Good article on big men (if Otule were only 2 inches taller!)

[MUDrag]

This is an article posted on ESPN Grantland.  It's a great site to read sports article by leading sports journalists (one of which is an MU grad - Charles Pierce). 


//http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/7881895/how-indiana-pacers-all-star-center-roy-hibbert-avoided-becoming-stiff

[MUDrag]

Citing data from the Centers for Disease Control, Sports Illustrated estimated that there are fewer than 70 7-footers between the ages of 20 and 40 in the United States. Seventy 7-footers; 30 starting NBA centers. If you're Nate Robinson's height, you need to be an exceptional athlete to make the league. If you're Hibbert's, you just have to be pretty good. "You see a lot of 6-9 and 6-10 centers around the league, but that's not because coaches want to move toward smaller and quicker guys," the Eastern Conference scout said during the Bucks game. "There just aren't many quality guys with legit center size right now."

[warthog-driver]

Citing data from the Centers for Disease Control, Sports Illustrated estimated that there are fewer than 70 7-footers between the ages of 20 and 40 in the United States. Seventy 7-footers; 30 starting NBA centers. If you're Nate Robinson's height, you need to be an exceptional athlete to make the league. If you're Hibbert's, you just have to be pretty good. "You see a lot of 6-9 and 6-10 centers around the league, but that's not because coaches want to move toward smaller and quicker guys," the Eastern Conference scout said during the Bucks game. "There just aren't many quality guys with legit center size right now."

Does being 2-3 inches shorter make one significantly faster?

[Dawson Rental]

Does being 2-3 inches shorter make one significantly faster?

It means that you come from a significantly larger population.  Therefore, if you're not significantly faster, there will be someone else your height who will be.

[Jay Bee]

I don't believe there are fewer than 70 7-footers in the United States.

[strotty]

I don't believe there are fewer than 70 7-footers in the United States.

Me neither.

[jficke13]

relying on government data is always a mistake.

[warthog-driver]

relying on government data is always a mistake.

Roger that

[DomJamesToTheBasket]

I don't believe there are fewer than 70 7-footers in the United States.

Yeah,  that's TOTAL BS.  There's WAY more than that!

[patso]

The article said 70 in a specific age group

[Jay Bee]

The article said 70 in a specific age group

I don't believe there are fewer than 70 7-footers between the ages of 20 and 40 in the United States.

[Dawson Rental]

I don't believe there are fewer than 70 7-footers between the ages of 20 and 40 in the United States.

Then again you spend much more time than most in the places that they would be.

[bilsu]

I don't believe there are fewer than 70 7-footers between the ages of 20 and 40 in the United States.

I assume that is true 7'. That is they are 7' without shoes.

[Dr. Blackheart]

So is a 7 footer so rare?  I went back through the wiki and found exactly four 7 footers who played a game for MU in its history (correct me if I missed anyone).  These were:  Roman Muller, Jimmy Mac, Mboa and Kinsella. Only Mac made any sort of an impact (washed out, injuries). McMorrow signed but never played due to similar conditions.  I would say this tends to support the findings in the article.

MU has done better looking for centers in the 6'9" to 6"11" range with more beef and athleticism, and not as slow to grow into their bodies...aka, projects.

[4everwarriors]

I challenge the statement that Mbao "played." Hell, the stiff didn't even know to wave his arms when guarding the inbound pass.

[Dr. Blackheart]

I challenge the statement that Mbao "played." Hell, the stiff didn't even know to wave his arms when guarding the inbound pass.

Did you count team prayer time in practice?  He did have that one key block against Georgetown, so we have to give him at least that.

[bamamarquettefan]

The problem is that of the 49 seven-footers who played at least 4 minutes a game, only 15 were among the top 25% of all players in 2012 (top 1000 in Value Add).  Even if you throw in Alex Len from Maryland who is an NBA prospect, you are talking about 16 total 7-footers that are worthwhile at all.  Sure, I'd love to have a 7-footer if we get one of the few that come out every year, but if we don't get one of the 5 or so in a given class that could possibly contribute to MU, I'd rather get another great swing man or point guard for that spot.  Here are the rankings of the 7-footers in the top 1000 and Len.  (Cody Zeller is listed at 6-foot-11).

11   Zeller, Tyler   North Carolina
36   Withey, Jeff   Kansas
71   Leonard, Meyers   Illinois
161   Stutz, Garrett   Wichita St.
265   Marshall, Zeke   Akron
267   Melo, Fab   Syracuse
290   Brown, Alec   Wisconsin Green Bay
363   Sacre, Robert   Gonzaga
386   Henriquez, Jordan   Kansas St.
609   Dedmon, Dewayne   Southern California
672   Frease, Kenny   Xavier
726   Olander, Ryan   Fairfield
921   Selvig, Derek   Montana
941   Oraby, Omar   Rice
974   N'Diaye, Aziz   Washington
1222   Len, Alex   Maryland

[warthog-driver]

So is a 7 footer so rare?  I went back through the wiki and found exactly four 7 footers who played a game for MU in its history (correct me if I missed anyone).  These were:  Roman Muller, Jimmy Mac, Mboa and Kinsella. Only Mac made any sort of an impact (washed out, injuries). McMorrow signed but never played due to similar conditions.  I would say this tends to support the findings in the article.

MU has done better looking for centers in the 6'9" to 6"11" range with more beef and athleticism, and not as slow to grow into their bodies...aka, projects.

Butrym was always listed as being 7 foot when at MU. Funny. Revisionism?

[Dr. Blackheart]

Butrym was always listed as being 7 foot when at MU. Funny. Revisionism?

The Wiki knows everything. I don't mess with the Wiki:  6'11"

http://wiki.muscoop.com/doku.php/men_s_basketball/craig_butrym

[Canadian Dimes]

I think the CDC is prolly pretty close.  You do see some really tall people but that 7'0" barrier really is pretty rare.  Alot of 6'9 - 6'11" people out there but not too many hit that 7'0" with shoes off. 
Additionally, I have to wonder how many of BAma's list are truly 7' , basketball heights are nororiously overstated.  My guess is the vast majority of those guys listed as 7' are 6-10

[slingkong]

No website curated, written, or edited by Bill Simmons is a good website. I even used to like Chuck Klosterman despite him being an ultra-hipster, but even he's turned into more of an ultra-douche. And Pierce, even though he's an MU alum and I agree with most of his politics, seems like he tries to write like he's smarter than he is.