Helena Frye
The NBA has seen some of the biggest feet in sports, with players leaving their colossal footprints in basketball history. While shoe size is often overlooked, it plays a pivotal role in a player's performance and abilities. The biggest shoe size in the NBA has been held by several players, but none more famous than Shaquille O'Neal, whose size 22 shoes are double the size of the average man's foot. Tied with Shaq is Tacko Fall, the tallest player on this list, who also wears a size 22. Other notable mentions include Yao Ming, who wore a size 20 shoe during his time in the league, and Bob Lanier, who wore a size 22.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Player with the largest shoe size | Shaquille O'Neal |
| Shoe size | 22 |
| Other players with the same shoe size | Tacko Fall, Bob Lanier |
| Player with the second largest shoe size | Yao Ming |
| Shoe size | 18-20 |
| Other players with the same shoe size | DeAndre Jordan, Dwight Howard, Kevin Durant |
| Players with size 20 shoes | Brook Lopez, Robin Lopez, Rudy Gobert, Karl-Anthony Towns, Victor Wembanyama |
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What You'll Learn
Shaquille O'Neal's shoe size
Shaquille O'Neal, also known as Shaq, is a legendary basketball player. He is one of the most renowned players in the United States and is famous for his massive size and dominance on the court. Shaq's shoe size is 22 in the US, which is nearly twice the average shoe size for men. Shaq's feet are large, but they are not a world record; however, they are among the biggest in the world of athletes.
Shaq's shoe size is a result of his height and genetics. His height of 7'1" (2.16 meters) and weight of 325-330 pounds (147-150 kg) gave him a power advantage over most opponents. Shaq's large feet provided him with the support he needed to maintain balance and stability while playing. His physical frame and athletic abilities allowed him to perform powerful dunks and unmatched physical play.
Due to his large feet, Shaq often has his shoes custom-made to ensure a proper fit, comfort, and durability. In the past, he has joked about the difficulty of finding shoes in his size. Shoe manufacturers have to work with specialized equipment to craft shoes large enough to fit him. Shaq has partnered with various brands to create shoes that accommodate his massive size and athletic needs, including extra support and cushioning.
Shaq has his own line of affordable sneakers called "Shaq" by Shaquille O'Neal, which are sold at Walmart. He created this line to be purposely affordable for lower-income families. Shaq has also donated his shoes to various auctions over the years.
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Tacko Fall's shoe size
The largest shoe size in NBA history is a size 22, worn by Shaquille O'Neal, whose feet are six shoe sizes smaller than Broc Brown, who wears a size 28. Tied with Shaq is Tacko Fall, a Senegalese player who stands at 7'6" (2.29 meters) and also wears size 22 shoes.
Tacko Fall initially signed with the Boston Celtics as a free agent in 2019 and played during the NBA Summer League season. He then headed to Cleveland to play with the Cavaliers in 2021. Fall is currently playing in Puerto Rico. At 7'6" and 289 pounds, Fall is one of the tallest players in the NBA. His size 22 shoes look enormous in the hands of an 8-year-old boy, as seen in a photo posted by the Boston Celtics on Twitter.
Fall's shoe size matches his towering stature, and he set several records at the 2019 NBA Draft Combine, including the tallest height in shoes at 7 feet 7 inches, the longest wingspan at 8 feet 2.25 inches, and the highest standing reach at 10 feet 2.5 inches.
Fall is not the only NBA player to wear size 22 shoes. Bob Lanier, who wore size 11 shoes at just 11 years old, also wore size 22 as an adult.
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Bob Lanier's shoe size
Robert Jerry Lanier Jr., more commonly known as Bob Lanier, was an American professional basketball player. Standing at 6 feet 10 inches (2.08 metres), he played centre for the Detroit Pistons and the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Over his 14-season NBA career, Lanier played in 959 games, averaging 20.1 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. He was named Most Valuable Player of the 1974 All-Star Game and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1992.
Lanier wore a US size 22 shoe, the third-largest shoe size in NBA history. Only Tacko Fall and Shaquille O'Neal, who both wore size 22 shoes, are ahead of him on the list of the biggest shoe sizes in NBA history.
Lanier's journey into large footwear began at a young age. By the time he was 11 years old, he was already wearing size 11 shoes. At 6 feet 10 inches, Lanier's shoe size was proportional to his height, unlike some other NBA players, such as Earl Boykins, who wore size 9.5 shoes at 5 feet 5 inches tall.
Lanier's large shoe size was not the only notable aspect of his feet. He also suffered from various orthopedic injuries, including toe problems, throughout his career. Despite these issues, he still managed to become one of the top NBA centres of his era and left big shoes to fill when he passed away at the age of 73.
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Yao Ming's shoe size
Yao Ming is a Chinese basketball icon and one of the tallest players in NBA history, standing at 7 feet 6 inches. He wore size 20 shoes during his NBA career, which is considered one of the biggest shoe sizes in league history. However, due to the wear and tear his feet endured, his shoe size has decreased to 18. Outside of the NBA, there have been reports of even larger shoe sizes, such as Broc Brown's size 28.
Ming's stature, combined with his impressive wingspan of nine feet and eight inches, contributed to his success as a basketball player. He was selected in the 2002 NBA Draft Lottery by the Houston Rockets, the only NBA team he played for. Despite a relatively early retirement due to injuries, Ming's remarkable physical attributes and skills secured him a spot in the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Shaquille O'Neal, often regarded as one of the most dominant players in NBA history, holds the top spot for the biggest shoe size in the league. His size 22 shoes are double the average man's foot size. O'Neal's shoe size became a part of his larger-than-life persona and played a subtle yet significant role in his basketball legacy.
Tacko Fall, a Senegalese player, holds the second spot on the list, also wearing size 22 shoes. Bob Lanier, who wore size 22 shoes as well, is known for his large footwear, with size 11 shoes at just 11 years old. Other players with notably large shoe sizes include Karl-Anthony Towns, Kevin Durant, and the Lopez twins, Brook and Robin.
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Kevin Durant's shoe size
Shaquille O'Neal is said to have the largest shoe size in the history of the NBA, with size 22 feet—twice the size of the average man's foot. He is joined by Tacko Fall and Bob Lanier, who also wore size 22 shoes.
While Kevin Durant's shoe size is not among the largest in the NBA, it has still been a topic of interest for fans. Durant has revealed that he wears a shoe size larger than his actual size when playing basketball. This means that Durant, who wears a size 18, would wear a size 19 on the court. This quirk caused some controversy in 2021 when Durant's toe was on the line during a game-tying shot against the Milwaukee Bucks, causing the basket to only count for two points. Some fans speculated that if Durant had worn his correct shoe size, the shot would have won the game.
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Frequently asked questions
The largest shoe size in NBA history is 22, worn by Shaquille O'Neal, Tacko Fall, and Bob Lanier.
Shaquille O'Neal wears a size 22 shoe.
Tacko Fall wears a size 22 shoe.
Tacko Fall, one of the tallest players in the NBA at 7'6" wears a size 22 shoe.
Some other large shoe sizes in the NBA include Yao Ming, Kevin Durant, and Dwight Howard, who all wear a size 18 shoe, and Karl-Anthony Towns, who wears a size 20 shoe.
