Who is The All-Time Heaviest NBA Player?

The NBA league is famous for having some of the tallest, perfect-body-built athletes with high mobility and endurance.

However, it looks like the game is changing, and some players are mistaking body strength for obesity.

Read along and find out who’s the heaviest NBA player of all time, his listed weight, height, and more.

Who is The All-Time Heaviest Player in The NBA?

Basketball demands certain physical abilities from its players. After all, stamina, a huge-like body structure, and height are needed for players to give us that NBA action we’re all expecting.

But it looks like some players have loosened up and are entering the category of heaviest or fattest NBA players instead.

So, we gathered the seven heaviest NBA players in history to see who weighs the most in the NBA.

7. Priest Lauderdale

Team: Denver Nuggets
Position: Centre
Height: 2.24 m
Weight: 147 kg/325 lb

Priest is a former American pro player who was briefly in the NBA (1996-1998).

During this time, the giant centre was sneaker-squeaking the floor in the Atlanta (Hawks) jersey and the Denver (Nuggets) jersey.

The Hawks drafted Lauderdale as the 28th pick overall (1996-97 season). Since he was listed as 2.24 tall and 325 lb heavy, the Atalanta team was excited to have him alongside Dikembe Mutombo. However, Priest’s large and heavy appearance wasn’t sufficient to stay in the league.

His NBA career ended with 74 played games, an average time of 7 minutes floor time, 3.4 points per game, and averaging 1.9 rebounds.

6. Thomas Hamilton

Team: Houston Rockets
Position: Centre
Height: 2.18 m
Weight: 330 lb/150 kg

Thomas entered the NBA as an unrestricted free agent. Like Priest, Hamilton, too, spent two seasons in the big league.

He was listed at 330 lb and 2.18 m when he started playing with the Raptors, but that quickly wore off. In the meantime, Hamilton gained more weight – he reached 350 lbs.

Thomas played a season with the Celtics (1995-96) – though most time seated rather than playing. Nonetheless, he marked the season with 11 games, 6.4 minutes of floor time, and 2 rebounds.

After a three-year break, Hamilton returned to play for the Rockets (1999) and appeared in 22 games before leaving the NBA.

His weight issues and injuries succeeded in ending his NBA career.

Also read: Hottest NBA players

5. Michael Sweetney

Team: Chicago Bulls
Position: Power Forward
Height: 2.03 m
Weight: 270 lb/122 kg

Mike Sweets is a former pro basketball player. He entered the professional league as the Nicks’ 9th pick on the draft (2003-05), listed at 270 lb and 2.03 m. However, after failing to live up to the clubs’ standards, Michael went playing for the Bulls.

During his time with the Bulls, Sweetney’s weight gain drastically increased. Yet, it didn’t stop him from playing 111 games with them and scoring 7.5 points on average.

Due to his lack of weight control the Bulls left him out. However, even with 348 lb reached over time, in 4 seasons, Sweetney appeared in 233 games, with 6.5 points + 4.5 rebounds.

4. Eddy Curry

Team: Dallas Mavericks
Position: Centre/Power Forward
Height: 2.13 m
Weight: 295 lb/134 kg

Eddy Curry, known as Baby Shaq, is a former basketball player wih an 11th-year-long NBA career.

During the 2001-05 seasons, Eddy proved himself as a valuable centre and power forward for the Bulls. In those 4 seasons, he contributed 12 points on average in 289 games. He was the Bulls’s 4th pick in the 2001 draft, listed at 2.13 m and 295 lb.

However, 2008 alongside the Knicks, hit him hard. Out-of-shape Curry, with a 350 lb weight, was significantly degrading for his career.

Eventually, he got his shape back by losing 70 pounds and played the 2011/12 season with the Heat.

Also read: Who are the best young NBA players?

3. Sim Bhullar

Team: Sacramento Kings
Position: Centre
Height: 2.26 m
Weight: 360 lb/163 kg

Sim Bhullar is a Canadian pro whose among the three heaviest NBA players in history and the tallest ones.

He started the NBA as an undrafted player (2014), listed at 2.26 m and 360 lb. Consequently, Bhullar quickly became part of the Sacramento Kings, who waved him off after two game appearances.

This pushed him down to the Reno Bighorns. During his D-League time, he had his first triple-double — 17 rebounds, 11 blocked shots, and 26 points.

Afterwards, Sim received a ten-day contract from the Kings (2015). The 16.1 seconds floor time against Minnesota (2015) made Sim the only player of Indian descent to ever play in the NBA.

Despite his impressive looks and D-League achievement, the Kings weren’t convinced of his pro abilities.

2. Shaquille O’Neal

Team: Boston Celtics
Position: Centre
Height: 2.16 m
Weight: 325 lb/147 kg

O’Neal is one of the few NBA giants that knew how to use their superior appearance to

get the most out of the game;
build a 19-year career as a centre player;
And be the only heavy player from the list that’s a Hall Famer.

O’Neal started as Orlando’s first pick (1992) NBA draft, where he was listed as 2.16 m and 325 lb. His popularity increased when he signed with the most followed team on social media – Lakers, and teamed with Kobe Bryant. Besides gaining fame, he also started gaining weight.

Shaquille’s massive muscular build and the fact that he has reached 360 lb didn’t stop him at dominating the game (1.207 games played) and his opponents.

Nowadays, Shaq is still the same height and weight, but now he has become one of the most successful businessmen in the US.

1. Oliver Miller

Team: Phoenix Suns
Position: Centre/Power Forward
Height: 2.06 m
Weight: 280 lb/127 kg

Oliver Miller, or, The Big O, is a former basketball player that played in the NBA league for 8 years. And during these years, he swapped several clubs: The Suns (1992-94; 1999-2000), Timberwolves (2003-04), etc.

He entered the NBA with 2.06 m and 280 lb – as the 22nd pick overall for the Phoenix Suns (1992). Oliver recorded a solid overall NBA contribution: 23 minutes per game, 2.2 assists, 5.9 rebounds, and 493 game appearances.

Miller had excellent centre/power forward predispositions. But, as his weight progressed, his mobility and rapidity were fading fast. Gradually he went from 280 lb to 375 lb, transitioning from overweight to fat.

These numbers make Miller the heaviest NBA player ever!

Also read: Best coaches in the history of the NBA

Final Draft

Basketball centres or power forwards need extra muscle mass and fat for defence and rebounds. However, you shouldn’t confuse size with obesity.

Some of the players on our list of the heaviest NBA players, at some point in their career, became sloppy or lazy and let that extra weight kill their game. While others, like Shaquille, played their massive appearance just right.

But this doesn’t refer to Oliver Miller — with a max weight of 375 lb, he is the heaviest NBA player.

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