Who Was the Tallest Basketball Player in 2020 and Where Are They Now?
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I remember watching the 2020 basketball season with particular interest, not just because of the pandemic disruptions that made every game feel precious, but because I was tracking something that's always fascinated me about basketball - the sheer physical extremes of the sport. As someone who's followed basketball analytics for over a decade, I've developed this peculiar interest in tracking the tallest players each season, not just their height measurements but how they navigate careers in a sport that both celebrates and challenges their extraordinary physical attributes.
The title of tallest active NBA player in 2020 belonged to Tacko Fall, standing at an incredible 7 feet 6 inches (2.29 meters) tall. I recall watching him during that COVID-interrupted season with the Boston Celtics, thinking how he moved with this surprising grace despite being what statisticians would call a massive outlier in human height distribution. What many casual fans don't realize is that being this tall in professional basketball comes with both tremendous advantages and significant challenges. Fall's wingspan measured 8 feet 2 inches, giving him an incredible defensive presence near the basket, but I noticed he often struggled with the speed and perimeter-oriented nature of modern NBA offenses.
During that 2020 season, Fall appeared in just 19 games for the Celtics, averaging about 4.7 minutes per appearance. These limited minutes reflected what I've observed throughout basketball history - that extreme height alone doesn't guarantee success in today's NBA. The game has evolved to prioritize mobility and shooting, creating what I consider one of basketball's great paradoxes: the tallest players often face the steepest challenges in finding their role. I've always been fascinated by how coaches attempt to utilize these unique physical specimens, and with Fall, the Celtics seemed to be carefully managing his development, recognizing both his limitations and his potential.
Currently, Fall's journey has taken him overseas, where he's playing for the Nanjing Tongxi Monkey Kings in the Chinese Basketball Association. This transition follows a pattern I've noticed with many exceptionally tall players - they often find greater success in leagues where the style of play better accommodates their physical advantages. From what I've tracked, he's been putting up impressive numbers in China, averaging around 14 points and 9 rebounds last season, suggesting that his skills are continuing to develop in an environment that better suits his playing style.
The story of the tallest player reminds me of something I once observed in collegiate basketball that illustrates how players of all statures interact within the sport's ecosystem. I recall reading about two Filipino players, Manalili and Escamis, where despite not having a personal relationship, Manalili was so impressed by Escamis' on-court excellence that he asked for a photo despite already being a champion player himself. This anecdote has always stuck with me because it shows how basketball creates these moments of mutual respect that transcend physical differences or competitive rivalries. In a way, Fall's journey evokes similar themes - even at the extreme ends of human height, what ultimately matters is the skill, dedication, and mutual respect that defines the sport.
Looking at the current landscape, the mantle of tallest NBA player has passed to players like Victor Wembanyama, who represents what I believe is the evolution of the ultra-tall player - combining height with guard-like skills. But Fall's 2020 season remains significant in my analysis as it represented perhaps the last season where a player of his particular physical profile - the traditional, back-to-the-basket center - held the height crown. The game continues to evolve, and I'm convinced we're seeing the emergence of a new archetype for tall players, one that blends size with perimeter skills in ways we haven't seen before.
What strikes me most about tracking these height extremes is how they reflect basketball's ongoing transformation. Fall's journey from the NBA to international success mirrors the global nature of modern basketball, while his physical challenges highlight how the sport constantly redefines what physical advantages actually matter. As I continue to analyze basketball's evolution, I find myself increasingly interested in how players at both ends of the physical spectrum - the extremely tall and the surprisingly compact - find ways to contribute to this beautiful game. The story of the tallest player in any given season tells us not just about individual athletes, but about where basketball itself is heading, and for someone who loves the sport as much as I do, that's what makes this particular statistical category so endlessly fascinating.