# List of shortest players in NBA history

This is a complete listing of players in the history of the National Basketball Association with listed heights of 5feet 9inches (175cm) or shorter. Only 27 NBA players have been at or below this height. The shortest NBA player to be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is Calvin Murphy at 5ft 9in (1.75m). All of the players listed here have played the position of point guard. The most seasons played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) by a player listed at 5feet 6inches (168cm) or shorter was 14 seasons by Muggsy Bogues who played from 1987 to 2001.
The shortest player ever in the old American Basketball Association (1967–76) was Penny Ann Early, a 5-foot-3-inch (160 cm) jockey who took part in one play in one game for the Kentucky Colonels as a publicity stunt in 1969. (The shortest signed ABA players were Jerry Dover and Monte Towe, both 5 feet 7 inches or 170 centimetres.)

## Table

| ^ | ^ | Active NBA player | Active NBA player | Active NBA player | Active NBA player | Active NBA player | Active NBA player |
| * | * | Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame | Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame | Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame | Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame | Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame | Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame |
| † | † | Not yet eligible for Hall of Fame consideration | Not yet eligible for Hall of Fame consideration | Not yet eligible for Hall of Fame consideration | Not yet eligible for Hall of Fame consideration | Not yet eligible for Hall of Fame consideration | Not yet eligible for Hall of Fame consideration |
| GP | Games played | Games played | FG% | Field goal percentage | Field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| Height | Weight | Player | Nationality | Teams | GP | Points | Points | Rebounds | Rebounds | Assists | Assists | Steals | Steals | FG% | FT% | Notes |
| Height | Weight | Player | Nationality | Teams | GP | Total | Per game | Total | Per game | Total | Per game | Total | Per game | FG% | FT% | Notes |
| 5 ft 3 in (1.60 m) | 136 lb (62 kg) | Muggsy Bogues | USA | Washington Bullets (1987–1988) Charlotte Hornets (1988–1997) Golden State Warriors (1997–1999) Toronto Raptors (1999–2001) | 889 | 6,858 | 7.7 | 2,318 | 2.6 | 6,726 | 7.6 | 1,369 | 1.5 | .458 | .827 | Played alongside the second tallest player in NBA history, Manute Bol, during the 1987–88 season for the Washington Bullets; their difference in height was 28 inches (71 cm). Appeared in the film Space Jam, which was filmed in 1995. |
| 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) | 135 lb (61 kg) | Earl Boykins | USA | New Jersey Nets (1999) Cleveland Cavaliers (1999, 2000) Orlando Magic (1999) Los Angeles Clippers (2001–2002) Golden State Warriors (2002–2003) Denver Nuggets (2003–2007) Milwaukee Bucks (2007, 2011) Charlotte Bobcats (2008) Washington Wizards (2009–2010) Houston Rockets (2012) | 652 | 5,791 | 8.9 | 877 | 1.3 | 2,092 | 3.2 | 390 | 0.6 | .417 | .876 | |
| 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) | 133 lb (60 kg) | Spud Webb | USA | Atlanta Hawks (1985–1991, 1995–1996) Sacramento Kings (1991–1995) Minnesota Timberwolves (1996) Orlando Magic (1998) | 814 | 8,072 | 9.9 | 1,742 | 2.1 | 4,342 | 5.3 | 922 | 1.1 | .452 | .848 | Won the NBA Slam Dunk Contest in 1986; shortest player to participate in the Slam Dunk Contest. |
| 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) | 165 lb (75 kg) | Mel Hirsch | USA | Boston Celtics (1946–1947) | 13 | 19 | 1.5 | — | — | 10 | 0.8 | — | — | .200 | .500 |
| 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) | 140 lb (64 kg) | Greg Grant | USA | Phoenix Suns (1989–1990) New York Knicks (1990–1991) Charlotte Hornets (1991–1992) Philadelphia 76ers (1991–1992, 1992–1993, 1995–1996) Washington Bullets (1995–1996) Denver Nuggets (1994–1995, 1995–1996) | 274 | 767 | 2.8 | 248 | 0.9 | 751 | 2.7 | 161 | 0.6 | .383 | .710 | |
| 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) | 160 lb (73 kg) | Keith Jennings | USA | Golden State Warriors (1992–1995) | 164 | 1,090 | 6.6 | 248 | 1.5 | 614 | 3.7 | 164 | 1.0 | .436 | .852 | |
| 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) | 150 lb (68 kg) | Red Klotz | USA | Baltimore Bullets (1947–1948) | 11 | 15 | 1.4 | — | — | 7 | 0.6 | — | — | .226 | .333 | Shortest player to ever win an NBA championship. Later served as longtime head coach of the Washington Generals. |
| 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) | 150 lb (68 kg) | Wat Misaka | USA | New York Knicks (1947–1948) | 3 | 7 | 2.3 | — | — | 0 | 0.0 | — | — | .231 | .333 | First Non-Caucasian player and first Asian American player in the NBA. |
| 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) | 160 lb (73 kg) | Markquis Nowell | USA | Toronto Raptors (2023–2024) | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | 2 | 2.0 | 2 | 2.0 | 1 | 1.0 | .000 | 1.000 | |
| 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) | 150 lb (68 kg) | Monte Towe | USA | Denver Nuggets (1976–1977) | 51 | 130 | 2.5 | 34 | 0.7 | 87 | 1.7 | 16 | 0.3 | .406 | .720 | The shortest player in the original ABA. ABA All-Star (1976) |
| 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | 165 lb (75 kg) | Charlie Criss | USA | Atlanta Hawks (1977–1981, 1983–1984, 1984–1985) San Diego Clippers (1981–1982) Milwaukee Bucks (1982–1984) | 418 | 3,534 | 8.5 | 592 | 1.4 | 1,335 | 3.2 | 366 | 0.9 | .432 | .831 | |
| 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | 160 lb (73 kg) | Jacob Gilyard^ | USA | Memphis Grizzlies (2022–2024) Brooklyn Nets (2024–present) | 38 | 176 | 4.6 | 47 | 1.2 | 138 | 3.6 | 30 | 0.8 | .415 | 1.000 | |
| 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | 159 lb (72 kg) | Yuki Kawamura | JPN | Memphis Grizzlies (2024–present) | 8 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | 160 lb (73 kg) | Dino Martin | USA | Providence Steamrollers (1946–1948) | 92 | 834 | 9.1 | — | — | 73 | 0.8 | — | — | .294 | .638 | |
| 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | 170 lb (77 kg) | Willie Somerset | USA | Baltimore Bullets (1965–1966) | 8 | 45 | 5.6 | 15 | 1.9 | 9 | 1.1 | — | — | .419 | .818 | ABA All-Star (1969) |
| 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | 160 lb (73 kg) | Howie Carl | USA | Chicago Packers (1961–1962) | 31 | 170 | 5.5 | 39 | 1.3 | 57 | 1.8 | — | — | .333 | .706 | |
| 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | 176 lb (80 kg) | Kay Felder | USA | Cleveland Cavaliers (2016–2017) Chicago Bulls (2017) Detroit Pistons (2018) | 58 | 223 | 3.8 | 59 | 1.0 | 78 | 1.3 | 21 | 0.4 | .364 | .754 | |
| 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | 158 lb (72 kg) | Charlie Hoefer | DEU | Toronto Huskies (1946–1947) Boston Celtics (1947–1948) | 65 | 361 | 5.6 | — | — | 36 | 0.6 | — | — | .250 | .646 | |
| 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | 150 lb (68 kg) | Lionel Malamed | USA | Indianapolis Jets (1948) Rochester Royals (1948–1949) | 44 | 258 | 5.9 | — | — | 61 | 1.4 | — | — | .334 | .831 | |
| 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | 170 lb (77 kg) | Ed Melvin | USA | Pittsburgh Ironmen (1946–1947) | 57 | 281 | 4.9 | — | — | 37 | 0.6 | — | — | .263 | .654 | |
| 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | 165 lb (75 kg) | Calvin Murphy* | USA | San Diego/Houston Rockets (1970–1983) | 1,002 | 17,949 | 17.9 | 2,103 | 2.1 | 4,402 | 4.4 | 1,165 | 1.5 | .482 | .892 | Shortest NBA player to be inducted to the Hall of Fame, as well as appear in at least one All-Star Game. |
| 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | 145 lb (66 kg) | Angelo Musi | USA | Philadelphia Warriors (1946–1949) | 161 | 1,359 | 8.4 | — | — | 117 | 0.7 | — | — | .290 | .771 | BAA champion (1947) |
| 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | 160 lb (73 kg) | Ralph O'Brien | USA | Indianapolis Olympians (1951–1952) Fort Wayne Pistons (1953) Baltimore Bullets (1953) | 119 | 848 | 7.1 | 192 | 1.6 | 180 | 1.5 | — | — | .360 | .830 | |
| 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | 180 lb (82 kg) | Nate Robinson | USA | New York Knicks (2005–2010) Boston Celtics (2009–2011) Oklahoma City Thunder (2011) Golden State Warriors (2011–2012) Chicago Bulls (2012–2013) Denver Nuggets (2013–2015) Los Angeles Clippers (2015) New Orleans Pelicans (2015) | 618 | 6,807 | 11.0 | 1,446 | 2.3 | 1,826 | 3.0 | 543 | 0.9 | .423 | .796 | The only three-time winner of the NBA Slam Dunk Contest, winning in 2006, 2009 and 2010. |
| 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | 155 lb (70 kg) | Gene Rock | USA | Chicago Stags (1947–1948) | 11 | 10 | 0.9 | — | — | 0 | 0.0 | — | — | .222 | .500 | |
| 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | 165 lb (75 kg) | Yuta Tabuse | JPN | Phoenix Suns (2004–2005) | 4 | 7 | 1.8 | 4 | 1.0 | 3 | 0.8 | 0 | 0.0 | .167 | 1.000 | The first Japanese-born player to play in the NBA. |
| 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | Isaiah Thomas$^†$ | USA | Sacramento Kings (2011–2014) Phoenix Suns (2014–2015, 2024–present) Boston Celtics (2015–2017) Cleveland Cavaliers (2017–2018) Los Angeles Lakers (2018, 2021) Denver Nuggets (2018–2019) Washington Wizards (2019–2020) New Orleans Pelicans (2021) Dallas Mavericks (2021) Charlotte Hornets (2022) | 550 | 9,715 | 17.7 | 1,321 | 2.4 | 2,638 | 4.8 | 472 | 0.9 | .434 | .872 | Shortest player to be included in an All-NBA Team. Shortest player to play in an NBA All-Star game (tied with Calvin Murphy). Shortest player to play in multiple All-Star games. Shortest player to record a triple-double in a game. |