Romanian-born Gheorghe Muresan may not have been the best basketball player in the NBA, but he was definitely one of the tallest. At the height of 7ft 7in, Muresan is a quarter of an inch taller than Sudanese player Manute Bol, which makes him the tallest player in the history of the league.
He was also the tallest person in the entire European Union. But Muresan used his height for more than just basketball, he starred in the movie “My Giant” with Billy Crystal and in Eminem’s rap video for “My Name is” and co-authored a book titles “The Boy’s Fitness Guide”.
Margo Dydek – 7’2″
Polish-born Margo “Large Marge” Dydek was the tallest woman in the history of the WNBA. She started her career in Europe and played for Polish, French, and Spanish teams before being recruited by the Utah Starzz. In the US, she also played for the Connecticut Sun and the Los Angeles Sparks.
Dydek was known not just for her height but also for her work ethic, spending endless hours on the court improving her skills. After her retirement, she moved to Australia, where she coached the Northside Wizards in the Queensland Basketball League. Sadly, she passed away in 2011 from complications following a heart attack. She was pregnant with her third child at the time of her death.
Stefan Struve – 7ft
UFC heavyweight Stefan Struve is known as the “Skyscraper” for his impressive 7ft frame. Born in The Netherlands, Struve played soccer as a kid but fell in love with mixed martial arts after his brother took him to a local gym. From then on, he committed to intense training, and after a few years, his hard work paid off, and he became the tallest fighter in the UFC.
His first fight in UFC 95 was far from a success, losing to Junior de Santos in the first round, but Struve rallied and went on to win over 70% of his matches in the years since, many by KO. Recently, the “Skyscraper” lost a match to Polish wrestler Marcin Tybura, but he will certainly be back soon to dominate!
Big Show – 7ft, 383 lb
Paul Donald Wight II, known by his stage name Big Show, is a living wrestling legend reminiscent of Andre the Giant. This massive, larger-than-life figure used to weigh an incredible 500 lbs, but he has slimmed down and is in prime fighting condition at 383 lbs.
Big Show is a part of wrestling history, having taken on some of the most iconic WWE superstars, such as Hulk Hogan and The Undertaker, and is a seven-time world champion. Today, at almost 50 years of age, he is still going strong in the ring.
Sharran Alexander – 448 lb
A late bloomer, Sharran Alexander only discovered her love of sumo wrestling at the age of 41. London-born Alexander was working as a proper English nanny before she went out and made a tremendous impact on the sumo world. She was named the heaviest sportswoman in the 2013 Guinness World Record.
Alexander is one of only a few women recognized as a professional sumo wrestler by the British Sumo Federation and has an amazing international career, winning four gold medals in tournaments around the globe. Recently, she went on television to find love on a British dating show and said that some men were intimidated by her weight.