Last Updated on August 11, 2024 by Mathew Diekhake
A modern basketball shoe will add an average of 1.5 inches to the height of a basketball player. When you add the sock on top of that, the average basketball player stands up to 2 inches taller with shoes than without them.
This height has increased slightly with new shoe sole technology over the years. Back in the 1990s, the average basketball shoe added closer to 1.3 inches in height before socks. Overall, the average height of a basketball player in shoes was closer to 1.5 inches taller.
It’s a safe estimate to say going forward that in general, a basketball player will be roughly 2 inches taller with basketball shoes than without them.
The NBA statistics have recorded players listed in terms of height with and without shoes at the draft combine during their rookie year. The stats that we produce try to display their modern height in shoes accurately and without them based on the fact that they may have continued to grow after being drafted still and the thickness of a modern shoe that they wear. We do this by measuring modern shoes and comparing players in pictures.