Sun Mingming
Chinese former pro basketball player, world's tallest.
Sun Mingming (born August 23, 1983) is a Chinese former professional basketball player. Guinness World Records measured him as the tallest professional basketball player ever, at 2.36 m (7 ft 9 in) and 168 kg (370 lb).
He grew up in a small town near Bayan County, Harbin, in Heilongjiang Province, with a brother and a sister. He did not start playing basketball until age 15. For the 2005–2006 season, he attended and played at Ventura College, a community college in California, before turning professional.
In the United States, Sun played for minor league teams including the USBL’s Dodge City Legend, the ABA’s Maryland Nighthawks, and the IBL’s Grand Rapids Flight. The Harlem Globetrotters drafted him in 2007, making him the tallest player ever selected by the team, though he never played for them. He later played in Mexico for Fuerza Regia and in Japan’s bj league for the Hamamatsu Phoenix. In 2009, he returned to China to play for the Beijing Ducks in the Chinese Basketball Association.
During the summer of 2005, Sun was diagnosed with a benign tumor on his pituitary gland. Without health insurance or the funds to cover the over $100,000 in medical costs, his sports agent, Charles Bonsignore, organized a fundraiser. The tumor was successfully removed on September 26, 2005.
On August 4, 2013, he married Xu Yan, who is 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) tall. Their combined height of 423.47 cm (13 ft 10.72 in) is recognized by Guinness World Records as the tallest living married couple.
Quick Facts
- Height
- 2.36 m
- Weight
- 168 kg
- Position
- Center
- Birth Date
- 1983-08-23
- Birth Place
- Bayan County, China
- College
- Ventura College (2005–2006)
- Draft Year
- 2005
- Career Start
- 2006
- Career End
- 2012
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Sun Mingming was born in a small town near Bayan County, Harbin in Heilongjiang Province, China. He has two siblings: a brother and a sister. He did not begin playing basketball until he was 15 years old. He attended and played basketball at Ventura College, a community college in Ventura, California, for only the 2005–2006 season before moving on to professional basketball. In the summer of 2005, Sun discovered he had a benign tumor attached to his pituitary gland. Without health insurance or enough money to pay the more than $100,000 in medical bills, his sports agent, Charles Bonsignore of Passing Lane Sports, started a fundraiser. The tumor was successfully removed on September 26, 2005.
Reader's Guide
Sun Mingming's significance lies in his status as the tallest professional basketball player ever recorded by Guinness World Records, a distinction that brought him global attention. His career spanned multiple countries and leagues, including American minor league teams such as the USBL's Dodge City Legend, the ABA's Maryland Nighthawks, and the IBL's Grand Rapids Flight. He was drafted by the Harlem Globetrotters in 2007, becoming the tallest player in their history to be drafted, though he never played for them. He later played in Mexico's league with Fuerza Regia and in Japan's bj league with Hamamatsu Phoenix. In 2009, he returned to China to play for the Beijing Ducks in the Chinese Basketball Association. His personal life also drew notice: on August 4, 2013, he married Xu Yan, who is 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) tall; they are recognized by Guinness World Records as the tallest living married couple, with a combined height of 13 feet 10.72 inches (423.47 cm). His legacy is tied to his extraordinary height and his journey through multiple basketball leagues despite a late start and a serious health challenge.
Did You Know?
- Sun Mingming was measured by Guinness World Records as 2.36 m (7 ft 9 in) tall.
- He had a benign tumor on his pituitary gland removed on September 26, 2005.
- He and his wife Xu Yan are recognized as the tallest living married couple.
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