Guards
—avg height
Visualization 04
Player Size
Use the slider to scrub through 20 seasons and see how the height at each position has changed over time.
Before the chart
The three NBA positions
NBA players are listed under one of three primary positions. Each dot in the chart below represents one player. The colored line in each column is the position average for that season.
Guard (G)
Typically the smallest and quickest players on the floor. Guards handle the ball, run the offense, and are the primary outside shooters.
Forward (F)
Mid-sized and versatile players who can score inside and outside. Forwards guard multiple positions and contribute across all areas of the game.
Center (C)
Traditionally the tallest player on the team, stationed near the basket. Centers are responsible for rebounding, interior scoring, and rim protection.
Season
2024-25
Forwards
—avg height
Centers
—avg height
What the data shows
Heights are stable, but rosters aren't
Average height within each position has changed by less than half an inch since 2004-05. What has changed: guards now make up a much larger share of rosters (156 → 224) while centers have become rarer (84 → 63), pulling the overall NBA average down.
How to read this chart
Each dot is one player
Players are split by their primary position: Guard, Forward, or Center. Horizontal spread is random jitter to prevent overlap. The colored line in each column marks the position average for the selected season.