Paul Sturgess (basketball)
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born |
25 November 1987 Loughborough, Leicestershire, England |
| Nationality | British |
| Listed height | 7 ft 8 in (2.34 m) |
| Listed weight | 324 lb (147 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school |
Burleigh Community College (Loughborough, Leicestershire) |
| College |
|
| Playing career | 2011–present |
| Position | Center |
| Career history | |
| 2011–2013 | Harlem Globetrotters |
| 2013–2014 | Texas Legends |
| 2014–2015 | Cheshire Phoenix |
Paul Sturgess (born 25 November 1987) is an English professional basketball player who last played for the Cheshire Phoenix of the British Basketball League. He was officially measured barefeet by Guinness World Records in November 2011 at 7 ft 7.26 in (2.3180 m) and 325 lb (147 kg). Sturgess was the tallest college basketball player in the United States, and is currently the tallest professional basketball player in the world.
Paul "Tiny" Sturgess was "drafted" by the Harlem Globetrotters in August 2011 and is the tallest ever to play for the team. He joined the team with fellow rookie Jonte "Too Tall" Hall, who at 5 ft 2 in (1.57 m) was the shortest player ever until Hot Shot Swanson joined, only standing 4 ft 5 inches due to dwarfism. and is 2.5 ft (76 cm) shorter than Sturgess.
Sturgess wears a size 18 shoe. He is the tallest man in Britain after Neil Fingleton (who was 7 ft 7.56 in (2.3256 m) tall) died unexpectedly on 25 February 2017. Examinations as a teenager revealed that his growth is healthy and not the result of disorder, but rather he possesses familial tall stature—that is to say his height is genetic. His biological father is 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m), and there are other tall members in his family although his mother is 5 ft 5 in (1.65 m) and his younger sister is 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m). He featured prominently in the 2007 ITV1 television documentary Supersize Kids: Britain's Tallest Teens when he was 19 and playing at Florida Institute of Technology.
Sturgess enjoys playing many other sports and before concentrating on basketball also played golf and football. He started playing team basketball at age 14 when he was 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m), was 7 ft (2.1 m) aged 16 playing at Burleigh Community College, and was 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) when he graduated high school at age 18. A growth spurt during ages of 16 and 17 resulted in a 1 ft (30 cm) of height added within a single year. Sturgess can hold the 10 ft (3.0 m) high rim whilst standing. He declined offers to play professional basketball in Europe, preferring to pursue basketball in the US.
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