonleh.

Noah Vonleh was drafted by the Charlotte Hornets in 2014. He is currently signed to the New York Knicks.

6. Noah Vonleh

This 6’9" power forward is gifted with the physical tools required to make it big in the NBA. His hand size is incredible for his height. The average hand length of a 6’9" individual is around nine inches while the average for the hand span is around 9.7 inches.

Vonleh's length is 9.75 inches while his span is 11.75 inches. He recorded both the longest hand length and widest hand span in the 2014 Draft Combine. Paul George’s hand length is 14.7% shorter than Vonleh's despite standing at the same height. George's hand span is 30.5% narrower as well.

• Hand size (Length/Span): 9.75”/11.75”
• Height: 6’9”
• Percent longer than the average player his height: 8%
• Percent wider than the average player his height: 21%
• Predicted height with this hand length: 7’9”
• Predicted height with this hand span: 8’4"

Connie Hawkins was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1992.

5. Connie Hawkins

Connie Hawkins could palm the ball with ease and finish in any way he liked at the rim. This was due to his uncommonly large hands, which were 10.5 inches in length and 11 inches in span.

Lebron James stands at the same height as "The Hawk" but he can only boast of a hand length and span of nine inches and nine and one-quarter inches respectively. Connie had one of the longest, if not the longest, hand lengths in the history of the NBA. Remarkably, he had the same hand length as 7'7" Tacko Fall.

• Hand size (Length/Span): 10.5”/11”
• Height: 6’8”
• Percent longer than the average player his height: 18%
• Percent wider than the average player his height: 13%
• Predicted height with this hand length: 8’2”
• Predicted height with this hand span: 7’10"

Gregory Smith last played for Osaka Evessa in the Japanese B.League. He plays both center and power forward.

4. Gregory Smith

Greg Smith has one of the largest hands ever measured at the Draft Combine. His hand length measures 9.8 inches and his hand span is 12 inches. Smith has the same span as 8’3" Sultan Kösen. This is truly astonishing if you consider the fact that he stands at 6’10". Smith beats his 2011 draft mate Nikola Vučević in both hand span and length despite Nikola standing at almost 7’0".

• Hand size (Length/Span): 9.8”/12”
• Height: 6’10”
• Percent longer than the average player his height: 9%
• Percent wider than the average player his height: 21%
• Predicted height with this hand length: 7’9”
• Predicted height with this hand span: 8’7"

Giannis is the first ever NBA 2K cover star not to come from the States.

3. Giannis Antetokounmpo

This insanely talented 6'11" forward who plays like a point guard is one of the few players in the NBA who can boast of a 12-inch hand span. This is the same span as the tallest living person in the world, Sultan Kosen, who stands at 8’3".

Giannis' outrageous hand length of 9.85 inches is also something worthy of mention which is longer than those of 7'1" Rudy Gobert. The Greek Freak has a whopping 26.3% wider hand span than Bol Bol, who is 7'2". Astonishingly, Tacko Fall's hands are 14.3 % narrower than Antetokounmpo's despite being eight inches taller.

• Hand size (Length/Span): 9.85”/12”
• Height: 6’11”
• Percent longer than the average player his height: 9%
• Percent wider than the average player his height: 20%
• Predicted height with this hand length: 7’10”
• Predicted height with this hand span: 8’7"

Sport Science: Giannis Antetokounmpo

Shaq won three consecutive championships with the Los Angeles Lakers.

2. Shaquille O'Neal

Some believe Shaq's enormous hands were the reason he couldn't shoot a free throw. It's like an average-size guy trying to shoot a softball though big hands never prevented Kawhi, Dr. J, or MJ from nailing free throws. It's difficult to find accurate measurements on the hand size of Shaquille O'Neal.

Fortunately, Shaq compared his hands with Kawhi Leonard on live TV whose hand size we know with certainty. His hands were quite bigger than Kawhi's. Shaq's hand length seems to be at most half an inch longer than Kawhi's. Their hand spans also look like they don't differ by more than three-quarters of an inch. It's, therefore, safe to say Shaq's hand length is in the range of 10-10.25 inches and his hand span in the range of 11.75-12.00 inches.

Wilt Chamberlain stood at almost the same height as Shaq but possessed a hand length and span of 9.5 inches and 11.5 inches respectively. Kawhi's hand size is also pretty impressive if you consider the fact that he stands 6 inches shorter than Shaq.

• Hand size (Length/Span): Estimated to be 10.25/12 inches
• Height: 7’1”
• Percent longer than the average player his height: 11%
• Percent wider than the average player his height: 19%
• Predicted height with this hand length: 8’0”
• Predicted height with this hand span: 8’7”

Kawhi Leonard and Shaquille O'neal Compare Hands

In 2015, Boban Marjanović earned an All-EuroLeague First Team selection.

1. Boban Marjanovic

Boban Marjanovic may hold the unofficial title for largest hands ever in the NBA and probably in the world. Unfortunately, he hasn’t had his hands officially measured. Some sites put his hand span at 14 inches which is highly unlikely.

A pic of Boban shaking hands with Okafor shows his hands are not significantly bigger than Okafor’s. It will be interesting to see him compare hands with some of the big boys like Shaq and Giannis to gauge his true hand size.

Most of the people he has compared hands with have had average to below average sizes. In 2016, he compared hands with his former teammate Ray McCallum whose hand size has been officially measured. We can thus use this to estimate his size.

At 6’3", McCallum has pretty small hands for his height. His hand length is only eight inches and his span is 8.75 inches. From the pic below, it is pretty obvious that Boban’s hand length is at most three inches longer than McCallum’s. Their hand spans also don’t differ by more than 3.5 inches.

Boban’s hand length is therefore likely to be in the range of 10.75 to 11 inches. His hand span is likely in the range of 12-12.25 inches. This is not far off from the measurements of the tallest living person who is a foot taller than him.

• Hand size (Length/Span): Estimated to be 10.75”/12”
• Height: 7’3”
• Percent longer than the average player his height: 14%
• Percent wider than the average player his height: 17%
• Predicted height with this hand length: 8’4”
• Predicted height with this hand span: 8’7"

Boban Marjanovic compares hands with Ray McCallum.