The Biggest and Best Athletes of All Time

Bigger is better, and the athletes on this list are not only some of the best in their respective sports, but they’re also among the biggest, tallest, largest people ever to take to their fields, courts, pitches, and pools. Here are some of the biggest and best athletes in sporting history.

Shaquille O’Neal, 7’1”

Where better to start this list than with Shaq? Standing at an impressive 7’1″ tall, and listed as weighing 325lb in his prime, Shaq is a formiddable sight both on and off the basketball court. He is by no means the tallest ever NBA player, but he is certainly one of the most recognizable.

Yao Ming, 7’6”

The tallest player to ever be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame, Chinese-born Yao Ming is a staggering 7’6″ tall. He weighs in at 310lb, 15lb less than Shaq in spite of his greater height (which just goes to show how large Shaq is!).

Maria Sharapova, 6’1”

Former World Number One women’s tennis player Maria Sharapova is one of the tallest women ever to play tennis at a professioan level. The Russian-born Olympic gold medalist is 6’1″ tall.

Jon Rauch, 6’11”

Baseball players are often built like superheroes, and Jon Rauch is certainly no exception. At 6’11” tall he is tied with newcomer Sean Hjelle as the tallest player ever to play Major League Baseball.