Sun Mingming Height — How Tall Is the World’s Tallest Basketball Player?
Instant answer
Sun Mingming’s height is 7 ft 9 in (236 cm / 2.36 m) — officially measured and recognized by Guinness World Records (listed precisely as 236.17 cm / 7 ft 8.98 in).
Explain the measurement (and what it means in real life)
Sun Mingming’s height in different units
Feet/inches: 7′9″ (Guinness precision: 7′8.98″)
Centimeters: 236 cm (Guinness precision: 236.17 cm)
Meters: 2.36 m (Guinness precision: 2.3617 m)
How much taller is that than an average adult?
The CDC lists the measured average height for U.S. adult men as 68.9 in (about 5′8.9″).
Sun Mingming at ~93 in (7′9″) is roughly 24 inches (about 2 feet) taller than that average adult man.
To visualize it: if an average adult man’s head is around Sun’s shoulder/chest level, that’s normal in photos and interviews—because you’re looking at a gap about the height of a full forearm (or more).
Why this topic matters
Sun Mingming is internationally known because he’s one of the tallest pro basketball players ever, and Guinness measured him at 2.36 m.
His extreme height also pushed him beyond sports into pop culture, including a credited appearance in Rush Hour 3.
Sun Mingming’s Height — The Quick Facts
| Measurement | Value |
|---|---|
| Height (feet/inches) | 7′9″ |
| Height (cm) | 236 cm |
| Height (meters) | 2.36 m |
(Guinness lists the precise measurement as 236.17 cm / 7′8.98″.)
Sun Mingming’s Official Height & World Records
Official Guinness measurement
Guinness World Records recognizes Sun Mingming as the tallest basketball player (current), measured at 236.17 cm (7 ft 8.98 in) in Beijing.
Other Guinness title: tallest married couple
Sun Mingming and his wife Xu Yan also hold the Guinness record for the tallest married couple (living), with their combined height recorded by Guinness.
How Sun Mingming Compares to Other Tall People
Here’s how Sun Mingming’s height stacks up against other famous big men and elite tall athletes:
| Person | Listed Height | Compared to Sun Mingming |
|---|---|---|
| Sun Mingming | 7′9″ (236.17 cm) | — |
| Yao Ming | 7′6″ (2.29 m) | Sun is 3 inches taller |
| Victor Wembanyama | 7′4″ (2.24 m) | Sun is 5 inches taller |
| Boban Marjanović | 7′4″ (2.24 m) | Sun is 5 inches taller |
| Shaquille O’Neal (Shaq) | 7′1″ (2.16 m) | Sun is 8 inches taller |
| Average U.S. adult man (measured) | 68.9 in (~5′8.9″) | Sun is ~24 inches taller |
Big-picture takeaway: even compared to legendary NBA giants, Sun Mingming is in a different category—he’s taller than Yao, taller than Wemby, and makes even Shaq look “normal tall.”
How Height Shaped His Career
Sun Mingming’s size was both his superpower and his challenge:
The advantages
Rim presence: At nearly 7′9″, he naturally took up space in the paint—shot deterrence, rebounding reach, and easy finishing angles.
Instant attention: Extreme height creates global interest; he became a recognizable name internationally largely because of his measurements.
The trade-offs
Mobility and endurance: At extreme height, quickness and stamina can be harder to maintain at pro pace—especially against smaller, faster lineups.
Health and body maintenance: Sun’s life story includes serious medical context; reporting around his basketball ambitions also highlighted how unusual size can come with additional physical challenges.
Film and pop-culture impact
Sun also appeared on screen—he’s credited in Rush Hour 3 as a “Kung Fu Giant,” which shows how his height opened doors outside basketball.
Quick Facts Table
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Full name | Sun Mingming |
| Height | 7′9″ (236.17 cm / 2.3617 m) |
| Weight | 168 kg |
| Nationality | Chinese |
| Birthdate | August 23, 1983 |
| Sport | Basketball (center) |
| Notable records | Tallest basketball player (current); tallest married couple (living) |
| Notable film credit | Rush Hour 3 (2007) |
Height “Converter” (quick and easy)
Use height convertor to do these fast conversions anytime you see “Sun Mingming height” searches:
Feet to inches:
(feet × 12) + inchesSun:
(7 × 12) + 9 = 84 + 9 = 93 inches
Inches to cm:
inches × 2.54Sun:
93 × 2.54 ≈ 236.22 cm(Guinness measured 236.17 cm)
cm to meters:
cm ÷ 100236.17 cm = 2.3617 m
FAQs (People Also Ask)
How tall is Sun Mingming in cm?
Sun Mingming is 236 cm tall (Guinness lists the precise measurement as 236.17 cm).
Is Sun Mingming the tallest basketball player ever?
He’s recognized by Guinness as the tallest basketball player (current) at 236.17 cm. “Tallest ever” can depend on which leagues/counts are included, but by official Guinness measurement, he’s among the tallest documented pro players.
How does his height compare to Yao Ming?
Yao Ming is listed at 7′6″ (2.29 m), while Sun Mingming is 7′9″ (~2.36 m)—so Sun is about 3 inches taller.
Does Sun Mingming have any height records?
Yes. Guinness recognizes him for:
Tallest basketball player (current)
Tallest married couple (living) with his wife Xu Yan
Conclusion — Sun Mingming’s legacy as a giant athlete
If you’re searching “Sun Mingming height” or “how tall is Sun Mingming”, the key number is simple: 7′9″ (236.17 cm) by Guinness World Records.
That measurement doesn’t just make him taller than famous giants like Yao Ming, Victor Wembanyama, and Shaq—it also explains why Sun became a global talking point in sports and even landed film roles like Rush Hour 3.
