Question: How tall do you have to be to play basketball?

Height in sports


Height can significantly influence success in sports, depending on how the design of the sport is linked to factors that are height-biased due to physics and biology. The balance of the intricate array of links will determine the degree to which height plays a role in success, if any.
Advantages





Below average height
Advantages for below average height include:[1]
Greater strength to weight ratio
Greater power to weight ratio
Faster rotational capability
Greater agility
Greater balance and lower centre of gravity
Lower risk of heat exhaustion
Less likely to break bones (as they are more dense)

Above average height
Advantages for above average height include:[1]
Greater absolute strength
Greater work capacity (force multiplied by distance)
Greater work per unit of time (Power)
Greater endurance
Greater weight
Greater reach (very important in sports such as Basketball and Boxing)
Larger hands (catching)
Greater visibility
Lower resting metabolic rate
Lower heart rate
Less likely to become dehydrated

Amateur wrestling
Height can be both helpful and detrimental in wrestling. Since taller people have more bone mass, they will generally be slightly weaker than shorter people in the same weight class. This difference is made up in part by their longer arms, which allow them a longer reach and easier cradle. Long legs are detrimental in that they can easily be attacked by a lolly (shot). They do, however, assist in performing some actions and positions such as throwing, sprawling to counter a takedown or riding legs. The heights of amateur wrestlers vary greatly with successful athletes being as short as Sushil Kumar at 1.66m (5ft 51⁄2in) and as tall as Alexander Karelin at 1.91m (6ft 3in).
Artistic gymnastics
In artistic gymnastics, it is advantageous to be shorter. A lower center of gravity can give an athlete better balance. A smaller athlete may also have an easier time manipulating their body in the air.
Association football
In association football, or soccer, a player's height may somewhat determine the position that they play; however, people of all heights have an equal opportunity to excel professionally at the sport. Goalkeepers, centre backs and "target" heading forwards tend to be taller, while players in wide and attacking positions tend to be shorter. A study of the greatest male players in history showed that the distribution of heights approximated the average man and, when also looking at the typical weight distribution, an estimated 95% of the world's population would fall into the body type distribution of great footballers. A sample of reasonably select players from ages 11–18 in the United States tended to approximate the height distribution of the population.[2][3] However, there is an overwhelming tendency for the 11-most picked players in a squad to be shorter than their teammates, which could suggest a bias in the scouting system.[4]
For wide and attacking positions, the players are generally relatively shorter. Many of the world class players have been shorter than average and in many cases gained an advantage from their low centre of gravity. Examples include Lorenzo Insigne, Sebastian Giovinco 1.63m (5ft 4in), Ludovic Giuly, Bernard 1.64m (5ft 41⁄2in), Diego Maradona, Marco Verratti, Aaron Lennon, Shaun Wright-Phillips 1.65m (5ft 5in), Thomas Häßler 1.66m (5ft 51⁄2in), Romário, Mathieu Valbuena 1.67m (5ft 51⁄2in), Roberto Carlos, N'Golo Kanté, Santi Cazorla 1.68m (5ft 6in), Garrincha, Alexis Sánchez, Pedro 1.69m (5ft 61⁄2in), Paul Scholes, Xavi, David Silva, Franck Ribéry, Philipp Lahm, Lionel Messi 1.70m (5ft 7in), Andrés Iniesta 1.71m (5ft 71⁄2in), Zico, Luka Modrić, Philippe Coutinho, Robinho, Dani Alves, Sergio Agüero 1.72m (5ft 71⁄2in), Pelé, Eden Hazard and Michael Owen 1.73m (5ft 8in). However, height is considered advantageous for forwards who aim to score with their heads. Forwards who are particularly noted for their strength in the air include Lacina Traoré 2.03m (6ft 8in), Jan Koller, Nikola Žigić 2.02m (6ft 71⁄2in) and Peter Crouch 2.01m (6ft 7in). Many of the world's best forwards and midfielders are taller than average, while still possessing a high all round level of technical ability, such as  Zlatan Ibrahimović 1.95m (6ft 5in), Nemanja Matić 1.94m (6ft 41⁄2in), Luca Toni, Patrick Vieira 1.93m (6ft 4in), Sócrates 1.92m (6ft 31⁄2in), Paul Pogba 1.91m (6ft 3in), Frank Rijkaard, Romelu Lukaku 1.90m (6ft 3in), Yaya Touré, Sergio Busquets 1.89m (6ft 21⁄2in), Eric Cantona, Thierry Henry, Marco van Basten, Ruud Gullit, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Didier Drogba, Michael Ballack 1.88m (6ft 2in), Rivaldo, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang 1.87m (6ft 11⁄2in), Kaká and Fernando Torres 1.86m (6ft 1in). Players like Zinedine Zidane, Gareth Bale, Robert Lewandowski and Cristiano Ronaldo 1.85m (6ft 1in), with their height being seen as an added bonus for their heading and physical ability, which adds to their completeness, are desired for modern top-level forward and midfielder positions.
Height is often an advantage for central defenders, who are assigned to stop forwards from scoring through the air, as exemplified by players like Matej Bagarić 2.02m (6ft 71⁄2in), Jannik Vestergaard 2.00m (6ft 61⁄2in), Brede Hangeland 1.99m (6ft 61⁄2in), Per Mertesacker, Naldo 1.98m (6ft 6in), Daniel Van Buyten 1.97m (6ft 51⁄2in), Sebastián Coates 1.96m (6ft 5in), Joël Matip 1.95m (6ft 5in), Gerard Piqué, Christoph Metzelder 1.94m (6ft 41⁄2in), Sami Hyypiä, Marco Materazzi 1.93m (6ft 4in), Laurent Blanc, Jérôme Boateng, Mats Hummels 1.92m (6ft 31⁄2in), Tony Adams, Raphaël Varane 1.91m (6ft 3in), Jaap Stam, Leonardo Bonucci, Vincent Kompany and Nemanja Vidić 1.90m (6ft 3in). There are, however, central defenders who are not of above-average height, such as Héctor Chumpitaz 1.68m (5ft 6in), Daniel Passarella, Iván Córdoba 1.73m (5ft 8in), Javier Mascherano 1.74m (5ft 81⁄2in), Franco Baresi, Fabio Cannavaro 1.76m (5ft 91⁄2in), Roberto Ayala 1.77m (5ft 91⁄2in), Gaetano Scirea and Carles Puyol 1.78m (5ft 10in).
Goalkeepers tend to be taller than average because their greater armspans and total reach when jumping enable them to cover more of the goal area. Examples of particularly tall goalkeepers include Simon Bloch Jorgensen 2.10m (6ft 101⁄2in), Kristof Van Hout 2.08m (6ft 10in), Vanja Iveša 2.05m (6ft 81⁄2in), Jason Mooney 2.04m (6ft 81⁄2in), Costel Pantilimon 2.03m (6ft 8in), Zeljko Kalac 2.02m (6ft 71⁄2in), Fraser Forster, Goran Blažević, 2.01m (6ft 7in), Andreas Isaksson 2.00m (6ft 61⁄2in), Asmir Begović, Thibaut Courtois 1.99m (6ft 61⁄2in), Maarten Stekelenburg 1.98m (6ft 6in), Edwin van der Sar 1.97m (6ft 51⁄2in), Dida, Petr Čech, Joe Hart, Diego López 1.96m (6ft 5in), Vladimir Stojković and Wojciech Szczęsny 1.95m (6ft 5in). In addition, there are examples of successful goalkeepers who are not significantly taller than average, such as Jorge Campos 1.68m (5ft 6in), František Plánička, Óscar Pérez 1.72m (5ft 71⁄2in), René Higuita 1.76m (5ft 91⁄2in), Gyula Grosics 1.78m (5ft 10in) and Ladislao Mazurkiewicz 1.79m (5ft 101⁄2in).
Australian rules football

In Australian rules, a footballer's height is considered an advantage.  This is evidenced by statistics and trends from the professional (Australian Football League) level, including an average player height of 1.88m (6ft 2in)[5] as well as an ongoing trend in the recruitment of tall athletes from other sports, particularly basketball such as Dean Brogan at 2.01m (6ft 7in)[6][7][8] and rugby football such as Mike Pyke at 2.00m (6ft 61⁄2in).[9]
In the sport players frequently compete for possession of the ball above the shoulders.  Players gain "free kick"s from a marking, that is, catching the ball in the air from a kick.  As such, height combined with a vertical leap ability are advantageous attributes.  Long arms assist in marking and ruckwork and defensive spoiling and long legs add leverage for long distance kicking - all key components of the sport.
Each Australian rules football team has at least one ruckman, a specialist position requiring height and leap. These player contest first possession of the ball or "hit out" after each goal or when the ball bounces out of the playing arena. At professional AFL level, the average height of ruckmen is over 2.00m (6ft 61⁄2in) tall.[10] In addition, "key position" players also gain significant advantage in height.  Attacking key positions such as centre half-forward, such as Lance Franklin at 1.99m (6ft 61⁄2in) and full-forward such as Tom Hawkins at 1.98m (6ft 6in) gain an advantage by being taller than their opponent centre half-back such as Heritier Lumumba at 1.88m (6ft 2in) and full-back such as Mal Michael at 1.90m (6ft 3in) and vice versa.
Shorter players may have an advantage in the "crumbing" role of retrieve the ball from the ground or utilising pace to evade opponents.  However taller players may also have these abilities and as such versatile talls are often favoured by professional recruiters (such as in the AFL Draft).[11][12][13]
At 2.11m (6ft 11in) Mason Cox, Aaron Sandilands and Peter Street equal the tallest players to ever play in the AFL.[14]
Brownlow medal winners have ranged in height from Tony Liberatore at 1.63m (5ft 4in) to Scott Wynd at 2.01m (6ft 7in).  In 2013, professional AFL players ranged 1.73m (5ft 8in) to 2.11m (6ft 11in).[15]
Baseball
The average height for a baseball player as evidenced by statistics is reported to be 6ft 11⁄2in (1.87m) tall.[16] In baseball, being taller usually means longer legs, which power pitchers use to generate velocity and a release point closer to the plate, which means the ball reaches the batter more quickly. The ball also comes from a higher release angle opposed to a shorter pitcher. While taller position players have a larger strike zone, most position players are at least of average height because the larger frame allows them to generate more power.
Basketball
Taller players are often thought to have an advantage in basketball because their shots have less distance to travel to the basket, they start out closer to the rebound, and their ability to reach higher into the air yields a better chance of blocking shorter players' shots.[17]
Empirically, the over-representation of extremely tall athletes in basketball lends credence to the theory that the sport provides tall players with a very significant advantage. The average American male is 5ft 9.3in (1.76m).[18] Yet, the average player in the National Basketball Association (NBA) is listed at 6ft 7in (2.01m).[19]
Despite this, some shorter players have played, and even excelled, in the NBA (and some players 6’7” or taller have not excelled at all). The list includes 5ft 3in (1.60m) Muggsy Bogues, 5ft 5in (1.65m) Earl Boykins, 5ft 7in (1.70m) Spud Webb and both 5ft 9in (1.75m) Nate Robinson / Isaiah Thomas. Spud Webb and Nate Robinson have also been crowned as  NBA slam dunk contest champions, with Robinson being the only 3-time winner. In addition, a lower center of gravity allows greater ability to box out opponents for rebounds. Charles Barkley was considered to be undersized for his position at 6ft 6in (1.98m) but was nevertheless a powerful rebounder. As for guards, usually being the shortest position in basketball, they have better control over their dribbling, and taller players often struggle to defend against their dexterous ball handling and speed. At the same time, they can disrupt the opposing teams' offensive flow or even steal the ball to create fast breaks and offensive opportunities.
Players sometimes inflate their height. Prospects may exaggerate their height while in high school or college to make themselves more appealing to coaches and scouts, who prefer taller players. Barkley stated, “I’ve been measured at 6-5, 6-4 ¾. But I started in college at 6-6.” Sportswriter Sam Smith said: “We sort of know the heights, because after camp, the sheet comes out. But you use that height, and the player gets mad. And then you hear from his agent. Or you file your story with the right height, and the copy desk changes it because they have the ‘official’ N.B.A. media guide, which is wrong. So you sort of go along with the joke.”[20] In the NBA, there is no standard on whether a player's listed height uses their measurement with shoes on or without. The NBA Draft Combine, which most players attend before the draft, provides both measurements. Thereafter, a player's team is solely responsible for their listed height, which can vary depending on the process selected.[21][22]
Players sometimes understate their actual heights to avoid being moved to a different position. One example is Kevin Durant, whose listed at 6ft 9in (2.06m), while he stated his actual height is 7ft 0in (2.13m). Durants' reasoning was, “Really, that's the prototypical size for a small forward. Anything taller than that, and they'll start saying, ‘Ah, he's a power forward.”[23]
Bodybuilding
In bodybuilding competitors are generally average height or below. Thus, heights above 6ft 0in (1.83m) are the exception. In bodybuilding height is often considered a disadvantage due to the fact that smaller bodies have a shorter range of motion in order to lift weights. Smaller bodies also tend to look more filled out compared to taller builds in the same weight class. However, taller people at the professional level tend to have the larger overall body mass. Notable bodybuilders, who have held many titles, are: Franco Columbu 5ft 5in (1.65m), Phil Heath 5ft 9in (1.75m), Jay Cutler 5ft 10in (1.78m), Ronnie Coleman 5ft 11in (1.80m) and Arnold Schwarzenegger 6ft 2in (1.88m).
Cricket
In cricket, some of the great batsmen like Donald Bradman 1.73m (5ft 8in), Sachin Tendulkar and Sunil Gavaskar both 1.65m (5ft 5in) are or were below average height. This may be because a smaller body makes for an advantage in footwork and balance. Similarly, the most graceful wicket-keepers have tended to be average height or below. Although there are fewer tall batsmen, the stand-outs are often noted for their heavy hitting and an ability to get a long stride forward to reach a full length delivery. Australia's Matthew Hayden at 1.86m (6ft 1in), India's Yuvraj Singh at 1.83m (6ft 0in) and West Indies' Chris Gayle at 1.91m (6ft 3in) are modern examples of powerful, tall batsman. Past greats like Clive Lloyd and Graeme Pollock were well above 1.80m (5ft 11in).
On the other hand, many of the most successful fast bowlers have been well above average height; for example past greats Joel Garner, Courtney Walsh, and Curtly Ambrose were all approximately 2.00m (6ft 61⁄2in) tall. Glenn McGrath regarded as one of the finest bowlers to play the game, was 1.96m (6ft 5in) tall, well above average height similarly an example of Wasim Akram or Javagal Srinath may also be put forward who were 1.88m (6ft 2in) and 1.91m (6ft 3in). Taller bowlers have access to a higher point of release, making it easier for them to make the ball bounce uncomfortably for a batsman. For extreme pace however, bowlers tend to be around 1.80m (5ft 11in) such as Dale Steyn, Shoaib Akhtar, and Malcolm Marshall thus combining advantage of shorter lever arms for pace generation with good ball release height. Since round arm bowling does not gain much advantage from taller release height, round arm bowlers tend to be shorter such as the classic Lasith Malinga at 1.73m (5ft 8in). The fastest modern bowlers have ranged from Fidel Edwards 1.73m (5ft 8in) through to Brett Lee at 1.83m (6ft 0in).
Height does not appear to be an advantage to spin bowling and few international spinners are ever much taller than 1.80m (5ft 11in). Tall spin bowlers like Sulieman Benn 2.01m (6ft 7in) use extra pace and bounce, whereas spin is traditionally about using a looping, plunging trajectory at slow (70–90km/h or 40–60mph) speeds. The most successful bowlers ever in Test cricket, Muttiah Muralitharan and Shane Warne are 1.70m (5ft 7in) and 1.83m (6ft 0in) respectively.
For extracting steep bounce height is useful for fast bowlers like Steven Finn 1.98m (6ft 6in) and Boyd Rankin 2.03m (6ft 8in). 
Cycling
Road racing cyclists can be of all heights but their height generally determines what role they choose. Taller cyclists tend to excel at the cobbled classics, as pure power helps get over the difficult and brutal cobblestones. Cyclists over 1.90m (6ft 3in) often understand the difficulties in hilly races, and realise their talents in cobbled classics from an early age and focus on them for their careers. This includes Johan Vansummeren, Taylor Phinney both 1.97m (6ft 51⁄2in) and Magnus Bäckstedt 1.93m (6ft 4in). In recent years Paris–Roubaix has been dominated by Tom Boonen 1.92m (6ft 31⁄2in) and Fabian Cancellara 1.86m (6ft 1in).
Smaller cyclists on the other hand dominate mountain stages of Grand Tours. Their lack of body mass helps as it means they have less weight to carry up the steep inclines. José Rujano 1.62m (5ft 4in), Domenico Pozzovivo 1.65m (5ft 5in), Nairo Quintana 1.67m (5ft 51⁄2in), Joaquim Rodríguez 1.69m (5ft 61⁄2in), Gilberto Simoni 1.70m (5ft 7in), Simon Yates and Marco Pantani both 1.72m (5ft 71⁄2in) are examples of pure climbers.
However none of the above-mentioned small climbers are known for their time trialing abilities, and in this slightly taller climbers, known as all rounders often gain the advantage in grand tours. Cadel Evans 1.74m (5ft 81⁄2in), Alberto Contador 1.76m (5ft 91⁄2in), Lance Armstrong 1.77m (5ft 91⁄2in) and Denis Menchov 1.80m (5ft 11in) have all won long Time trial stages in many races. Alejandro Valverde 1.77m (5ft 91⁄2in), Samuel Sánchez and Vincenzo Nibali both 1.81m (5ft 111⁄2in) are, on top of their climbing and time trialing abilities, 3 of the world's best descenders.
In recent years taller cyclists with low builds have become among the world's best climbers, particularly on long gradual climbs. The best examples of this are Ivan Basso 1.82m (5ft 111⁄2in) who won on the Monte Zoncolan in 2010, Chris Froome 1.86m (6ft 1in) 4x winner of the Tour de France and the brothers Andy & Fränk Schleck both 1.86m (6ft 1in) who specialise on the Alpine stages of the Tour de France. Further Mauricio Soler 1.90m (6ft 3in) could win the 2007 Tour de France Mountains classification, at the same height Bradley Wiggins achieved a Tour de France overall victory in 2012.
While there are exceptions to these rules, taller climbers do feature more in cobbled races and smaller riders in mountain stages. But where cycling does become indiscriminate height wise, is in sprinting. Sprints have been contested between Robbie McEwen 1.71m (5ft 71⁄2in) and Mario Cipollini 1.89m (6ft 21⁄2in), or Mark Cavendish 1.75m (5ft 9in) and André Greipel 1.84m (6ft 1⁄2in), or as the 2010 Milan–San Remo between Óscar Freire 1.71m (5ft 71⁄2in) and Tom Boonen 1.92m (6ft 31⁄2in).
Fencing
In fencing, it is generally advantageous (especially in épée) to be taller because a longer arm span allows one's weapon to reach one's opponent's body from a further distance as well as in some instances being easier to make more angulated attacks.
However, there are some advantages a being a shorter fencer. Shorter fencers generally have less target area to defend. Furthermore, it has been noted that if footwork abilities are equal, a smaller fencer finds it easier to co-ordinate their footwork when moving in and out of distance than taller opponents due to their lower center of balance. In some instances they may have a slight advantage when infighting as they can retract and replace their weapon point with more ease.
A good example of such a fencer is Valentina Vezzali 1.64m (5ft 41⁄2in) who used her small size and lower centre of gravity to confound taller opponents.
Differences in height can also be mitigated in sabre or foil, because those weapons have Right of Way rules.
Hitting first does not necessarily result in scoring, as a riposte may take precedence.
It is in épée where height poses a more distinct advantage: though the entire body is a target, and the closest point of the body (the hand) is always a sword's distance away regardless of the fencers height, replacing the point in any (remise) actions generally leads to the taller person reaching the body first.   
Formula 1
The average height is around 1.75m (5ft 9in). 18 of the 19 F1 seasons in the 21st century have been won by a drivers under 1.80m (5ft 11in) tall, including Fernando Alonso 1.71m (5ft 71⁄2in), Lewis Hamilton, Michael Schumacher both 1.74m (5ft 81⁄2in), Kimi Räikkönen, Sebastian Vettel both 1.75m (5ft 9in) and Nico Rosberg 1.78m (5ft 10in) with the exception of Jenson Button 1.82m (5ft 111⁄2in).
As F1 has strict size regulations for cars, designing cars for shorter drivers is easier. Shorter drivers also tend to be lighter which is seen as an advantage. This advantage has changed from season to season as FIA has altered the rules for minimum weight of the cars.
Gridiron football
A 2014 CNN survey reported the average NFL player was 6ft 2in (1.88m) and weighed 216lb (98kg).[24]
In American and Canadian Football, a tall quarterback is at an advantage because it is easier for him to see over the heads of large offensive and defensive linemen while he is in the pocket in a passing situation. At 5ft 9in (1.75m), Doug Flutie was initially considered to be too short to become a NFL quarterback despite his Heisman Trophy-winning success at the college level. In addition, shorter quarterbacks have an advantage with their lower center of gravity and balance, which means they are better able to duck under a tackle and avoid a sack. According to the former Washington Redskins quarterback Eddie LeBaron, being shorter means you can throw the ball higher instead of a sidearm release, meaning it is harder for the defense to knock it down. Shorter quarterbacks also generally have a quicker release time than taller quarterbacks.
Tall wide receivers have an advantage of being able to jump considerably higher than shorter defensive backs to catch highly thrown passes. Of course, this advantage has limits because exceedingly tall receivers are normally not as agile or lack overall speed or strength. Tight ends are usually over 6ft 4in (1.93m) because they need greater body mass to be effective blockers and greater height is an advantage for them as receivers, since they run shorter routes based less on speed. By contrast, shorter defensive backs are utilized because of their typically greater agility, as the ability to change directions instantly is a prerequisite for the position.
Offensive and defensive linemen tend to be at least 6ft 1in (1.85m) and are frequently as tall as 6ft 8in (2.03m) to be massive enough to effectively play their positions. Height is especially an advantage for defensive linemen, giving them the ability to knock down passes with their outstretched arms.
Short running backs are at an advantage because their shorter stature and lower center of gravity generally makes them harder to tackle effectively. In addition, they can easily "hide" behind large offensive linemen, making it harder for defenders to react at the beginning of a play. Thus, in the National Football League and in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I football, running backs under 6ft 0in (1.83m) are more common than running backs over 6ft 3in (1.91m). Former Heisman Trophy winner and Pro Football Hall of Famer Barry Sanders, thought by some to be the greatest running back in history, is a classic example of a running back with an extraordinarily low center of gravity, as he stood only 5ft 8in (1.73m).
Horse racing
In horse racing, is it a considerable advantage for a jockey to be both short and light. Having a jockey who is of short stature and light weight makes it easier for the horse to run at top speed without being weighed down. At the Kentucky Derby, for example, a jockey cannot exceed 126 pounds, including his equipment. There is no specific height requirement, but due to the weight restrictions, most jockeys stand between 4ft 10in (1.47m) and 5ft 6in (1.68m). Examples of successful jockeys are Calvin Borel 5ft 4in (1.63m), Mario Gutierrez 5ft 3in (1.60m) and Victor Espinoza 5ft 2in (1.57m).
Ice hockey
While the history of the National Hockey League (NHL) is filled with shorter players who achieved greatness (Theo Fleury, Martin St. Louis), and the highest scorer in NHL history, Wayne Gretzky, is 6ft 0in (1.83m) tall and played at 185lb (84kg), the game's increasingly physical style has put a premium on imposing players, particularly over 1.80m (5ft 11in) tall and over 100kg (220lb) (Mario Lemieux, Eric Lindros, Chris Pronger). Taller, bigger players have a longer reach, are more able to give out and sustain body checks, and have greater leverage on their shooting such as a slap shot (examples include Tyler Myers at 6ft 8in (2.03m), and Eric Staal, Rick Nash, Ryan Getzlaf, and Joe Thornton, all at 6ft 4in (1.93m). The average height of an NHLer is just over 6ft 1in (1.85m) tall. Zdeno Chára, at 6ft 9in (2.06m), is the tallest player ever to play in the NHL. In recent years, the height of goaltenders has increased as taller goaltenders can cover a larger portion of the goal when on their knees in the butterfly goaltending style. Ben Bishop at 6ft 7in (2.01m) is the tallest goaltender currently in the NHL.
Judo
In judo, height can work both ways. The shorter person tends to have an advantage (both offensively and defensively) in hip throws, dropping techniques i.e. drop seoi nage and wrestling style pickups such as ura nage. A low center of gravity allows better position for these throws. Taller players have an advantage in sweeps because they can often use these maneuvers before getting in range of the shorter person's kuzushi.  They can also use their long legs to their advantage with many ashi waza techniques and throws with a significance on legs such as uchi mata and harai goshi.  In ne waza (groundwork) having shorter limbs makes it more difficult to be submitted but also more difficult to use your legs to escape from hold downs.  In contrast being taller can help with escaping hold downs and certain submissions i.e. sangaku jime.  The 2013 judo rules somewhat shift or even out the advantages that shorter fighters had by no longer allowing leg grabs and no longer being allowed to prevent your opponent from taking grips.
Mixed martial arts
In mixed martial arts, taller fighters have a distinct advantage in striking, because of their increased range. Shorter fighters on the other hand, tend to be stronger than taller opponents of equal weight and tend to pack a heavier punch. Shorter fighters often have the advantage while grappling defensively.  Their lower centre of gravity makes it difficult to take them down and their shorter limbs make it harder to submit them.  This however works both ways with smaller fighters sometimes struggling from certain positions i.e. the guard. While height is still regarded as an overall advantage, there have been many great fighters who are shorter than average such as José Aldo or Frankie Edgar. Fedor Emilianenko once widely regarded as the greatest heavyweight fighter in the world, stands no more than 6ft 0in (1.83m), and has defeated opponents mostly taller than him, including most imposing Hong-man Choi, who stands tall at 7ft 2in (2.18m).
Rowing
In rowing, tallness is advantageous, because the taller a rower is, the longer his or her stroke can potentially be, thus moving the boat more effectively. The average male Olympic rower is 1.92m (6ft 31⁄2in), and the average female Olympic rower is 1.73m (5ft 8in),[25] well over the average height.
However, for the coxswain of the boat, it is advantageous to be shorter since having a lower body mass would contribute to a faster time for the overall crew. Most of the successful Olympic and Paralympic coxswains (Katelin Guregian, Phelan Hill) are shorter in stature and lighter in mass hitting close to the international minimum at 55kg for both men and women's crews (Both genders have adopted 55kg by an amendment by FISA to make coxswains gender-neutral on the international level. Previously, coxswains for women's teams had a 45kg weight minimum).
Rugby football
Rugby league
Height is not generally seen as an important attribute in rugby league football, often with extreme height being a hindrance rather than  useful.[26] However, recent tactics of cross-field kicking have resulted in the success of taller outside backs.
A survey of 121 senior player for the Australian Newcastle Knights team, in 2006, found the average player was 182.1cm (range 169.0 - 198.0cm), with an average mass of 93.0kg (range: 73.0 - 127.0kg)[27]
Fullbacks and halfbacks such as Andrew Johns 1.79m (5ft 101⁄2in), Billy Slater 1.78m (5ft 10in), Brett Hodgson 1.75m (5ft 9in), Cooper Cronk 1.78m (5ft 10in), Darren Lockyer 1.78m (5ft 10in), Hazem El Masri 1.78m (5ft 10in), Johnathan Thurston 1.79m (5ft 101⁄2in), Kurt Gidley 1.78m (5ft 10in), Rhys Wesser 1.75m (5ft 9in) and Scott Prince 1.77m (5ft 91⁄2in) are usually average height due to their speed and agility.
Greg Inglis 1.95m (6ft 5in), Israel Folau 1.94m (6ft 41⁄2in), Shaun Kenny-Dowall 1.94m (6ft 41⁄2in), Mark Gasnier 1.93m (6ft 4in), Jarryd Hayne 1.90m (6ft 3in), Colin Best 1.89m (6ft 21⁄2in), Manu Vatuvei 1.89m (6ft 21⁄2in), Krisnan Inu 1.85m (6ft 1in) and Jason Nightingale 1.83m (6ft 0in) are examples of the trend in taller wingers and centres.
Rugby union

In rugby union, lineout jumpers, generally locks, are usually the tallest players, as this increases their chance of winning the ball, whereas scrum-halves are usually nearer the average. As examples, current world-class locks Victor Matfield, Chris Jack, Richie Gray and Paul O'Connell are all at least 1.98m (6ft 6in), while  George Gregan who has 139 international appearances with Australia, is 1.73m (5ft 8in).[28]
Sailing
When sailing small dinghies (rather than keelboats), the crew hiking or trapezing - essentially hanging off the side - is an important factor in keeping the boat upright and sailing it fast. A tall sailor can get their centre of gravity further out, thus providing more righting moment. For example, in the 470 class, only the crew is on trapeze, so it is beneficial to have a taller crew and a smaller skipper (because the boat requires a light overall weight). Australia's top crew of Matt Belcher and Malcolm Page exemplify this at 1.70m (5ft 7in) and 1.85m (6ft 1in) respectively.
Shooting
In shooting sports, a shorter shooter can maintain better balance when standing for long periods of time holding a gun, as well as keep their gun steady.
Sumo
Professional sumo wrestlers are required to be at least 1.73m (5ft 8in) tall. Some aspiring sumo athletes have silicone implants added to the tops of their heads to reach the necessary height.[29] The average height for a sumo wrestler is 1.80m (5ft 11in), far above the national average in Japan.
Swimming
Elite swimmers are generally taller than the populations at large, indicating that height confers a competitive advantage. A main factor in swimming is the amount of drag the swimmer has to overcome when swimming. Drag is composed of pressure drag, friction drag, and wave-making resistance.





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{\displaystyle D_{total}=D_{pressure}+D_{friction}+D_{wave-making}}


The pressure drag is related to cross section size, the friction drag is related to total skin surface (which is generally higher in tall people), and the wave-making drag decreases with body length because a longer body will generally generate less waves due to a decreasing Froude number. Studies have found that total drag does not increase as swimmer height increases, mostly due to the decrease in wave-making drag. Since taller swimmers tend to have bigger muscles and bigger hands and feet to propel them, then they are generally at an advantage.[30]
An example of a tall swimmer is Michael Phelps, at 1.93m (6ft 4in) who won 8 gold medals at the 2008 Olympic Games. The average height of the eight finalists in the 100 meter Freestyle final at the US Olympic Trials was 1.95m (6ft 5in). Another exceptionally tall swimmer is Michael Groß, a German great of the 1980s who is 2.01m (6ft 7in) with an arm span of 2.13m (7ft 0in). Notable exceptions for shorter swimmers, are Japanese Kosuke Kitajima, who at 1.77m (5ft 91⁄2in) is much shorter, and with a more slender build, than a typical Olympic champion swimmer, has achieved astounding results in breaststroke, and Ricardo Prado, a Brazilian medley swimmer of the 1980s, who at 1.68m (5ft 6in) held a world record and a world title for 400 metres medley for a number of years.
Taekwondo
In taekwondo, a taller height gives the advantage of having a longer range and increased chance to strike a target when sparring. However, due to the length of the kicks, combinations and reflexes will not be as quick when compared with a fighter standing at a shorter height. A shorter height will also increase a lower centre of gravity giving a fighter better balance. 
Tennis
Height is advantageous to a tennis player as it allows players to create more power when serving as well as giving players a greater arm span, allowing them to get to sharp-angled shots more easily and a greater chance of returning a lobbed shot. However, being tall can have some disadvantages, such as difficulty bending down to reach low volleys or striking shots close to the abdomen.
Examples of very tall players are Ivo Karlović 6ft 11in (2.11m), John Isner 6ft 10in (2.08m), Kevin Anderson 6ft 8in (2.03m), Juan Martín del Potro and Marin Čilić both 6ft 6in (1.98m), all known for their powerful serves.
The Big Four in the current day all measure above 6ft 0in (1.83m), but not exceedingly in the way those mentioned prior. Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal both stand 6ft 1in (1.85m), Novak Djokovic 6ft 2in (1.88m) and Andy Murray 6ft 3in (1.91m). Other top greats of the game in the 21st century have been tall players such as Andy Roddick 6ft 2in (1.88m) and Goran Ivanišević 6ft 4in (1.93m).
Lindsay Davenport 1.89m (6ft 21⁄2in), Maria Sharapova 1.88m (6ft 2in), Venus Williams and Dinara Safina both 1.85m (6ft 1in), are successful tall players on the women's side.
For both sexes, there have also been some successful players with lesser height, like Billie Jean King 1.64m (5ft 41⁄2in), Justine Henin 1.67m (5ft 51⁄2in), Chris Evert 1.68m (5ft 6in), Pancho Segura 5ft 6in (1.68m), Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
1.69m (5ft 61⁄2in), Rod Laver 5ft 8in (1.73m), and Michael Chang 5ft 9in (1.75m). Shorter players continue to thrive. Present-day examples include Dominika Cibulková 1.60m (5ft 3in), Sara Errani 1.64m (5ft 41⁄2in), David Ferrer 5ft 9in (1.75m), Kei Nishikori and Fabio Fognini both 5ft 10in (1.78m).[31]
Volleyball
In volleyball, tall players are usually desirable, because it would be easier for them to attack or block the ball. However, shorter players usually have faster reaction time during defense and can pass the ball better. Therefore, since this game is a mixture of speed, skills and tactics, a typical team consist of players of varying height to cater for the specific roles required. The introduction of the libero since 1998 has developed the need for agile and quick-moving players who are usually of shorter stature. In professional volleyball, the men's height generally fall between 1.85m (6ft 1in) to 2.10m (6ft 101⁄2in) while for women it is between 1.70m (5ft 7in) to 1.95m (6ft 5in). Thus, most of them are above average height.
Weightlifting
In weightlifting shorter levers are advantageous and taller than average competitors usually compete in the 105kg (231lb) + group. Short people also have a lower consumption of ATP and glycogen than a tall person to make the same proportional effort.[32] So at professional level, it is more advantageous to have short stature.
See also
List of tallest players in National Basketball Association history