Last Updated on April 14, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

Here is the detailed information about Larry Nance:

Player Profile

  • Full Name: Larry Donnell Nance Sr.
  • Nationality: American
  • Age: Born on February 12, 1959
  • Hometown: Anderson, South Carolina, USA
  • Height: 6 feet 10 inches (2.08 m)
  • Weight: 205 lbs (93 kg)
  • Wingspan: 7 feet (2.13 m)
  • Shoe Size: Size 17 (US)
  • Number: Primarily wore #22
  • Position: Power Forward / Small Forward
  • High School: McDuffie High School (Anderson, South Carolina)
  • College: Clemson University (1977–1981)
  • NBA Draft: 1981, 1st round, 20th pick overall (by the Phoenix Suns)
  • Teams Played For:
    • Phoenix Suns (1981–1988)
    • Cleveland Cavaliers (1988–1994)
  • Championship Rings: 0 (He never won an NBA Championship)
  • Kids: 3 (Larry Nance Jr., Pete Nance, and Casey Nance)
  • Siblings: Not widely documented, so little is known publicly about siblings.

Larry Nance’s player archetype was an athletic two-way power forward, a rangy frontcourt finisher who paired above-the-rim scoring with real shot-blocking value on the other end. Defensively, he worked as a mobile help defender and weak-side rim protector, using his 6-foot-10 frame, length, timing, and leaping ability to erase shots, rebound, and cover ground better than most forwards of his era; offensively, he fit as an efficient inside scorer who ran the floor, finished lobs and dump-offs, attacked from the mid-post, and supplemented that with a dependable face-up jumper. His physical traits stood out immediately—long, springy, quick off his feet, and coordinated in space—and his play style blended finesse with vertical pop, making him a smooth but forceful forward whose game was built on activity, efficiency, and defensive impact. (Basketball Reference)

Fun Facts

  • He played on a very good Cleveland Cavaliers team that rivaled Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls when it was at full strength in 1993. He was in the starting five and matched up against Horace Grant.
  • The Cavs team he played on had several known great players: Mark Price, Brad Daugherty, and Craig Ehlo.
  • His son, Larry Nance Jr., also played in the NBA.

Sources:

NBA.com — Phoenix Suns single-season blocks per game leaders
NBA.com — Top 5 all-time Cleveland Cavaliers blocks leaders
NBA.com — Year-by-year NBA All-Defensive Teams
Basketball-Reference.com — Larry Nance Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more