Tallest WNBA Player in the League’s History: Top 10 Ranked

The WNBA has featured great basketball athletes of International caliber since its year of inception in 1996. A wide variety of players’ heights is among the factors adding diversity and interest to the game. While corner three creators are short and quick, plus-sized players are banging in the lane. The league included roller-coaster height ranges of its players, bringing in edged techniques and styles. In this article, we’ll discuss the most fascinating opponents in the WNBA — the tallest and shortest players. So, if you are wondering who the tallest WNBA player is to have played in the league, we've got you covered with this article.

List of Tallest WNBA Players in History

Most of the WNBA reasonably taller players tend to use their height as an advantage for rebounding, blocking, and even shooting over other defenders. Here is a list of some of the tallest WNBA players in league history:

Now that we have an idea of the players from the list above, let's deep dive into knowing more about the tallest players in WNBA and how they have impacted the league:

#10: Mercedes Russell (6'6")

Mercedes Russell was drafted into the WNBA in 2018 as a 22nd overall pick by the New York Liberty. She has played for a number of teams including the Seattle Storm and is currently playing for the Los Angeles Sparks in the league and has been ranked as one of the tallest WNBA player. Aside from that, Russell has also played for a number of overseas teams such as Southside Flyers, Galatasaray, Heilongjiang Dragons, and Shanxi Flame.

As a player, Russell is a two-time WNBA champion and a one-time Commissioner's Cup winner with the Seattle Storm. However, if we were to count her averages, it's quite underwhelming, given she has only averaged 4.9 points, 0.3 blocks, and 4.0 rebounds per game. Standing at 6ft 6 inches tall, Mercedes Russell ranks 10th in this list of tallest WNBA players.

#9: Sylvia Fowles (6’6″)

Sylvia Fowles, also known as “Sweet Syl” and by several other nicknames such as “Baby Shaq” recently announced that she will be retiring from the league at the end of the season.

The Chicago Sky player was selected with the No. 2 overall pick in the WNBA Draft of 2008.Perhaps the most successful player of her career, the WNBA’s Sylvia Fowles has been defined by a lifetime of awards and accolades. Winning both Defensive Player of the Year and MVP awards, Fowles brings an incredible height to the league at 6’6″, leading the charge in rebounds and defense for many years with her team. Standing at 6ft 6inches, Sylvia Fowles ranks ninth in the list of tallest WNBA players.

#8: Jonquel Jones (6’6″)

Jonquel Jones was one of New York Liberty’s biggest offseason signings, joining Breanna Stewart in one of the 2023 WNBA’s two super teams. Known for rebounding, defense, and three-point shooting, Jones is the Sun’s 2021 MVP. Her ability to play great on the perimeter and also guard multiple positions makes her a notable player in today’s game and one of the tallest WNBA player.

Jones filled the scoreboard with 44 points and snatched 22 rebounds in a EuroBasket game, is one of the best bigs of these days in the WNBA. Jones is still the 2021 MVP from the WNBA league. This season can be the time that she will win her first WNBA championship.

#7: Teaira McCowan (6’7″)

Teaira McCowan, selected third overall by the Indiana Fever in 2019, is certainly one of the best bigs playing in the WNBA. The star in the Turkish league, who was absent from the start of the current WNBA season due to overseas commitments, already had three double-doubles for the Dallas Wings the 2023 season.

McCowan was selected as a 3rd overall pick by the Dallas Wings in 2019 and since then, has been one of the most premier bigs in the WNBA. She was in the 2019 WNBA All-Rookie Team and was also chosen as the Defensive Player of the Year by the WBCA when she played for Mississipi State for her collegiate career. Today, she plays overseas for the Cukuroba Basketbol franchise at the Turkish Basketball League.

#6: Maria Stepanova (6’8″)

Russia’s best export to basketball was Maria Stepanova, who spent several seasons in the WNBA playing for the Phoenix Mercury between 1998 and 2001 and again in 2005. She took a few seasons away before returning to the Mercury in 2005, averaging the most points per game (10.8) and blocks (2.5) in her career. She led the WNBA in blocks in 2005.

Stepanova is a three-time winner of both the FIBA Europe Women’s Player of the Year and Russian Player of the Year awards.

#5: Liz Cambage (6’9″)

Liz Cambage is one of the finest basketball talents Australia has ever produced. Being the No. 2 overall pick in 2011, no one can deny that Cambage left her mark in the league, one of which is holding the record for the most points in a single WNBA game, and it’s such an incredible one when she scored 53 points in the year 2018.

There is no denying that if she’s going to make a comeback in the 2025 WNBA season, she will once again place herself among the top talents of the league. Currently, Cambage plays in the Australian WNBL, where she is one of the star players of the league.

#4: Brittney Griner (6’9″)

Without question, Brittney Griner is an iconic figure in the game of women’s basketball, as she redefined the center position or rewrote the script on how to play through it. At an unprecedented 6’9″, Griner can stake a claim to unmatched dominance on the floor. Griner is a multiple-time All-Star, a WNBA champion, and two-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year.

Recognized primarily as the world’s best shot blocker, Griner now matches that with new aspects, such as athleticism, as she led the league in dunks. She claimed two league scoring titles and eight consecutive seasons as the WNBA’s shot-block leader and went down into a building book of accolades.

#3: Han Xu (6’10”)

Standing at an impressive height of 6 feet 8 inches, Han Xu is among the tallest players in the WNBA, drawing comparisons to Chinese basketball legend Yao Ming. Much like Yao, Han has become a prominent figure in international basketball, especially as a standout player for the Chinese women’s national team. Her height and skill set make her a dominant presence in the paint, both offensively and defensively.

Han truly hardened her status as an international star during the 2022 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup. She played an important role in leading China to a silver medal finish, the team’s best performance at the tournament in decades. As her career continues to evolve in the WNBA and internationally, Han Xu is poised to inspire a new generation of basketball players in China and beyond.

Han Xu was part of the New York Liberty franchise in the WNBA, alongside Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu.

#2: Bernadett Hatar (6’10”)

Hungarian Bernadett Hatar made her way into the WNBA as a 2021 draftee of the Indiana Fever. Being one of the tallest players in the league today, Hatar’s height gives her a big advantage on both ends of the floor, particularly with her dominance in the paint.

She played in only seven games last season, as an injury ended her season early, so she didn’t have much of a chance to demonstrate just how capable of wearing multiple titles she is going forward. Having played the majority of her professional career abroad, Hatar remains one of the tallest players in WNBA.

#1: Malgorzata Dydek (7’2″)

The 7’2″ Malgorzata Dydek, from Poland, became the tallest player in WNBA history as per WNBA records. She was a giant on the court as a center, and standing six feet, ten did her much good by making her an unstoppable shot-blocker and an unstoppable power in the paint. First overall in the pick by the Utah Starzz in 1998, Dydek then served in several games for teams such as the San Antonio Silver Stars, Connecticut Sun, and Los Angeles Sparks.

But, sure enough, this FIBA Hall of Famer and No. 1 pick still holds the WNBA career record for blocked shots, an incredible 877. Sadly enough for the basketball world, the world lost her too early when she died in 2011 at just 37 years of age; her legacy lives on forever, though.

Notable Shortest WNBA Players

While the tallest WNBA players have their strengths, the shortest of these basketball players have proven that there is also a limit in height. With such fast and agile movements and highly adept basketball knowledge, these slight girls stand tall on the court for every game position. Let's take a look at some of the shortest WNBA players to have graced the league's hardwood in the table below:

Why Height Shapes WNBA History?

In the WNBA, height provides a significant game advantage for players. For example, if someone chooses to play in the position of center or a forward, height significantly impacts shooting, rebounding, and defense for the player. Although not as pronounced as in the NBA, taller players in the WNBA have a significant advantage in blocking shots, grabbing rebounds, and finishing near the basket. For many players, such as Megan Gustafson and Brittney Griner, height has been a significant marker in their career successes, making them the top WNBA players that they are today.

However, the fun part about the WNBA is that one's athletic ability and talent are not determined by height. Having talent and knowledge of the game, and combining a bag of skills, is equally important. A number of times, the players also understate or overstate their height to play in their preferred positions. In the WNBA, you may find point guards who are 5'5" as well as guards who are well above 6'6". Hence, though height is considered to be a significant X-factor for playing the game of basketball, it is with skill and talent that the WNBA players make their place as mainstays in the league. In a way, we can say that, as much as height matters to an extent, it does not in the long run.