Who Is the Shortest NBA Player Right Now?
Yuki Kawamura is listed at 5'7" and stands as the shortest player on an NBA roster this season — but he's still four inches taller than the shortest player in league history.
Yuki Kawamura of the Memphis Grizzlies, listed at 5'7", is the shortest active player on an NBA roster for the 2026-27 season. The shortest player in NBA history is Muggsy Bogues, at 5'3".
Size has never been a hard requirement for NBA success — just ask the players on this list.
Shortest Active NBA Players Today
- Yuki Kawamura — Memphis Grizzlies — 5'7"
- Markquis Nowell — two-way / G League-adjacent rosters — 5'8"
- Jose Alvarado — New Orleans Pelicans — 6'0"
- Tyus Jones — 6'0"
- Payton Pritchard — Boston Celtics — 6'1"
Heights are as officially listed by NBA teams and may vary slightly by source. Two-way and G League call-up players can rotate on and off rosters throughout the season.
The Shortest NBA Player of All Time
Muggsy Bogues is the shortest player to ever appear in an NBA game. Listed at 5'3" and 136 pounds, Bogues played 14 seasons in the league, mostly as the starting point guard for the Charlotte Hornets, and remains a cult favorite for proving that height alone doesn't determine whether a player belongs on an NBA floor.
Short Players Who Became Stars
Being undersized hasn't stopped several players from reaching the top of the league. Isaiah Thomas, listed at 5'9", made an All-NBA Team during the 2016-17 season with the Boston Celtics — the shortest player to ever do so. Spud Webb, also 5'7", won the 1986 Slam Dunk Contest over players nearly a foot taller than him, still the most famous example of a shorter player out-athleting the rest of the league.
Why Shorter Players Still Thrive in the Modern NBA
Today's NBA rewards speed, ball-handling and perimeter shooting more than any era before it, which has made room for smaller guards to carve out real roles even as the league's average height has crept up at other positions. Quickness on defense, tight handles in pick-and-roll actions, and the ability to shoot off movement all matter more now than a player's listed height.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the shortest active NBA player right now?
Yuki Kawamura of the Memphis Grizzlies is listed at 5'7", making him the shortest player on an NBA roster in the 2026-27 season.
Who is the shortest NBA player of all time?
Muggsy Bogues holds that record at 5'3" and 136 pounds. He played 14 seasons in the NBA across four teams, mostly with the Charlotte Hornets.
Has a player under 5'9" ever made an All-NBA Team?
Isaiah Thomas, listed at 5'9", is the shortest player to ever earn an All-NBA Team selection, doing so during the 2016-17 season with the Boston Celtics.
Who is the shortest player to win the NBA Slam Dunk Contest?
Spud Webb, listed at 5'7", won the 1986 Slam Dunk Contest and remains the shortest player to ever win the event.
