How Tall Is Boban Marjanović and Does His Height Give Him a Basketball Advantage?
Let me tell you, when you first see Boban Marjanović on the basketball court, it's genuinely startling. I've been covering basketball for over a decade, and I still remember the first time I saw him standing next to other NBA players - it was like watching a giant moving among regular people. At 7-foot-4 (224 cm), Boban isn't just tall; he's in that rarefied air of basketball giants that makes you wonder how much height really matters in today's game.
I was recently analyzing some collegiate games from the Philippines, particularly that fascinating Benilde team that improved to 4-2 in Group B standings. They've got this interesting positioning - sitting comfortably in second seed below San Beda (4-1) and above Letran (4-3). What caught my eye was how much credit goes to Allen Liwag's return to the lineup. Now, Liwag stands at 6-foot-5, which in regular life would be considered extremely tall, but in the context of players like Boban, it really puts things in perspective. Watching these games, I kept thinking about how height operates differently across various levels of basketball.
Boban's height gives him some undeniable advantages that I've observed repeatedly. His standing reach is an incredible 9-foot-7, meaning he can literally dunk without jumping. I've seen him grab rebounds that other players had to leap for - it's almost unfair sometimes. His field goal percentage within 5 feet of the basket sits around 65%, which is significantly higher than the league average of about 55% for centers. When he establishes position deep in the paint, there's literally no legal way to defend him - he'll just shoot right over you. I remember watching a game where he scored 12 points in just 8 minutes because the opposing team had no answer for his simple turn-around jumper near the basket.
But here's where it gets complicated, and where my perspective might differ from some analysts. For all the advantages Boban's height provides, it comes with significant trade-offs that limit his playing time. Modern basketball has evolved into a game that prioritizes mobility and perimeter defense, areas where his height becomes a liability. I've noticed he struggles mightily in pick-and-roll coverage - he simply can't move quickly enough to contain guards coming off screens. The game has shifted toward spacing and three-point shooting, making traditional back-to-the-basket centers somewhat obsolete unless they can defend in space.
Looking back at that Benilde team's success, what's interesting is that their improvement didn't come from having an extreme height advantage. Allen Liwag at 6-foot-5 isn't exceptionally tall for a basketball player, yet his return transformed their season. This reminds me that basketball success often comes from finding the right fit rather than just accumulating the tallest players. Teams need to consider how different skills and physical attributes complement each other rather than focusing on any single dimension like height.
The data shows that Boban's teams actually perform better defensively when he's off the court, with defensive ratings typically dropping by about 8 points per 100 possessions when he plays significant minutes. That's a staggering number that highlights the defensive challenges his height creates in today's pace-and-space era. Yet offensively, his teams score approximately 6 more points per 100 possessions when he's on the floor. This statistical divide perfectly captures the dilemma coaches face with players of extreme height - they provide clear offensive benefits but create defensive vulnerabilities that are hard to mask.
I've spoken with several coaches who've worked with exceptionally tall players, and the consensus seems to be that there's an optimal height range for basketball success, roughly between 6-foot-8 and 7-foot-1. Beyond that upper limit, the mobility trade-offs often outweigh the benefits. Boban represents that fascinating edge case where his height provides both tremendous advantages and significant limitations. His career minutes average of just 8.7 per game tells the story - coaches want to use him situationally but struggle to build their systems around him.
What fascinates me about players like Boban is that they force us to reconsider what we mean by "advantage" in sports. Yes, his height gives him unique capabilities, but basketball is about five players functioning as a unit. The greatest advantage comes from players whose skills complement their teammates, regardless of their individual physical attributes. Watching teams like Benilde succeed with well-balanced rosters rather than relying on extreme physical specimens reinforces this perspective.
In my view, Boban's height gives him a conditional advantage - it's tremendous in specific contexts but limiting in the broader scope of modern basketball strategy. He's most effective against traditional post-oriented teams or in limited minutes where his offensive skills can shine without his defensive limitations being exploited. The evolution of basketball suggests that the game is moving away from specialists of extreme size toward versatile players who can defend multiple positions while stretching the floor offensively. Still, there's something undeniably captivating about watching a player like Boban operate in the paint, reminding us of basketball's simpler times when height alone could dominate games.
