Last Updated on July 20, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

Larry Nance combined graceful athleticism with elite defensive instincts, becoming one of the NBA’s most exciting forwards and one of the league’s original high-flying stars. A three-time All-Star and the inaugural NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion, he built a distinguished career through spectacular shot-blocking, efficient scoring, and unwavering consistency on both ends of the floor.

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.

Player Archetype / Play Style

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)

Scouting Report

Larry Nance had a gift for making himself available exactly when a possession looked like it was running out of answers. He wasn’t the type to call for isolations or spend time sizing up defenders. Instead, he slipped behind ball watchers, timed baseline cuts beautifully, sprinted into transition, and exploded toward the rim the instant a teammate gained a step. That’s what made him such an effective finisher. His leaping ability grabbed the attention, but the real skill was his sense of timing; he rarely jumped into traffic without a purpose, preferring to arrive just after the help defender committed elsewhere. Around the basket he could finish above defenders or with soft touch, and if the defense collapsed, he was comfortable making the simple extra pass rather than forcing a contested attempt. Defensively, his range as a help defender stood out more than his work in static post matchups. He consistently rotated from the weak side, erased mistakes with late contests, and recovered quickly enough to challenge a second effort, making drivers think twice before attacking the paint. The trade-off was that stronger post scorers could move him closer to the rim than he preferred, and asking him to create offense against a set defense minimized what he did best. Put him next to a creative point guard who lives in the paint and wings who stretch the floor, and his game naturally expands because every drive becomes a chance for a lob, a dump-off pass, or a weak-side cut that catches the defense rotating. I’ve always thought his offensive rebounding reflected his intelligence as much as his athleticism; he wasn’t simply chasing the ball, he anticipated where missed shots would come off before anyone else reacted. His game shares obvious traits with Shawn Marion as a play finisher who thrived without monopolizing possessions, while the weak-side rim protection and vertical spacing also bring flashes of Amar’e Stoudemire, albeit with a more complementary offensive role.

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