Height is might in basketball. More often than not, size matters in the sport. In fact, height usually dictates what position a player plays, and it's no different in the NBA, even during the wake of position-less basketball.
But given that the game has been evolving, it doesn't come as a surprise that some players misrepresent their height in order to play a certain position or avoid presumptions that prevent them from unlocking their full potential. Here is a look at eight NBA players who misrepresented their height.
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J.J. Barea
J.J. Barea is one of the smallest guards in NBA history. However, the Puerto Rican guard is surprisingly listed at 6-foot-0. Anybody can tell, even Barea himself that his listed height was exaggerated. While Barea did claim he was a 5-foot-10 on a good day, chances are good that he could possibly be shorter. Nonetheless, former teammate Dirk Nowitzki couldn't help but poke fun at Barea.
Andre Drummond
Listed at 6-foot-11, Andre Drummond is one of the best rebounders in NBA history, having led the league four times in his career. However, Drummond claimed that he has been lied to about his height all these years. The two-time NBA All-Star confessed that he was actually around 6-foot-9 to 6-foot-10. Although Drummond has been giving up inches to the best big men in the world, no one can deny that his rebounding chops are on a class of its own.
Dwight Howard
Dwight Howard was once regarded as the most dominant big man in the league. His impact was highlighted by three NBA Defensive Player of the Year Awards. But surprisingly, Howard was shorter than we think. He has been listed in the NBA as 6-foot-11. However, he actually claims to be 6-foot-9. This was a similar measurement when the NBA measured him without shoes.
Draymond Green
A huge reason why Draymond Green fell to the second round was because of his height at the power forward position. Listed at 6-foot-7, Green was regarded as a “tweener.” Interestingly, it was revealed that his real stature was much shorter than that at 6-foot-5, based on the league's new measurements. However, the All-Star forward contested its legitimacy by posting his own video. Nonetheless, despite being way undersized, the Warriors star has defied his doubters by winning four NBA titles and an NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award.
Charles Barkley
Speaking of undersized power forwards, Charles Barkley raised eyebrows when he claimed that he was even smaller than his listed height of 6-foot-6. In fact, the Basketball Hall of Famer is closer to 6-foot-4. Barkley certainly didn't let his height affect his play, earning the NBA MVP Award in 1993, cementing himself as one of the best power forwards in league history. To make matters more interesting, the onetime NBA MVP did call out the league for lying about height measurements.
Kevin Garnett
Kevin Garnett is regarded as one of the best power forwards in league history thanks to his overall versatility. In fact, he played an instrumental role in helping the Boston Celtics capture the 2008 NBA title. But despite being listed at 6-foot-11, a lot of fans suspected that he was more than that. Those suspicions turned out to be true, as KG intentionally lied about his height so that he will never be slotted at the center position. In fact, the 2004 NBA MVP should be around 7-foot-1.
Anthony Davis
Another big man who didn't want to be labeled as a center was Anthony Davis. The Dallas Mavericks big man recently exposed that he rounds down his height, in order to avoid playing the center position during a conversation with Jimmy Kimmel. Like Garnett, Davis wasn't fond of playing the center position, a preference that grew popular during his days with the Los Angeles Lakers before being a part of the blockbuster trade at the NBA trade deadline. Nonetheless, landing in Dallas should allow him to slide to the four thanks to Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II.
Kevin Durant
If there's a superstar who notoriously lied about his height, it was Kevin Durant. Early on, Durant has always claimed that his height was 6-foot-9. With his versatile scoring, the Houston Rockets star didn't want to be boxed at the center position, especially with his 7-foot stature. Later on, the two-time NBA Finals MVP finally gave NBA fans peace of mind, when he admitted to being 7 feet tall with shoes on.
