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Big hands can be an important asset for professional basketball players, especially in the NBA where the competition is at its highest level. There are several reasons why big hands can be beneficial for players in the NBA. For starters, large hands can help with ball handling as it makes it easier to grip and control the basketball. Having big hands can also make a basketball player less prone to turnovers since they can more easily secure the ball and prevent defenders from knocking it away.

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Overall, while big hands are not the only factor that determines a player’s success in the NBA, they can certainly be an advantage and help players in various aspects of the game. In this article, we take a look at the players with the biggest hands in NBA history. Check out the list below and see how your own hand stacks up against these massive basketball players.

 10. Wilt Chamberlain

Hand Length – 9½ inches

Hand Width – 11½ inches 

Nicknamed ‘The Big Dipper’, nearly everything about Wilt Chamberlain was extra-large and this included his hands. Best known for scoring 100 points in a single game, the 7’1” NBA legend’s hands measured 9.5 inches long by 11.5 inches wide and helped him to become one of the game’s all-time greats.

9. Kawhi Leonard

Hand Length – 9¾ inches

Hand Width – 11¼ inches 

As one of the few players on this list still playing in the NBA, you can see Kawhi Leonard’s huge hands in action for the Los Angeles Clippers. Leonard is commonly referred to as ‘The Claw’ due to the size of his hands, which measure 9.75 inches in length by 11.25 inches in width.

8. Michael Jordan

Hand Length – 9¾ inches

Hand Width – 113/8 inches 

Considered by many as the greatest basketball player of all time, MJ’s hands were abnormally large for his 6’6” frame. With hands measuring 9.75 inches long by 11.375 inches wide, Jordan could palm the basketball with ease and this led to many of his high-flying dunks.

7. Julius Erving

Hand Length – 9½ inches

Hand Width – 11¾ inches 

Known to NBA fans as ‘Dr. J’, Erving made headlines by winning the 1976 Slam Dunk Contest with a one-handed dunk from the free throw line. This impressive feat was undoubtedly made easier by Dr. J’s gigantic hands, which measured in at 9.5 inches long by 11.75 inches wide.

6. Noah Vonleh

Hand Length – 9¾ inches

Hand Width – 11¾ inches 

Another active NBA player featured on this list, Vonleh has bounced around the league over the years and currently plays for the Boston Celtics. Measuring 9.75 inches by 11.75 inches, the 6’10” power forward’s hands were the largest at the 2014 NBA Draft Combine in terms of both length and width.

5. Connie Hawkins

Hand Length – 10½ inches

Hand Width – 11 inches 

Playing with some of the longest hands in NBA history, Connie Hawkins was a gifted basketball player who could finish at the rim with ease. Hawkins was 6’8” but his giant hands were nearly as long as they were wide, measuring an astounding 10.5 inches by 11 inches.

4. Greg Smith

Hand Length – 94/5 inches

Hand Width – 12 inches 

Greg Smith may not be a household name, but NBA execs certainly took notice of him when they saw his massive mitts. Smith’s hands are 9.8 inches long and an incredible 12 inches wide, making them some of the widest ever measured in the history of the NBA Draft Combine.

3. Giannis Antetokounmpo

Hand Length – 917/20 inches

Hand Width – 12 inches 

You don’t get the nickname ‘The Greek Freak’ for nothing; Giannis has earned that title with a lengthy frame that’s perfect for the game of basketball. In addition to being 7-feet tall and having a 7’3” wingspan, the two-time NBA MVP’s hands are 9.85 inches long and 12 inches wide.

2. Shaquille O’Neal

Hand Length – 10¼ inches

Hand Width – 12 inches 

As one of the most dominant players in NBA history, O’Neal relied on his size and strength to overpower his opponents. With his paws measuring in at 10.25 inches long and 12 inches wide, the basketball looked like a grapefruit in Shaq’s hands.

1. Boban Marjanovic

Hand Length – 10¾ inches

Hand Width – 12 inches 

When he’s not starring in commercials or making an appearance in the latest ‘John Wick’ movie, the 7’4” Marjanovic makes his presence felt at the NBA level. At 10.75 inches long and 12 inches wide, the Serbian skyscraper has the biggest hands in all of NBA history.

Bonus: Victor Wembanyama

There’s no doubt that everyone is curious to know the size of Victor Wembanyama’s hands and where he fits into the list of the biggest hand sizes in NBA history. Unfortunately, there are no official records that document the 7’4″ power forward’s hand size. However, based on Jalen Pickett’s reaction, it’s safe to assume that he likely does fit somewhere within the top 10 list.

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