The three-pointer revolution ushered in a new era of basketball in which quickness and athleticism is prioritized over size. The traditional center, whose dominating inside presence once was a prerequisite for success, has given way to lineups that capitalize on the open space they create with lethal outside shooters.

A tiny group of players literally define the "small ball" craze with their diminutive stature.

Players who stand six feet or shorter still have a place in the NBA. One Memphis Grizzlies rookie stands out from the rest as the league's shortest player.

Shortest NBA Players in 2024-25

At 5'8", Yuki Kawamura is the shortest player on an NBA roster. The 23-year-old from Japan holds the title by some distance, standing four inches shorter than the group of six-footers who share the distinction of second shortest in the league.

Kawamura starred at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where he scored 29 points against France in a game that produced one of the Games' most memorable moments against 7'3" Victor Wembanyama.

Kawamura's Olympics performance caught the attention of NBA scouts, and a strong preseason with the Memphis Grizzlies earned him a two-way contract to play games for the Grizzlies and Memphis' team in the developmental G League. Flashy dribbling and passing has made Kawamura a fan favorite.

Of the 11 players who measure six feet, four of them have enjoyed long careers as crafty point guards.

Chris Paul, a future Hall of Famer, provided veteran leadership for the San Antonio Spurs in his 20th NBA season, and Kyle Lowry, a six-time All-Star, spent his 19th NBA campaign with the Philadelphia 76ers. Eighteen-year NBA veteran Mike Conley continued to be a key contributor for the Minnesota Timberwolves as their starting point guard.

In the prime of their careers, Paul, Lowry and Conley were masters at running offenses, creating good shots for teammates and coming up big with crunch-time baskets.

Fred VanVleet hasn't been in the league as long as that experienced trio, but the nine-year NBA veteran played a big part in the turnaround of the Houston Rockets in 2024-25. The former NBA champion averaged 14 points and nearly six assists per game while guiding a young but talented Rockets squad to one of the Western Conference's best records.

The Shortest Players in NBA History

As much as Gheorghe Muresan and Manute Bol were basketball spectacles as the NBA's tallest players ever, the shortest players in league history were equally fascinating phenoms.

In 1987, Tyrone Bogues was drafted 12th overall by the Washington Bullets, and in his 14-year NBA career, he was good enough to be known by his nickname—Muggsy. His other distinction came from his height.

The 5'3" Bogues is the NBA's shortest player of all time, but what opponents saw of him was merely a blur. The speedy guard from Wake Forest routinely blitzed defenses by driving to the basket and dishing to teammates, and he used his quickness on defense as a constant threat to steal the ball.

Bogues joined the expansion Charlotte Hornets in 1989 and enjoyed his best years in the Queen City. He was the floor general for four Hornets playoff teams and remains Charlotte's all-time leader in assists (5,557) and steals (1,067).

"I don't think being short is a problem. In fact, I look at it as an advantage I have on those big guys," Bogues once said. "I'm low to the ground, and when they put the ball on the floor, I'm already there. They have to worry about me."

Bogues wasn't a big-time scorer, averaging double-digit points in a season only three times. However, Earl Boykins, the NBA's second shortest player ever, could get buckets in bunches.

Undrafted from Eastern Michigan, the 5'5" Boykins played 13 seasons for 10 different teams, his most notable tenure coming as a sixth man with the Denver Nuggets from 2003 to 2007. He averaged 12.1 points in 255 regular-season games and scored 12.9 points per contest on three Nuggets playoff teams.

Notable Moments and Highlights of the Shortest NBA Players

The most memorable moment for an NBA little man occurred in the most unlikely event—the slam dunk contest.

In 1986, Spud Webb—a 5'6" guard for the Atlanta Hawks—became the shortest dunk champion by upsetting Hawks legend Dominique Wilkins. Webb received perfect scores of 50 on his last two dunks to prevent Wikins from repeating as dunk champ.

Webb played for four teams in 12 NBA seasons, averaging 9.9 points and 5.3 assists in 814 regular-season games. He was a double-digit scorer in five consecutive seasons from 1990-91 with the Hawks to 1994-95 with the Sacramento Kings.

However, Webb's signature achievement was his seemingly improbable dunk title, which was made possible by an estimated vertical jump of 46 inches.

Shortest NBA Rookies of 2024-25

The aforementioned 5'8" Yuki Kawamura is the NBA's shortest player of the 2024-25 rookie class.

Charlotte guard KJ Simpson and Miami guard Isaiah Stevens—both 6'0"—are tied for second-shortest rookie.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Shortest NBA Players in 2024-25 (and All Time).

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