Have you ever wondered why a lot of basketball players have giant hands?
Do they train them to get that big? Or are they naturally big?
Basketball players have big hands thanks to their genetics. Taller players will usually have bigger hands. But contrary to popular belief, playing basketball won’t make your hands grow bigger.
Now we know that it’s all because of genetics. Let’s find out what exactly are the benefits of having huge hands in basketball.
Why do Basketball Players Have Big Hands?
Why does it seem like most basketball players have large hands? This is even more obvious in the NBA where everyone is a giant.
But the answer is because of genetics. The taller you are, the bigger your hand can be. Since the skeletal system of the taller person is larger, then we can assume that their hands are the same.
This is true when you compare pro basketball athletes’ hands with a normal person. Although there is tall person that has regular hands, they’re rare.
You’ll usually see tall person having big hands and feet more than not.
Benefits of Large Hands in Basketball
Height plays a huge role in basketball. Although there’s no height requirement to play in professional leagues, taller players are considered more.
There’s just no denying that being tall will make you closer to the basket. It lets you defend the basket easily as well.
But what exactly are the benefits of a larger hand in basketball? Here are they:
- Stronger grip
- Easier to shoot since you have more control
- Can exert more defensive pressure
- Dribble and execute moves easily
- Can palm the ball with ease
There are just so many advantages to having big hands than not. In fact, we can’t even think of a disadvantage of having large hands. Aside from having too big of a hand that you essentially make the basketball a baseball.
But even then, that would just make you overpowered in basketball. For instance, having a bigger hand would give you more grip. This allows you to be adept on shooting, holding, catching, and even throwing the ball.
Also, since you have more control of the ball, you can shoot easily. You can try this benefit to see if it works in the real world. To do this, shoot a slightly smaller basketball than normal. You’ll feel that it’s easier to shoot than the regular one.
But if you try to shoot a baseball in a ring, it will feel impossible. That’s because it has become so small and there’s no weight countering your strength at all.
Can Playing Basketball Make Your Hands Bigger?
A lot of people claim that they become taller, or their hands become bigger when playing sports. But there’s no scientific evidence that playing basketball will make you taller or your hands bigger.
Your hand’s diameter and height are determined by your genetics. You can’t make your hands larger if you’ve fully grown.
A lot of people claiming to do so probably just observe a growth spurt. This is when they’re still growing during puberty.
But the good news is, playing basketball provides many benefits including to your hands. If you practice a lot, you can improve your dribbling, hand grip, coordination, and reflexes.
How to Train Your Hand for Basketball
If you’re not blessed with the height and hand of NBA players, you can still play basketball.
There are a lot of short guys who played in the NBA such as Muggsy Bogues, Isaiah Thomas, Spud Webb, and Earl Boykins.
The secret is to train a lot especially your body. Your hands are the ones that’s going to touch the basketball a lot. So, it makes sense to make them as sturdy as possible.
For starters, you can improve your grip strength. You can try:
- Fingertip push ups
- Hand gripper
- Towel grip pull ups
- Barbel reverse grip curls
Then, you can try to improve your handling of the ball. Most guys who are skilled at dribbling the ball aren’t too tall. In fact, they’re usually point guards who are the smallest in their teams.
Think of Allen Iverson, Kyrie Irving, Chris Paul, and Stephen Curry. They’re not the tallest but it seems like their hands have magnets.
That’s because they’ve practiced dribbling the ball all their life, so it becomes natural to them now. There’s no other way to become proficient at ball handling than to practice it each day.
Lastly, you can train to improve your handling when you’re shooting. Look up at the proper shooting form and you’ll see that it all ends with your hands.
Your follow is one of the keys to a successful shot. You must have a soft touch as you release the ball.
NBA Players with the Biggest Hands
It’s always fascinating to see how basketball players look like giants in real life. But even in the NBA, there are a handful of guys who have bigger hands than most.
Just who are these monsters? Take a look at the list below.
1. Boban Marjanovic (Approximately 10.75/12 inches)
2. Shaquille O’Neal (Approximately 10.25/12 inches)
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo (9.85/12 inches)
4. Gregory Smith (9.8/12 inches)
5. Connie Hawkins (10.5/11 inches)
6. Noah Vonleh (9.75/11.75 inches)
7. Julius Erving (Approximately 9.5/11.75 inches)
8. Michael Jordan (9.75/11.375 inches)
9. Kawhi Leonard (9.75/11.25 inches)
10. Wilt Chamberlain (9.5/11.5 inches)
List courtesy of HowTheyPlay.
Final Thoughts
Basketball players have big hands simply because of their DNA. Taller players usually have bigger hands.
Plus, they have big hands because it gives them all sorts of advantages over opponents.
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