Last Updated on April 16, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

Here is the detailed profile of Joel Anthony:

Player Profile

  • Full Name: Joel Vincent Anthony
  • Nationality: Canadian
  • Age: Born on August 9, 1982
  • Hometown: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
  • Height: 6 feet 9 inches (2.06 meters)
  • Weight: 245 pounds (111 kg)
  • Wingspan: 7 feet 4 inches (2.24 meters)
  • Shoe Size: Men’s US size 16
  • Number: 50
  • Position: Center / Power forward
  • High School: Dawson College (Montreal, Quebec, Canada)
  • College: University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) (2004–2007)
  • NBA Draft: Undrafted in 2007, signed as a free agent with the Miami Heat
  • Teams Played For:
    • Miami Heat (2007–2014)
    • Boston Celtics (2014)
    • Detroit Pistons (2014–2016)
    • San Antonio Spurs (2016–2017)
    • Played overseas after the NBA
  • Championship Rings: 2 NBA Championships with the Miami Heat (2012, 2013)
  • Kids: Information about his children is not widely publicized
  • Siblings: Information about his siblings is not widely available

Player Archetype / Play Style

Joel Anthony’s player archetype was that of a defense-first rim-running center: an undersized but strong interior worker who made his living as a shot blocker, screener, and low-usage finisher rather than a creator with the ball. At 6-foot-9 and 245 pounds, he brought a sturdy frame, good vertical timing, and enough mobility to hold up in pick-and-roll coverage, where his main defensive role was to protect the paint, challenge shots, and clean up breakdowns behind Miami’s stars. Offensively, his role was narrow and functional—set hard screens, dive to the rim, finish lobs, chase offensive rebounds, and stay out of the way of higher-usage teammates—so his value came more from discipline and physical sacrifice than scoring polish. In style, Anthony played like a no-frills anchor piece: limited skill offensively, but useful when a team needed rim protection, effort, and a center willing to do the dirty work. (Basketball Reference)

Sources:
Basketball-Reference — Joel Anthony Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more
NBA.com — Keeping Blocks in Play
Bleacher Report — Miami Heat’s Pick-and-Roll Defense Has Kobe Bryant in Awe
Bleacher Report — 2010 NBA Power Rankings: Who’s The Best Starting Center?
Bleacher Report — 5 Things the Miami Heat Must Accomplish in Second Half of Season