Since we’re in the dog days of the NBA offseason, we’re busy creating evergreen content ranking players and teams historically from different angles.
Today, we’re focusing on listing the tallest teams in NBA history. For this exercise, we went through all NBA rosters throughout history, calculating the weighted average height of each team. We relied on the league’s official measurements (though we know they are to be taken with a grain of salt) and factored in the playing time of each player. (For example, a seven-footer averaging 35 minutes per game would have a greater impact on the final result than one playing only 10 minutes.)
The Showtime Lakers showed up a lot at the top of the ranking (playing with a 6-foot-9 point guard and a 7-foot-2 center will do that for you), but the No. 1 spot belongs to LeBron‘s rookie team: the 2003-04 Cavaliers.
Getty Images
Weighted average height: 6-8.50
Regular season record: 35-47
Playoffs: No
Most used players: LeBron James (6-9), Carlos Boozer (6-9), Zydrunas Ilgauskas (7-3), Kevin Ollie (6-2), Eric Williams (6-8)
MPS-USA TODAY Sports
Weighted average height: 6-8.47
Regular season record: 62-20
Playoffs: Lost in Conference Finals to Rockets
Most used players: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (7-2), Magic Johnson (6-9), James Worthy (6-9), Michael Cooper (6-7), Byron Scott (6-4)
ROBERT SULLIVAN/AFP via Getty Images
Weighted average height: 6-8.44
Regular season record: 57-25
Playoffs: Lost in NBA Finals to Rockets
Most used players: Shaquille O’Neal (7-1), Anfernee Hardaway (6-7), Horace Grant (6-10), Nick Anderson (6-6), Donald Royal (6-8)
Tim DeFrisco/Allsport/Getty Images
Weighted average height: 6-8.40
Regular season record: 57-25
Playoffs: Lost in NBA Finals to Pistons
Most used players: James Worthy (6-9), Magic Johnson (6-9), Byron Scott (6-4), A.C. Green (6-9), Mychal Thompson (6-10)
USA TODAY Sports
Weighted average height: 6-8.39
Regular season record: 60-22
Playoffs: Lost in Conference Finals to Bulls
Most used players: Dennis Scott (6-8), Anfernee Hardaway (6-7), Nick Anderson (6-6), Horace Grant (6-10), Shaquille O’Neal (7-1)
MPS-USA TODAY Sports
Weighted average height: 6-8.37
Regular season record: 65-17
Playoffs: Won NBA title
Most used players: Magic Johnson (6-9), James Worthy (6-9), Byron Scott (6-4), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (7-2), Michael Cooper (6-7)
Damian Strohmeyer/Allsport/Getty Images
Weighted average height: 6-8.36
Regular season record: 41-41
Playoffs: Lost in first round to Knicks
Most used players: Detlef Schrempf (6-10), Reggie Miller (6-7), Pooh Richardson (6-1), Dale Davis (6-11), Rik Smits (7-4)
Mike Powell /Allsport
Weighted average height: 6-8.36
Regular season record: 62-20
Playoffs: Won NBA title
Most used players: Byron Scott (6-4), James Worthy (6-9), Magic Johnson (6-9), A.C. Green (6-9), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (7-2)
MPS-USA TODAY Sports
Weighted average height: 6-8.33
Regular season record: 51-31
Playoffs: Lost in NBA Finals to Celtics
Most used players: Ralph Sampson (7-4), Rodney McCray (6-8), Hakeem Olajuwon (7-0), Lewis Lloyd (6-6), Robert Reid (6-8)
Allsport
Weighted average height: 6-8.32
Regular season record: 48-34
Playoffs: Lost in first round to Jazz
Most used players: Ralph Sampson (7-4), Rodney McCray (6-8), Hakeem Olajuwon (7-0), Lewis Lloyd (6-6), Lionel Hollins (6-3)
USA TODAY Sports
Weighted average height: 6-8.31
Regular season record: 42-40
Playoffs: Lost in first round to Pistons
Most used players: Reggie Miller (6-7), Vern Fleming (6-5), Chuck Person (6-8), Detlef Schrempf (6-10), Rik Smits (7-4)
Getty Images
Weighted average height: 6-8.29
Regular season record: 41-41
Playoffs: Lost in first round to Celtics
Most used players: Reggie Miller (6-7), Detlef Schrempf (6-10), Chuck Person (6-8), LaSalle Thompson (6-10), Vern Fleming (6-5)
Alvin Chung/Allsport/Getty Images
Weighted average height: 6-8.28
Regular season record: 54-28
Playoffs: Lost in NBA Finals to Celtics
Most used players: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (7-2), Magic Johnson (6-9), Jamaal Wilkes (6-6), James Worthy (6-9), Michael Cooper (6-7)
Getty Images
Weighted average height: 6-8.25
Regular season record: 28-54
Playoffs: No
Most used players: Chuck Person (6-8), Vern Fleming (6-5), Reggie Miller (6-7), Rik Smits (7-4), Scott Skiles (6-1)
PAUL BUCK/AFP via Getty Images
Weighted average height: 6-8.23
Regular season record: 19-31
Playoffs: No
Most used players: Michael Finley (6-7), Hubert Davis (6-5), Gary Trent (6-8), Shawn Bradley (7-6), Steve Nash (6-3)
Weighted average height: 6-8.23
Regular season record: 19-31
Playoffs: No
Most used players: Reggie Miller (6-7), Derrick McKey (6-10), Dale Davis (6-11), Rik Smits (7-4), Antonio Davis (6-9)
Otto Greule Jr/Allsport/Getty Images
Weighted average height: 6-8.22
Regular season record: 58-24
Playoffs: Lost in NBA Finals to Bulls
Most used players: James Worthy (6-9), Magic Johnson (6-9), Byron Scott (6-4), Sam Perkins (6-9), Vlade Divac (7-1)
MPS-USA TODAY Sports
Weighted average height: 6-8.22
Regular season record: 62-20
Playoffs: Won NBA title
Most used players: Magic Johnson (6-9), James Worthy (6-9), Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (7-2), Byron Scott (6-4), Michael Cooper (6-7)
Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images
Weighted average height: 6-8.21
Regular season record: 42-40
Playoffs: Lost in Conference Semifinals to Sonics
Most used players: Rodney McCray (6-8), Hakeem Olajuwon (7-0), Robert Reid (6-8), Jim Petersen (6-10), Dirk Minniefield (6-3)
Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images
Weighted average height: 6-8.20
Regular season record: 42-40
Playoffs: No
Most used players: LeBron James (6-9), Jeff McInnis (6-4), Zydrunas Ilgauskas (7-3), Drew Gooden (6-10), Eric Snow (6-3)
David Boss-USA TODAY NETWORK
Weighted average height: 6-8.20
Regular season record: 45-37
Playoffs: Lost in Conference Semifinals to Celtics
Most used players: Artis Gilmore (7-2), Reggie Theus (6-6), Dave Greenwood (6-9), Bob Wilkerson (6-6), Larry Kenon (6-9)
JOHN MOTTERN/AFP via Getty Images
Weighted average height: 6-8.19
Regular season record: 52-30
Playoffs: Lost in Conference Finals to Magic
Most used players: Derrick McKey (6-10), Reggie Miller (6-7), Mark Jackson (6-3), Rik Smits (7-4), Dale Davis (6-11)
Jonathan Daniel /Allsport
Weighted average height: 6-8.19
Regular season record: 30-52
Playoffs: No
Most used players: PJ Brown (6-11), Armen Gilliam (6-9), Chris Childs (6-3), Shawn Bradley (7-6), Jayson Williams (6-10)
Allsport/ALLSPORT
Weighted average height: 6-8.16
Regular season record: 42-40
Playoffs: Lost in first round to Hawks
Most used players: Glen Rice (6-8), Steve Smith (6-8), Rony Seikaly (6-11), Grant Long (6-9), Brian Shaw (6-6)
USA TODAY Sports
Weighted average height: 6-8.14
Regular season record: 40-42
Playoffs: Lost in first round to Celtics
Most used players: Reggie Miller (6-7), Chuck Person (6-8), Micheal Williams (6-2), Detlef Schrempf (6-10), Rik Smits (7-4)
Scott Cunningham /Allsport
Weighted average height: 6-8.10
Regular season record: 57-25
Playoffs: Lost in Conference Finals to Pistons
Most used players: Danny Ainge (6-5), Larry Bird (6-9), Dennis Johnson (6-4), Kevin McHale (6-10), Robert Parish (7-1)
Rick Stewart/Getty Images
Weighted average height: 6-8.10
Regular season record: 53-29
Playoffs: Lost in Conference Finals to Lakers
Most used players: Derek Harper (6-4), Mark Aguirre (6-6), Rolando Blackman (6-6), James Donaldson (7-2), Sam Perkins (6-9)
Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY NETWORK
Weighted average height: 6-8.10
Regular season record: 27-23
Playoffs: Lost in first round to Trail Blazers
Most used players: Jason Kidd (6-4), Clifford Robinson (6-10), Tom Gugliotta (6-10), George McCloud (6-8), Danny Manning (6-10)
RHONA WISE/AFP via Getty Images
Weighted average height: 6-8.09
Regular season record: 48-34
Playoffs: Lost in first Round to Celtics
Most used players: Jermaine O’Neal (6-11), Al Harrington (6-9), Metta World Peace (6-7), Brad Miller (7-0), Jamaal Tinsley (6-3)
Damian Strohmeyer/Allsport/Getty Images
Weighted average height: 6-8.09
Regular season record: 55-27
Playoffs: Lost in first round to Sonics
Most used players: James Donaldson (7-2), Rolando Blackman (6-6), Sam Perkins (6-9), Mark Aguirre (6-6), Derek Harper (6-4)
Stephen Dunn/Getty Images
Weighted average height: 6-8.08
Regular season record: 17-65
Playoffs: No
Most used players: Ricky Davis (6-7), Zydrunas Ilgauskas (7-3), Jumaine Jones (6-8), Carlos Boozer (6-9), Darius Miles (6-9)
Mike Powell /Allsport
Weighted average height: 6-8.06
Regular season record: 47-35
Playoffs: Lost in first round to Trail Blazers
Most used players: Derek Harper (6-4), Rolando Blackman (6-6), Sam Perkins (6-9), James Donaldson (7-2), Herb Williams (6-11)
Al Bello/Getty Images
Weighted average height: 6-8.04
Regular season record: 42-40
Playoffs: Lost in first round to Nets
Most used players: Reggie Miller (6-7), Jermaine O’Neal (6-11), Jamaal Tinsley (6-3), Jalen Rose (6-8), Jeff Foster (6-11)
Eliot J. Schechter/Getty Images
Weighted average height: 6-8.04
Regular season record: 45-37
Playoffs: Lost in first round to Suns
Most used players: Kobe Bryant (6-6), Lamar Odom (6-10), Smush Parker (6-4), Kwame Brown (6-11), Devean George (6-8)
Getty Images
Weighted average height: 6-8.02
Regular season record: 63-19
Playoffs: Lost in Conference Semifinals to Suns
Most used players: James Worthy (6-9), Magic Johnson (6-9), A.C. Green (6-9), Byron Scott (6-4), Mychal Thompson (6-10)
Tom Hauck /Allsport
Weighted average height: 6-8.01
Regular season record: 56-26
Playoffs: Lost in NBA Finals to Lakers
Most used players: Reggie Miller (6-7), Jalen Rose (6-8), Mark Jackson (6-3), Dale Davis (6-11), Austin Croshere (6-10)
Stephen Dunn /Allsport
Weighted average height: 6-8.00
Regular season record: 44-38
Playoffs: Lost in first round to Bulls
Most used players: Juwan Howard (6-9), Rod Strickland (6-3), Chris Webber (6-10), Calbert Cheaney (6-7), Gheorghe Muresan (7-7)
Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Weighted average height: 6-8.00
Regular season record: 34-48
Playoffs: No
Most used players: Franz Wagner (6-10), Paolo Banchero (6-10), Markelle Fultz (6-4), Wendell Carter Jr (6-10), Cole Anthony (6-2)
Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
Weighted average height: 6-7.99
Regular season record: 36-46
Playoffs: No
Most used players: Mike Dunleavy (6-9), Danny Granger (6-9), Troy Murphy (6-11), Jeff Foster (6-11), Marquis Daniels (6-6)
Getty Images
Weighted average height: 6-7.98
Regular season record: 52-30
Playoffs: Lost in first round to Knicks
Most used players: Larry Bird (6-9), Kevin McHale (6-10), Reggie Lewis (6-7), Robert Parish (7-1), Dennis Johnson (6-4)
