Thursday's P.M. Hot Clicks: Jennie Finch; Tallest Players in NBA History

Thursday's P.M. Hot Clicks: lovely lady of the day Jennie Finch; Tallest Players in NBA History

Andy Gray | Sep 3, 2015

Thursday's P.M. Hot Clicks: Jennie Finch; Tallest Players in NBA History /

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Tallest Players in NBA History

The Tallest Players in NBA History

Manute Bol (7-7)

Tied for tallest player in NBA history, Bol led the NBA in blocked shots twice and was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team in 1986. Bol played for the Bullets, Warriors, 76ers and Heat during his NBA career.

Gheorghe Muresan (7-7)

Muresan, like Bol, was a productive center as well as being one of the tallest to ever play the game. He was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player in 1996 and played a majority of his career with the Bullets.

Shawn Bradley (7-6)

Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images

The No. 2 overall pick in the 1993 draft, Bradley elected to wear No. 76 with the Sixers to pay homage to his height. He also led the league in blocks in 1997.

Yao Ming (7-6)

Arguably the most dominant player on this list, Yao was the No. 1 pick in the 2002 draft and went on to have a accoloade-filled career with the Rockets. He was an eight-time All-Star and made the All-NBA Second Team twice and Third Team three times. He retired early in 2011 due to foot and ankle injuries, but Yao is credited with helping popularize the NBA in China.

Chuck Nevitt (7-5)

Nevitt is the tallest NBA champion in history, winning his title as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers in 1985. He also played for the Rockets, Pistons, Bulls and one game with the Spurs.

Pavel Podkolzin (7-5)

Drafted 21st overall in 2004 by Utah and immediately traded to Dallas, Podkolzin was waived by the Mavericks after appearing briefly in just six games spanning two seasons.

Slavko Vranes (7-5)

A second-round pick by New York in 2003, Vranes was waived by the Knicks and appeared in just one NBA game after signing a 10-day contract with Portland in 2004. Vranes played three minutes and missed his only shot attempt.

Mark Eaton (7-4)

A two-time Defensive Player of the Year, Eaton wreaked havoc around the rim for the Jazz from 1982-1993. He led the league in blocks four times and had his No. 53 retired by the franchise.

Rik Smits (7-4)

“The Dunking Dutchman” played sidekick to Reggie Miller throughout the ‘90s and made an All-Star team in 1998. With a soft shooting touch, Smits anchored the Pacers’ lineup and played for the franchise from 1988-2000.

Ralph Sampson (7-4)

After a dominant college career at Virginia, Sampson was drafted No. 1 overall by the Rockets in 1983 and the 7’4” center didn’t disappoint. Sampson was named Rookie of the Year that season and made All-Star teams the next four years after that. Injuries later derailed his career, but Sampson is still remembered as one of the most talented big men to ever play the game.

Priest Lauderdale (7-4)

The 28th overall pick by Atlanta, Lauderdale (seen here with Avery Johnson) split two seasons with the Hawks and Nuggets, averaging just seven minutes a game. He would later play abroad.

Randy Breuer (7-3)

An 11-year NBA veteran, Breuer played his first seven seasons for the Bucks before making stops in Minnesota, Atlanta and Sacramento.

Keith Closs (7-3)

After leading the nation in blocks during his only two years at Central Connecticut State, Closs went undrafted and later signed with the Clippers in 1996. He averaged 3.9 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.3 blocks during his NBA career.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas (7-3)

One of the greatest players in Cavaliers history, Ilgauskas was a two-time All-Star and eventually had his No. 11 retired by the team. He now works in the team’s front office as a special advisor.

Arvydas Sabonis (7-3)

Many of Sabonis’ best years occurred in Europe, but the Lithuanian center did play seven productive years with the Blazers. With a deft touch and array of skills, Sabonis was one of the most versatile big men in history, paving the way for other centers who like to handle the ball to play in the NBA.

Hasheem Thabeet (7-3)

Thabeet did not play basketball until the age of 15, but he was a dominant force at UConn, leading him to be selected No. 2 overall in the 2009 draft. Thabeet’s career hasn’t quite panned out as planned since then, bouncing from the Grizzlies to the Rockets, Trail Blazers and Thunder. He was last playing for Oklahoma’s D-League affiliate in Grand Rapids.

It's National Skyscraper Day and we're celebrating with a gallery of the NBA's all-time tallest players. And because that Manute Bol/Muggsy Bogues photo is so fun, we also put together the NBA's tallest and shortest players together.

Nation's Shortest Running Back

Can't say enough good things about Adam Reed, a 4-foot-5, 95-pound running back for American Heritage High (Plantation, Fla.), a nationally ranked team. The Miami Herald has a great profile of Reed, who is quickly becoming a celebrity in his hometown.

Tom Brady Defeats NFL

Tom Brady won his case against the NFL and his four-game suspension has been lifted. Andrew Brandt has a good piece on what this means for the league and Roger Goodell. Also worth checking out: A Dunkin’ Donuts in Maine is offering the Deflategate judge free coffee for life ... "Vindicated" billboards are popping up all over New England ... ESPN legal expert Lester Munson was wrong at every turn ... Brady does the Vince McMahon walk ... Steelers fan Snoop Dogg is not pleased with the decision ... Best internet reactions to the verdict ... Best internet hate of Goodell ... What people said about Brady before his first Super Bowl win.

Throwback Lovely Lady of the Day

Hot Clicks Giveaway

It's time to get back to school and our friends at Audiofly feel your pain. To smooth the transition, they have given me five pairs of AF33 headphones to give away. As you know, the AF33 delivers detailed sound reproduction across the entire sonic spectrum. It also features a clear-talk mic and control so users can make calls, use voice prompts and control music playback via a microphone and button located on the headphone’s cable. I'll send one to the 30th, 60th, 90th, 100th and 150th person who emails me (andy_gray@simail.com) the name of the LLOD featured in this morning's Hot Clicks. Please make the subject line "Audiofly." Good luck.

FYI: I'll be giving away five pairs of @audiofly_ headphones in PM Clicks today. Should be out around 3. pic.twitter.com/XmSj8qr4TX
— Andy Gray (@AndyGray35) September 3, 2015

Evan Mathis' Hat Problems

Broncos lineman Evan Mathis is new to Denver and will soon learn that not every fan appreciates the style in which he wears his hat.

Classic Paintings Mixed With Rap Lyrics

I love the internet.

My Favorite Brady-Related Tweet

If the @nfl wanted to win this case against Brady they should have brought the @Giants to help them
— Lawrence Tynes (@lt4kicks) September 3, 2015

The World's Largest Mural

Ella & Pitr Paint the World's Largest Mural for Nuart Street Art Festival in Norway https://t.co/6snxDPbWUG pic.twitter.com/AWym351aJy
— Roberto Dei (@Roberto__Dei) September 2, 2015

How Harbaugh is Your Football Team?

We used to rank colleges in the Grid of Shame. In Harbaugh era, it's shameless self-promotion: http://t.co/zgcLVKdAbn pic.twitter.com/WgcvBXkg0I
— WSJ Sports (@WSJSports) September 3, 2015

Odds & Ends

Gilbert Arenas's former assistant stole $2 million from him over a three-year period ... Kareem Abdul Jabbar isn't a Donald Trump fan ... Peyton Manning is classy ... Random pro wrestling note: John Laurinaitis got engaged to the Bella Twins's mother ... Hottest women of the 2015 U.S. Open ... Funny college football cheerleader pics ... This guy tried to rob a female MMA fighter and that was a bad idea ... One way to get around campus after a DUI arrest ... This dog lost a fight with a Minion toy ... Taco Bell now has a fried chicken shell ... Charlie Sheen is 50. Here are his best movie roles ... Is that Sofia Vergara or Peg Bundy?

College Football Preview: The Great Unknown

The college football season kicks off tonight and Andy Staples has no idea what to expect this season.

100 Years of Lingerie in Three Minutes

Arianny Celeste shows you the evolution of lingerie.

Jennie Finch's 2005 Swimsuit Profile

You've seen the photos, now watch the video!

Jennie Finch Strikes Out Albert Pujols

She can pitch, too!

Click here for previous versions of Hot Clicks, and visit our Extra Mustard Page throughout each day for more offbeat sports stories and the latest Cheerleader of the Week gallery. Also check out the SwimDaily Page for the latest updates and instagram pictures of models who have appeared in our issues.

Published Sep 3, 2015

ANDY GRAY

A senior editor atSI.com, Andy Gray oversees Hot Clicks, Extra Mustard and the Swimsuit site. A Boston sports loyalist and Columbia graduate, he joined SI in 2005.