NBA Rumors: Reasons Why Players Including Kevin Durant Lied About Their Height

By Jenn Loro - 05 May '16 09:48AM

For some reasons, Oklahoma City Thunder superstar Kevin Durant wants to be seen as a 'small forward'. And since he wants to be labeled as such so badly that he would go as far as lying about his height.

Durant, who is officially listed as 6-foot-9 is really 6-foot-11. What explains this discrepancy? The interesting thing is that this practice of lying one's own height is not just unique to Durant. This has become quite a standard practice among basketball players in NBA.

Across the league's game programs nationwide, inaccuracies to a player's height is one of NBA's funniest and often deliberate misrepresentation. Many high-profile players like Durant intentionally cheated themselves (and the public) by few inches to save themselves by being highlighted as seven-footers. With such distinction, they would only attract more undesirable public attention due to their size.

"For me, when I'm talking to women, I'm 7 feet. In basketball circles, I'm 6-9.But really, I've always thought it was cool to say I'm a 6-9 small forward...Really, that's the prototypical size for a small forward. Anything taller than that, and they'll start saying, 'Ah, he's a power forward,' " said Durant as quoted by Wall Street Journal.

Apparently, Celtics star point guard Isaiah Thomas also admitted to this staple practice in the league. Officially listed as 5 feet 9 inches tall, Thomas confessed that he's only 5-foot-8.

"I'm a little guy - I'm only five-foot-eight - so unless you're a huge basketball fan, you're probably not going to recognize me around town. I'm not like Jared Sullinger ducking into the doorway of a restaurant. I blend in," said Thomas as quoted in The Player's Tribune.

Meanwhile, the 16-year-old son of late former NBA player Manute Bol is fast becoming a high school basketball sensation in Kansas with an imposing 6'11" height armed with serious skills on the hardcourt, Daily Telegraph reported.

It can be recalled that Manute Bol was a fan favorite in the early 90's era in the league. Standing 7'7", the giant earned the distinction of being the only NBA player who blocked more shots than scored points.