Athletes nowadays are massive. Physically, athletes are bigger, faster, and stronger than they have ever been before. Even so, that does not mean yesteryear’s athletes were pushovers. Today, we’re going to take a look at the biggest athletes of all time. Some of these people are out of this world!
Ronnie Coleman – Bodybuilder
If you are the 7-time winner of Mr. Olympia, then you are most likely pretty huge. He doesn’t just look massive, Ronnie Coleman also looks like someone who has no trouble strictly following weight loss plans. That is quite integral to achieving success in the world of bodybuilding. Coleman is 5’11, weighs 297lbs, and probably just has 6% of body fat. What a beast.
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Ronnie Coleman Bodybuilder
Wladimir Klitschko – Professional Boxer
If you happen to watch a basketball game, a player that comes in at 6’6” would definitely look relatively short. Nevertheless, in a boxing ring, a man who is 6’6” tall and made up of pure muscle is definitely intimidating. Wladimir Klitschko is also a terror inside the ring. His punches have most likely led to some of his opponents getting cosmetic surgery. In addition, Klitschko is almost a foot and 6 inches taller than Hayden Panettiere, his wife.
Wladimir Klitschko Professional Boxer
Jon Rauch – Relief Pitcher
Baseball isn’t the sport that is typically thought of when it comes to physical specimens, but Jon Rauch could surely have changed that. The right-handed reliever played in the MLB for 11 years. At 6’11, the Louisville native was a complete monster when on the mound. Still thinking about weight loss plans? This guy would have you for breakfast. Just saying…
Jon Rauch Relief Pitcher
Logan Ondrusek – Relief Pitcher
Since we’re on the topic of relief pitchers who are physically imposing, the Cincinnati Reds’ Logan Ondrusek certainly makes the list. He stands at 6’8, weighing approximately 230 lbs. The relief pitcher could re-arrange anyone’s face just with a slap and could send that person for cosmetic surgery. Luckily, Ondrusek stuck to throwing 95+ MPH from the mound.
Logan Ondrusek – Relief Pitcher
Akebono Taro – Professional Wrestler
At 550 lbs, Taro has switched to professional wrestling so that he could make an impact. The former Sumo Champion is a rather dominant figure and he has a figure which looks almost otherworldly. Even though weight loss plans wouldn’t really hurt him, Taro has used his weight as an advantage inside the ring. By the way, Taro stands at 6’8. (Pictured right).
Akebono Taro Professional Wrestler
Mariusz Wach – Professional Boxer
As far as physically imposing boxers are concerned, Wach was definitely one of them, standing at 6’7 and weighing 250 lbs. Back in 2012, he squared off against another massive boxer, Wladimir Klitschko, in a fight which shook the planet with each blow. Cosmetic surgery would surely be not enough to fix the face that this man punches. It’s best if we leave cosmetic surgery to the reality stars. Let’s just make sure that we do not cross this man’s path.
Mariusz Wach Professional Boxer
Kameron Loe – Relief Pitcher
Next up, we have Kameron Loe. Sadly, his size didn’t really translate to success. Even though Loe is 245 lbs and 6’8, he could never keep the ball within the park — which is a failure that is notable for a pitcher. Cosmetic surgery is something you can’t really get in your ERA bud, so you will need to make other plans for weight loss.
Kameron Loe Relief Pitcher
Roy Hibbert – NBA Center
Hibbert got an apt nickname – Mr. Verticality. He earned the name not because he had the ability to jump high, but because Hibbert stands at 7’2. During his prime, the player was among the NBA’s most dominant protectors of the rim.
NBA: Los Angeles Lakers At Sacramento Kings
Joe Finley – NHL Defender
Finley’s stint in the NHL didn’t really last, but he did look scary during the times he was playing on the ice. Standing at 6’8 and weighing 250 lbs, he had a Thunderbird’s wingspan. Trust us when we say that no one wants to be in the way of this guy while he is chasing the puck.
HPK HIFK
Andy Fordham – Professional Darts
Well, Fordham did not make a living by tossing a ball through some hoop but darts, for us, is still a sport. In a sport which didn’t need it, Andy Fordham redefined size. With the height of 6’2 and weighing 445 lbs, people always knew where the guy was. Fordham has been on some amazing weight loss plans. He is now at only 275 lbs. Nice.
Andy Fordham Professional Darts
Dalip Singh Rana – Wrestler
You most likely know his ring name better – The Great Khali. At the towering height of 7 ft 2 in or 2.18 m, The Great Khali holds the eighth spot for the tallest professional wrestler back in 2014. As of 2017, the wrestler came in as fourth tallest in the history of WWE. In addition, there are a number of sites which claim that among all the active wrestlers, the Great Khali is the tallest.
Dalip Singh Rana Wrestler
Jonathan Broxton – Relief Pitcher
Jonathan Broxton played for the Cincinnati Reds. He was the clubhouse’s largest guy, standing at 6’4 and weighing 300 lbs during the time he was an active player in the league. He must have gotten the same trainer as Bartolo Colon.
Jonathan Broxton Relief Pitcher
John Daly – Professional Golfer
Even though his built is similar to that of an offensive lineman, during his prime, John Daly was among the world’s most famous golfers. Daly stood at 5’11 and 370 lbs. Did his weight help his driving skills in any way? We’re not quite sure, but Daly was certainly among the best players in history.
John Daly Professional Golfer
Eric Esch – Professional Boxer
Eric Esch was quite a raw fighter early on in UFC’s popularity. During his heyday, Esch stood at 5’11 and weighed 425 lbs. He is popular for sweating significantly while scaring his opponents.
Eric Esch Professional Boxer
Nate Freiman – MLB 1st Baseman
Finally, we now have our first monster slugger. Nate Freiman stands at 6’8 and 250lbs. He was among the scariest batters a person could face off. It was unfortunate that Freiman’s MLB career did not really flourish and the last time he played was in 2014. Currently, he is a player in the Mexican Baseball League.
Nate Freiman
Bob Sapp – Professional Boxer
Bob Sapp was certainly terrifying to come across inside the ring in spite of his pitiful W/L record. During his prime, Sapp was at 6’5 and 390 lbs. He now spends his time in showbiz as an actor.
Bob Sapp Professional Boxer
Adam Dunn – MLB 1st Baseman
During his prime, Adam Dunn had only two outcomes: strikeout or home run. Dunn is 6’8 and just under 290lbs. As a hitter, he is quite intimidating and he has put in plenty of good work throughout the years.
Adam Dunn
Zdeno Chara – NHL Defenseman
In the NHL, Chara holds the top spot for the tallest player, at a little over 6’9. He is also among the game’s best players. Chara’s stint in the NHL is now going into the 19th season. He spent the majority of his time playing for the Boston Bruins. (Pictured right).
Zdeno Chara NHL Defenseman
Andre The Giant – Professional Wrestler
Andre Roussimoff aka The Giant needs no introduction. When he turned professional as a wrestler, he was 7’4 and weighed 529 lbs. He later spent some time doing some acting work for motion pictures. Unfortunately, Andre died early because of complications from his lifestyle choices and size, but he did leave quite the impression.
Andre The Giant Professional Wrestler
Hafþór Júlíus “Thor” Björnsson – Strongman
“Thor” Björnsson is an Icelandic professional strongman who is probably best recognized for the role he plays on the popular TV series Game of Thrones as Ser Gregor “The Mountain” Clegane. With the height of 6 ft 9 in, it’s safe to say “The Mountain” and “Thor” are apt nicknames.
Hafþór Júlíus Thor Björnsson Strongman
Stefan Struve – MMA Fighter
Stefan Struve is 7′ tall and has earned the nickname The Skyscraper. He is a trained kickboxer. He may also be at least half-alien. We like living so we’ll pass on getting in the ring with The Skyscraper.
Stefan Struve MMA Fighter
Pau Gasol – NBA Center
This guy is certainly destined for the Hall of Fame. Pau Gasol became one of the key players in the history of the Lakers when he and Kobe Bryant teamed up for a championship.
Pau Gasol NBA Center
CC Sabathia – Starting Pitcher
Left-handed pitcher CC Sabathia is among the most dominant to have ever taken the mound. On top of that, He is also among the largest. Sabathia is 6’7 while weighing in at just under 290 lbs. The New York Yankees recently re-signed the massive player.
CC Sabathia Starting Pitcher
John Krahn – NCAA Lineman
The nation was captivated by John Krahn when the video of his high school recruitment went viral. Standing at 7 feet and weighing over 440 lbs, John Krahn would go down in history as the biggest NFL player if he were to be drafted.
John Krahn NCAA Lineman
Shaun Rogers – NFL Defensive Tackle
Football should be easy if you are as big and as fast as Shaun Rogers, who at 6’4 was a menace while playing the defensive position in football for more than 13 years. In his prime, he was at 6’3 and 350lbs.
Shaun Rogers NFL Defensive Tackle
Hong-Man Choi – Professional Fighter
If you had run into a man such as Hong-Man Choi a few hundred years ago, you would likely be led into believing that giants existed. These days, however, we all know that the 7’2 fighting giant is absolutely human. Hong-Man Choi has become a Korean icon, who is known for being able to go from mixed martial arts to kickboxing in an instant. We suggest you avoid getting into a brawl with this man who stands at 7’2 unless, of course, you are Oberyn Martel…but even then…
Hong Man Choi Professional Fighter
Ivo Karlovic – Professional Tennis Player
At 6’11, Ivo Karlovic is practically the tallest professional tennis player in history. Because of his massive wingspan, it was quite a difficult task for anyone to get past Karlovic.
Ivo Karlovic Professional Tennis Player
Musashimaru Koyo – Sumo Wrestler
Is it considered cheating to choose a sumo wrestler for this list? Oh well. Standing at 6’4 and 518 lbs, Japanese Koyo became the world’s most dominant Sumo wrestler. He was the reigning champion for an entire decade. He won more than 700 fights while getting past barriers for being a foreign-born wrestler. Koyo eventually reached the highly respected rank of Yokozuna.
Musashimaru Koyo Sumo Wrestler
Marcus Cannon – NFL Lineman
If Marcus Cannon can stay healthy, he will be a force to reckon with in this league. A starting lineman for the New England Patriots, Cannon stands at 6’6 and 335 lbs. He has been playing in the NFL for 7 years.
Marcus Cannon NFL Lineman
Manute Bol – NBA Center
Bol played in the NBA for a decade. He used to be one of the league’s scariest paint-defenders during the period when he played. Bol stood at 7’7 and he had some struggles with staying healthy, owing almost completely to health issues that were related to his large size.
Manute Bol NBA Center
Shaq – NBA Center
The Big Diesel. Standing at 7’1 and weighing 325 lbs, Shaquille O’ Neal is among the largest players in history to hit the hardwood. He is also arguably among the best players in basketball history. This is for you, Shaq.
Shaq NBA Center
Aaron Judge – MLB Outfielder
At present, Judge is among the youngest and up-and-coming stars in the whole of baseball. At 6’7, Judge has turned into both the Executioner and the Jury when he is at the plate playing for the New York Yankees. Judge has already won Rookie of the Year. We are sure he will be a regular in homerun derbies in the next decade.
Aaron Judge MLB Outfielder
Peter Crouch – Football (Soccer) Player
English football player Peter Crouch plays for Stoke City as a striker. Standing at 6 ft 7 in (201 cm), Crouch is actually one of the tallest soccer players! He is currently the record holder for the most headed goals. Unsurprisingly, he also holds the fifth spot for the most expensive British footballer in history (as far as transfer fees are concerned anyways).
Peter Crouch Football Soccer Player
Yao Ming – Basketball Player
37 year old Yao Ming is a retired pro basketball player who played for the Shanghai Sharks of the CBA and the Houston Rockets of the NBA. Ming’s final season in the NBA also meant he was the tallest active player at 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m). Currently he spends most of time working heavily with various charitable organizations. Retired professional basketball player Yao Ming is now 37 years old. He played for CBA’s Shanghai Sharks and NBA’s Houston Rockets. His final season playing in the NBA meant Ming was the active player who was the tallest at 7 ft 6 in (229 cm). He currently spends majority of his time working with many charitable organizations.
Yao Ming Basketball Player
Big Show – WWE
Seven-time world champion Paul Donald Wight II, also known as Big Show, stands at 7 ft! In addition, he weighs an impressive 383 pounds. We’d rather not go up against him! When he isn’t in the wrestling ring, he spends his time acting. He isn’t currently wrestling because of a hip injury.
Big Show WWE
The Rock – WWE
The Rock AKA Dwayne Johnson doesn’t really need any introduction. His is a name which is well known both in and out of the ring. Well, he is considered to be among the greatest professional wrestlers in history. Also, you have surely seen his movies, such as The Fast and the Furious franchise, The Scorpion King, and Baywatch. Clearly The Rock is one busy guy.
The Rock WWE
Gogea Mitu – Boxer
Gogea Mitu is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the tallest ever professional boxer. So how tall is the guy? 7.7 ft (236 cm) – no, there isn’t a mistake here! Mitu came out as the winner of a couple of boxing fights before he contracted tuberculosis and passed away at the tender age of 21.
Gogea Mitu Boxer
Hasheem Thabeet – NBA
Basketball player Hasheem Thabeet from Tanzania stands at 7 ft 3 in (221 cm). In 2009, the Memphis Grizzlies drafted the massive athlete. 30 year old Hasheem is currently in the Japanese B. League. He is playing for the Yokohama B-Corsairs.
Hasheem Thabeet NBA
Andy Carroll – Football (Soccer)
Andy Carroll is an English football player who is currently West Ham United’s striker. At 6 ft 4 in (193 cm), this 29 year old footballer may not hold the record for being the tallest, but he is pretty close. Aside from being a massive opponent when on the pitch, Carroll is also known for the powerful aerial abilities he possesses.
Andy Carroll Football Soccer
Gheorghe Muresan – NBA
Meet the tallest player in NBA history, Gheorghe Muresan. We totally understand since he stands at 7 ft 7 in (231 cm). The Romanian played pro basketball from the year 1991 to 2006. In 1993, the Washington Bullets selected him. As it stands, he is also the tallest Romanian.
Gheorghe Muresan NBA
Nikolai Valuev – Boxer
Nikolai Valuev pursued a career in boxing from the year 1993 to 2009. Between the years 2005 and 2009, Nikolai held the heavyweight title for the WBA twice. Standing at 7 f (214 cm) and weighing 328 pounds (149 kilos), Nikolai Valuev is the world champion considered to be both the tallest and heaviest in all of boxing. Currently, he spends his time being a Russian politician.
Nikolai Valuev Boxer
Shawn Bradley – NBA
Shawn Bradley is a German-American who played for three teams in the NBA, the Dallas Mavericks, New Jersey Nets, and Philadelphia 76ers. Standing at 7 ft 6 in (229 cm), Bradley is one of NBA’s tallest players ever. In 2005, Bradley retired.
Shawn Bradley NBA
Tor Hogne Aarøy – Football (Soccer)
Norwegian Tor Hogne Aarøy is a football forward who is known as one of the tallest professional footballers in the world – he is 204 cm (6 ft 8 1⁄2 in) tall.
Tor Hogne Aaroy Football Soccer
Sun Mingming – NBA
Sun Mingming is currently THE tallest player, not just in the NBA but also in the world. Standing at 7 ft 9 in (236 cm), the Chinese star also does some acting. You might recognize him from the film Rush Hour 3.
Sun Mingming NBA
John Cena – WWE
Some veterans of the WWE have named John Cena the all-time greatest star of the WWE, and seeing that he has won 25 championships, we totally get it. In addition to wresting, Cena also does some rapping, acting, and TV hosting. What’s more, the guy has the biggest heart as he works heavily with many charitable organizations, especially the Make-A-Wish Foundation — as a matter of fact, Cena actually holds the record for the most wishes granted in Make-A-Wish history. Now, isn’t that impressive?
John Cena WWE
Mark Eaton – NBA
Center Mark Eaton played for the Utah Jazz from the years 1982 to 1993. Eaton has gone down in NBA history as the best defensive center owing to his height of 7 ft 4 in (224 cm). The guy has racked up a total of 134 goals all throughout his career. Tell us that isn’t amazing.
Mark Eaton NBA
Richard Sligh – NFL
Standing at 7 feet, Richard Sligh was definitely the tallest professional football player in history. Sligh used to play for the Oakland Raiders as a defensive tackle. Sadly in 2008, he passed away at 64 years old.
Richard Sligh NFL
Suleiman Ali Nashnush – Basketball Player
Libyan basketball player, Suleiman Ali Nashnush, was one of the tallest basketball players to step foot on the court – 8 ft 0.4 in (2.449 m) sounds incredibly tall to us! Moreover Nashnush is just one of 17 people who has passed 8 feet tall. Sadly he passed away in 1991.
Libyan Suleiman Ali Nashnush was a basketball player who was among the tallest ever to set foot on the hard court – 8 ft 0.4 in (244.9 cm) sounds amazingly tall to us! In addition, Nashnush is one of only 17 people who ever got taller than 8 feet. Sadly, he died in 1991.
Suleiman Ali Nashnush Basketball Player
Hulk Hogan – WWE
IGN referred to Hulk Hogan as “the most recognized wrestling star worldwide and the most popular wrestler of the 1980s.” Well, that pretty much sums things up, doesn’t it? His face, his look, his name are all easily recognized worldwide. Standing at 6 ft 7 in (201 cm) and weighing 302 pounds, he is definitely someone that shouldn’t be messed with inside the ring. When not in the ring, Hogan is a lot of things, he is a musician, an actor and an entrepreneur.
Hulk Hogan WWE
Morteza Mehrzad – Paralympian
Hailing from Iran, THE tallest Paralympian Morteza Mehrzad is also the tallest player of volleyball. How tall, you ask? Well, 8 ft 1 in (2.46 cm) tall. We don’t know about you but that is mighty tall for us.
Morteza Mehrzad Paralympian
Édouard Beaupré – Strongman
Édouard Beaupré from Canada is considered to be the tallest wrestler and tallest strongman. Well, he did work as a freak show giant in a circus. Beaupré was 7 ft 8 in (2.33 m) tall. Sadly, he contracted tuberculosis and succumbed to the disease in 1904.
Édouard Beaupré Strongman
Jorge González – WWE
As far as WWE wrestlers go, the tallest is Jorge González. He was known as El Gigante in the WCW from 1989 to 1992. In 1993, he was in the WWF as Giant González. The Argentinian actually suffered from gigantism. He reached the height of 7 ft 7 in (2.31 cm). Back in 2010, González passed away at age 44 because of complications from heart issues and diabetes.
Jorge González WWE
Kristaps Porziņģis – NBA
Meet Kristaps Porziņģis, the NBA power forward from Latvia. Standing at 7 ft 3 in (2.21 m), he actually ties for the spot of tallest active player in the NBA. He is currently a member of the New York Knicks.
Kristaps Porziņģis NBA
Boban Marjanović – NBA
With the height of 7 ft 3 in (221 cm), the Serbian plays for the Detroit Pistons as their center. Boban Marjanović holds the title of the tallest active player in the NBA, but he ties with another player.
Detroit Pistons V LA Clippers
Giant Silva – Mixed Martial Artist
Paulo César da Silva, AKA Giant Silva, used to play for the national basketball team of Brazil before switching to mixed martial arts and finally to professional wrestling. Until now, Silva still holds the record for being the tallest mixed martial artist and kickboxer, at 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m).
Giant Silva Mixed Martial Artist
Małgorzata “Margo” Dydek – WNBA
Everyone meet Polish Małgorzata “Margo” Dydek. Standing at 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m), she is the tallest player in the history of the WNBA. The Los Angeles Sparks is the team she plays for. Back in 1999, this center received the Polish Gold Cross of Merit award.
Małgorzata Margo Dydek WNBA
Dmitriy Muserskiy – Volleyball
Dmitriy Muserskiy is a 29 year old volleyball player who plays for the Russia national team. Well, you guessed it. Muserskiy is the world’s tallest volleyball player and his height of 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) definitely gives him an advantage over the players of other teams.
Dmitriy Muserskiy Volleyball
Renan Zanatta Buiatti – Volleyball
We now go to the national volleyball team of Brazil. Their player Renan Zanatta Buiatti, who stands at 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m), is considered to be tallest in the team although he is tied with a player from another country –Muserskiy from Russia.
Renan Zanatta Buiatti Volleyball
Mohammad Irfan – Cricket
Mohammad Irfan is a left arm fast bowler from Pakistan. He is known as the tallest among all the international and first-class cricket players. At 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m), it is not surprising that 35 year old Irfan holds the record.
South Africa Pakistan ODI Cricket
Loek van Mil – Baseball
33 year old Loek van Mil is a Dutchman who currently plays in the Australian Baseball League. With the height of 7 ft 1 in (2.15 m), Loek van Mil of the Adelaide Bite is the tallest player in the game of baseball. With 95 miles per hour (153 km/h) as his average speedball, we would have to say he’s doing quite well for himself.
Loek Van Mil Baseball
Richard Metcalfe – Rugby
Richard Metcalfe was born in Leeds, England. He is still considered to be the tallest rugby player in the union, despite the fact that he needed to retire back in 2003. Standing at 7 feet (2.13 m), Metcalfe at the line-out’s front was definitely quite intimidating.
Richard Metcalfe Rugby
Ted van der Parre – Strongman
We bet you didn’t know we would include on this list the tallest ever Strongest Man in the World. With the height of 7 feet (2.13 m), Parre’s BMI of 35 is even the lowest in WSM. Now that’s impressive. He was the winner of the Netherlands’ Strongest Man competition in 1991, in 1992, and in 1994. Too bad he didn’t get the title in 1993 as well.
Ted Van Der Parre Strongman
Semmy Schilt – Kickboxing
Do you know who among the kickboxing world champions is the tallest? We suppose you already know the answer by now. Of course, it is Semmy Schilt. Standing at 6 ft 11 in (2.12 m), he is the only person who has won three world championships in a row in all of K-1 history. Round of applause for this Dutchman, please.
Semmy Schilt Kickboxing
LeBron James – NBA
It is true that LeBron James isn’t the tallest player in the NBA, but he’s still on the list. At 6 ft 8 in (203 cm), he is still quite tall! Aside from his height, he is considered to be among the all-time greatest basketball players. With all of the accolades he has received, we’re not really surprised (and no, we are not listing them all, but do know that there are a lot of them).
LeBron James NBA1
Aaron Sandilands – Football
Let us introduce you to the Australian Football League all-time tallest player, Aaron Sandilands. The Australian, who is 35 year old, stands at 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m). Sandilands has been a player of the team Fremantle since 2003.
Aaron Sandilands Football
Usain Bolt – Sprinter
Who doesn’t know this name? The retired sprinter from Jamaica became the first person ever to hold the world records for both 100 and 200 meters before it became mandatory to have fully automatic times. Bolt is currently the world record holder for the 4 × 100 metres relay. In addition, he is the reigning champion in three Olympic events. At 6 ft 5 in (1.95 m), Usain Bolt is quick. His height does not have anything to do with his speed.
Usain Bolt Sprinter
Zlatan Ibrahimović – Football (Soccer)
Zlatan Ibrahimović is a Swedish professional footballer. He may just be 6 ft 5 in (1.95 m) tall but he is among the best soccer players around. He will probably tell you this if you ask him yourself. He has won 32 trophies throughout his career since the year 1999. Among the active footballers in the world, Ibrahimović is currently the second most decorated.
Zlatan Ibrahimović Football Soccer
Michael Phelps – Swimming
You probably know as much about Michael Phelps as we do, so there isn’t really anything new that we could tell you about the Olympian. However, let’s be real. Phelps’s height of 6 ft 4 in (193 cm) might have assisted him in some ways, but his determination, dedication, and skill are what sets the legend apart from all the other Olympians…and also his 23 gold medals from the Olympics.
Michael Phelps Swimming