Why the NBA's 7-footers are dominating the league

The NBA's 7-footers have been making the headlines this season - and not just because of their recent dominance over the rest of the league. The best big men in the NBA, including Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns, Los Angeles Lakers center Brook Lopez and New Orleans Pelicans center DeMarcus Cousins, are routinely putting up better numbers than their counterparts in any other major sports league. But why? And how long will it last? Here's a closer look at these basketball giants to help you make sense of their overwhelming success in the NBA this season. ###

The current era of 7 footers

Since the beginning of the 21st century, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of 7-footers playing in the NBA. In 2000, there were only 12 players who were 7 feet or taller. By 2016, that number had jumped to 34. And this season, there are a whopping 41 players who fit that description. So why are there so many tall men at the professional level? The answer is simple: height advantage. Many coaches think that having a player who can play center and block shots without help from another player is invaluable on defense, especially when opponents like to send smaller players into the post. Furthermore, shooting guard and small forward positions have evolved into wings (i.e., versatile shooters), which means an offense can be effective with two 7 footers in the post and one at either wing position because they can all score from distance as well as get rebounds or blocks on defense. As such, teams feel that these individuals provide more versatility than traditional big men, who typically shoot closer to the basket but lack mobility outside of it.

The commonality of these players

All of these players have one thing in common: they're tall. At 7 feet or taller, they have a significant height advantage over their opponents. This gives them a big advantage on the court. They can see over defenses, block shots and rebound at a higher rate than most players. 

Before the 1995 Draft, centers who were 6'11 or taller had been drafted first overall 11 times. 

This changed with Tim Duncan being selected as the number one pick by San Antonio Spurs in 1997 and it has continued to be this way ever since. 

The same year as Duncan was drafted Shaquille O'Neal was drafted first overall to Orlando Magic which began his dominance of that decade 7m with four championships and three Finals MVPs by 2000 when he was 24 years old!

What a record may mean for future generations

Today, the average height of an NBA player is just over 6 feet 7 inches. But there are a handful of players who tower above the rest at 7 feet or taller. And these big men are having a big impact on the game.

How does this compare to other eras?

The NBA has always been a league dominated by big men. In the early days, players like George Mikan and Wilt Chamberlain towered over their opponents and dominated the paint. In more recent years, players like Shaquille O'Neal and Yao Ming have continued to prove that size matters in the NBA.

This is just the beginning

The NBA has always been a tall man's game. But in recent years, the league has seen a surge in big men who can not only block shots and rebound but also score from anywhere on the court. For example, Karl Anthony Towns is leading the Timberwolves to their first playoff appearance since 2004. Towns averages 18 points per game and leads his team with 2 blocks per game. Joel Embiid averages 25 points per game and is one of the league’s most popular players as he’s had injury problems in his career which have caused him to miss 191 games over four seasons. 

But it isn't just rookies like Karl Anthony Towns or Joel Embiid who are getting all of this attention. Kevin Durant plays small forward for Golden State Warriors but spends more time at power forward because he plays better defense there than he does at small forward. What makes these power forwards so different? Why are they seeing such an increase in minutes?