Average NBA Draft Measurements by Position for 2015

Every draft, NBA fans get bombarded with measurements from hand size to standing reach. Since most people don’t know wingspan as well as they do height, it can be tough to understand what it all means for a player and what position a guy could play. For example, how many point guards are as big as D’Angelo Russell and what does that say about his future at that position? How rare is the size of Okafor and Turner? Using the DraftExpress measurement library, we can get a good answer on what size the positions actually are.

Remember, measurements besides height do in fact matter. You play basketball with your hands, not the top of your head.[1. Ed. “Head height” plausibly helps point guards with passing vision and similar line-of-sight related skills, but that relatively minor.] This is why perceived “undersized” players like Elton Brand or Paul Millsap have succeeded. Dwight Howard, multiple time Defensive Player of the Year award winner, is shorter than the traditional behemoth center, but he has wide shoulders and very long arms, letting him effectively play much larger. Then there are the issues with shoe inflation, as some players get a two to three inch boost in their listed height compared to their height without shoes while others like Kevin Garnett don’t have any inflation. Most importantly, “position” isn’t really about your role on offense; it’s more about who you can guard. Thus, if you want to know how a player can compete and contest on defense, a player’s wingspan and standing reach are vital pieces of information.

The following tables show average measurements for every position last season as well as the 10th and 90th percentile for an idea of the typical range is like. For players missing measurements, regression models were used to fill in the gaps, and then the positions were shifted so that every position had the same number of total minutes. [2. Those changes were actually pretty minor, and you can see a discussion of that from last year’s article.] For a more complete picture of variation, I’ve also included standing reach graphs below for every position.[3. Note the measurements are in decimal feet, not inches.]

For those curious, the largest point guard was Shaun Livingston, while the largest center Sim Bhullar, the 7′ 5″ center born in India who played for the Kings. The smallest center was Joffrey Lauvergne, who’s listed at 6′ 11″ but is one of the few players with “T-rex” arms that are shorter than his height.

Let’s see what this means for the lottery picks.

1) Karl Towns: 6′ 10.25″ height without shoes, 7′ 3.25″ wingspan, and 9′ 1″ standing reach.

Using measurements from a year ago, his height is about average and his wingspan is above average. His standing reach is a little under the average, but when he was measured somewhere else they listed him at 9′ 5″ — go figure. This is why I think every pick should have to go through the predraft camp and get measured so we’re all working with the same information. At any rate, his size is definitely fine, and he may have grown over the past year.

2) D’Angelo Russell: 6′ 3.25″ height without shoes, 6′ 9.75″ wingspan, and 8′ 6″ standing reach.

Usually referred to as a point guard, Russell actually has the size of a typical shooting guard, and going forward I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s his position long-term in a James Harden-esque ball dominant role. His 8′ 6″ standing reach would be among the very largest point guards like Exum and Livingston. If he’s not quick enough guarding point guards, his team really needs to consider playing him next to a smaller player.

3) Jahlil Okafor: 6′ 10.75″ with shoes, 7′ 5″ wingspan, and 9′ 2.5″ standing reach.

Those measurements were from a year ago at the Hoop Summit, and even then he had good size for an NBA center — and he might be bigger now. Standing reach is critical for NBA centers who lack elite athleticism and finish inside. Brook Lopez has a 9′ 5″ standing reach, and O’Neal’s was listed at that too, which made it a lot easier to finish when he gained weight and lost his bounce as he aged. Okafor’s still young, but he was listed at 270 lbs and that standing reach will be critical for defending at the rim.

4) Kristaps Porzingis: 7′ 1.25″ without shoes and 7′ 6″ wingspan.

Those measurements were from Chad Ford, and unless he’s being paid by an international cabal of basketball insiders who are determined to get international big men drafted high that means Porzingis is a giant, even for a center much less a power forward. Using my regression model for standing reach, the estimate for his standing reach is around 9′ 6″, which puts him into Rudy Gobert territory. Of course, the draft has a history of false measurements when they’re not done officially, and I don’t trust these, but if he gains the necessary strength he could play center and be a true stretch 5.

5) Mario Herzonja: 6′ 8″ with shoes.

I don’t have any measurements for Mario besides listed height, which suggests he has size to be a small forward, not just a shooting guard. If he’s indeed athletic and quick enough to play shooting guard, his size advantage will be a boon as a shooter.

6) Willie Cauley-Stein: 6′ 11.25″ without shoes, 7′ 3″ wingspan, and 9′ 3″ standing reach.

As a defensive center, Cauley-Stein’s measurements are important, and he does have good size for the position. But he’s also not one of the largest players, however, and will need to use his athleticism to become an elite defender.

7) Emmanuel Mudiay: 6′ 5″ with shoes, 6′ 8.5″ wingspan, and 8′ 4″ standing reach.

As a point guard, Mudiay has outstanding size like Russell. He’d be one of the largest point guards in the league. He has enough size to play shooting guard too, and that means he can switch easier and guard multiple positions. Plus, those measurements were from a year ago. Sometimes these young prospects are still growing.

8) Stanley Johnson: 6′ 5″ without shoes, 6′ 11.5″ wingspan, and 8′ 6″ standing reach.

Stanley is listed as a small forward, and he’s actually a little undersized there. His standing reach is curiously low even with a good wingspan. He’s probably big enough to play the position, but it’s something to watch going forward especially on defense. It’s worth mentioning these measurements aren’t perfect and a year ago the Hoop Summit had his standing reach at 8′ 7.5″.

9) Frank Kaminsky: 6′ 11.75″ without shoes, 6′ 11″ wingspan, and 9′ 1.5″ standing reach.

Kaminsky is another of the T-rex brothers, as his arms are shorter than his body. But his standing reach would be usable for a center, not just a power forward. He should have enough size for his position, and with enough strength he could be a smallball center.

10) Justise Winslow: 6′ 4.5″ height without shoes, 6′ 10.25″ wingspan, and 8′ 8.5″ standing reach.

Justise’s listed height is 6′ 7″ but his “real” height is 6′ 4.5″, which might scare some people but his standing reach and wingspan are near the averages for small forwards.

11) Myles Turner: 6′ 9.75″ height without shoes, 7′ 4″ wingspan, and 9′ 4″ standing reach.

As the next Raef LaFrentz, Myles Turner has good size for a center, which is great for people wondering how his shot-blocking will translate. Also, his true height is nearly exactly average, so there’s no reason to call him undersized unless you worry about his strength.

12) Trey Lyles: 6′ 9″ height without shoes, 7′ 1.5″ wingspan, and 9′ 0″ standing reach.

Advertised as a power forward, Tyler does in fact have the requisite size. The nine-foot standing reach is also something you see with a lot of centers. Plus, his measurements were about the same at other camps, suggesting we can be more certain of the ones at the combine.

13) Devin Booker: 6′ 4.5″ height without shoes, 6′ 8.25″ wingspan, and 8′ 6.5″ standing reach.

Booker has size for the shooting guard, but as a small forward he’d be undersized. His projected position of shooting guard looks ideal for him. His true height is 0.1 inches away from being exactly average for one.

14) Cameron Payne: 6′ 0.75″ height without shoes, 6′ 7.25″ wingspan, and 8′ 1.5″ standing reach.

For people worried about his height, Payne’s wingspan and standing reach are good for a point guard. His wingspan in particular is above average, and that will allow him to play more passing lanes and defend other guards better.

As the players who were drafted before DraftExpress has complete records continue to retire, we’ll understand more and more of how big NBA players are outside of the highly suspect listed height. Unfortunately, the trend now for top prospects is to skip the combine and the measurements. It would be a simple fix to require guys to attend — if they’re injured they can still be measured at least somewhat — and we should have a complete, consistent record of measurements, instead of piecing them together from various reports and different venues who may have different methods. A guy’s listed height can send him tumbling down the draft board, costing him millions, but we’re all starting to accept the importance of wingspan and standing reach. To reiterate, you play basketball with your hands, not the very top of your head.