Over the past two weeks, the NBA's broad talent at the beginning of the season has been on full display. Also notable are the return of the big man and the height of some of the players working on the league's interior lines. Whenever the topic of NBA development is raised, height, weight and athleticism are obvious priorities. What exactly is the weight of these players compared to 20, 30 or 40 years ago? By collecting data, there will be some interesting discoveries.
Currently, the average NBA player weighs 97 kilograms, and when the average NBA player weighs 100 kilograms, the NBA is in its heaviest period ever. For reference, the average NBA player in the 70s and 80s weighed between 92 and 95 kilograms. Today, we take a look at the heaviest players in the 2022-23 season. These players are only players who have played at least 1 game so far this season and have played time.
Tied for 10th: Udoka Azubuyik - 122.5 kg
Udoka Azubuik has already started his third season in the NBA with the Utah Jazz (2022-23). Azoubuik has limited minutes in his NBA career, playing just 32 games in his first two seasons and just two so far in 2022-23. He put on his best performance in 2021-22, playing in 17 games and averaging 4.7 points and 2.2 rebounds per game. Last year when he had the chance, he shot 75.5 percent from the field, but this season he has been more limited in playing time thanks to the presence of Walker Kessler, Kelly Olynyk and Jared Vanderbilt.
Tied for 10th: Wendell Carter Jr. - 122.5 kg
At just 23 years old, Wendell Carter is tied with two other players for the 10th heaviest player of the 2022-23 season. Carter Jr. spent his college years at Duke, where he was the starting big man next to Gary Trent Jr., Grayson Allen and Marvin Bagley III. In the 2018 NBA Draft, he was selected by the Chicago Bulls with the 7th overall pick. Carter Jr. will spend his first two-and-a-half seasons with the Bulls until he is traded as part of a deal for Nikola Vucevic to move to Chicago. In Orlando, little Carter found a home and a character that allowed him to thrive.
Tied for 10th: Javier McKee – 122.5 kg
For 15 seasons, Javier McGee has been an integral part of eight different teams, both as starters and as substitutes. He's a solid rebounder, an extremely athletic finisher, and he's been an above-average defender for most of his career. His best season was with the Lakers in 2019, where he played in 75 games. He averaged a career-high 12.0 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, mostly in the starting position.
9. Kenneth Lofton Jr. - 125 kg
The first rookie to appear on our roster was Kenneth Lofton Jr. of the Memphis Grizzlies. Lofton was drafted from Louisiana Tech University but made an unforgettable impression in Summer League, earning himself a roster spot in Memphis. At Louisiana Tech University, Lofton spent 2 years at the school, averaging 16.5 points and 10.5 rebounds per game in his senior season. Lofton earned 2 selections to the All-American National Team and the 2022 All-American Championship. So far, in the 2022-23 season, Lofton has played in 3 games for the Grizzlies, averaging 3.0 points per game.
8. Andre Drummond - 126.5 kg
Andre Drummond has been one of the heaviest players in the NBA since his debut with the Detroit Pistons in 2012-13. Drummond got off to a solid start to his career, playing two All-Stars for Detroit in 2016 and 2018. He is one of the best rebopers in the NBA and leads the league in the Pistons' RPG 4 times. From the Pistons, Drummond was traded to the Cavaliers, playing in the second half of 2020 and the first half of 2021. After that, he played 21 games for the Lakers before signing with the Phillies for the 2021-22 season. In the middle of last year, Drummond was traded again to the Brooklyn Nets and began the 2022-23 season with the Chicago Bulls.
After a few seasons on the move, Drummond has now decided to join the Bulls. He has already come off the bench in six games in Chicago, which is not surprising considering Nikolai Vucevic is their starting centre-forward. Drummond excelled in his first six games, averaging 16.8 minutes per game, 9.0 points and 10.5 rebounds. Drummond will be a key player in the Bulls' entry into the playoffs as they try to build on last season's first-round exit.
7. Joel Embiid – 127 kg
No one says being fat is a bad thing, and for Joel Embiid, it's clearly not a problem. Embiid has struggled with a foot injury for the first 3 seasons of his career, but has remained relatively healthy for most of the past 3 years. Now for two consecutive seasons, Embiid finished second in MVP behind another era big man Nikola Jokic. Embiid became the first player to claim the scoring title after O'Neal in 2022 and continues to grow to become one of the best players in the NBA.
The Philadelphia 76ers got off to a slow start to the 2022-23 season, but things have improved recently. Embiid is averaging 27.2 points and 9.5 rebounds per game this season. The 76ers have just a 4-4 record this year, and they're under tremendous pressure to do something about the championship core they've built there. Embiid must remain a MVP candidate so that Philadelphia has a chance to make some noise in the playoffs in the hope that James Harden will continue to contribute to their success this year.
6. Robin Lopez – 127.5 kg
Although Robin Lopez has been just a very ordinary basketball player for the past 15 years, his career has done all the little things right. He's a great teammate and dressing room presence that any of his old teammates or current team-mates will tell you. He's an above-average rebounder and a reliable defender on the inside. López began his career with the Suns in 2008-09, where he spent the first four seasons of his career. Since then, he has played for New Orleans, Portland, New York, Chicago, Milwaukee, Washington, Orlando, and now he has joined the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Lopez entered his 15th season as a bench player, strictly giving the Cavaliers' major big men some rest when needed. So far, Lopez has only played in three games for the Cavaliers, averaging 13.3 minutes per game. So far this season, Lopez is averaging 6.7 points and 3.0 rebounds per game and seems to play a very small role in moving forward. For Lopez, the 2022-23 season could be his last, if not last, season on the NBA court.
5. Brooke Lopez - 180 kg
Among the Lopez brothers, the slightly older Brooke had a much better career. Lopes came to New Jersey with the Nets and immediately had an impact on his new team. Over the next 9 years, Lopez became the Nets' best player and quickly became the team's scorer and rebounding leader. After leaving Brooklyn, Lopez will play for the Lakers for a season in 2018, and his performance has dropped significantly. Since then, Lopez has found a home with the Milwaukee Bucks, where he helped the team win the 2021 NBA championship.
Lopez entered his 15th season as a bench player, strictly giving the Cavaliers' major big men some rest when needed. So far, Lopez has only played in three games for the Cavaliers, averaging 13.3 minutes per game. So far this season, Lopez is averaging 6.7 points and 3.0 rebounds per game and seems to play a very small role in moving forward. For Lopez, the 2022-23 season could be his last, if not last, season on the NBA court.
Tied for 2nd: Zion Williamson - 129 kg
Well, no kidding, just a minute. Zion Williamson's weight has been the subject of a lot of criticism over the past two seasons, especially when he missed all of the 2021-22 season due to a foot injury. However, when Williamson arrived for the 2022-23 season, he seemed to hear all the noise and put in plenty of workouts for the season to stay fit and slim. Before this year, the last time we saw Zion on the pitch was in 2020-21. That season he averaged 27.0 points and 7.2 rebounds while shooting 61.1 percent from the field.
While Zion missed a few games in New Orleans this season, he has performed very well on the court. In four starts, Zion averaged 21.8 points and 8.0 rebounds while shooting 50.0 percent from the field. It's clear that Zion's health is a priority this season because their success and how far they can go depends on that. When Williamson is healthy on the court, he can be a top-10 player in the league, and New Orleans certainly hopes he surpasses that number in 61 games in 2021.
Tied for 2nd: Nikolai Jokic - 129 kg
Is it possible that the second heaviest player in the NBA is also a top five player in the NBA? Yes, it is, because the two-time regular season MVP weighs 284 kilograms. Since 2019, Nikola Jokic has quickly become popular as the best center forward in the sport. He's undoubtedly the best passing center we've ever seen, and he's played consistently for the Denver Nuggets and his teammates. Jokic is a reliable scorer, rebounder, and shooter, and one of the NBA's best offensive weapons.
Nikola Jokic is currently defending his title MVP twice in a row as he heads into the 2022-23 season. With the Nuggets back to Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr., one might speculate that Jokic could lead the Nuggets to the championship this season. He started again averaging 21.0 points, 11.1 rebounds and 8.4 assists. Jokic's scoring dropped a bit, but that's to be expected when you put players who missed out on a long time back into the system. If Jokic can return to MVP form, the Nuggets could emerge from the West in 2022-23.
Tied for 1st: Yusuf Nurkic - 131.5 kg
Yusuf Nurkic is one of two players in the NBA who weighs 131.5 kilograms and is one of the heaviest players in the NBA. Nurkic is not the kind of person who looks at and is intimidated by his size and competitors. Nurkic is a 9-year veteran with NBA careers with the Denver Nuggets and Portland Trail Blazers. After two and a half seasons with the Nuggets, Nurkic found his rhythm with the Trail Blazers and has spent the past six and a half seasons with the Trail Blazers.
Nurkic seems to have reached his peak in the 2020 season, which was cut short by COVID. Nurkic averaged 17.6 points and 10.3 rebounds that season, a career-high scoring season. He also had a hot start to the 2022-23 season. The Trail Blazers currently have a 5-1 record this season, and much of their early success is due to Nurkic. He averaged 13.5 points per game, shooting 48.3 percent from the field and 12.2 assists. The Trail Blazers gave us a surprise at the start of the new season, and if Nurkic continues his contribution, they can definitely become a potential contender in the West in 2022-23.
Tied for 1st: Bamba - 131.5 kg
Isn't anyone surprised that Boban Majanovic has become the heaviest player in the NBA? Mainly because he is not only the heaviest, but also the tallest player in the NBA. Majanovic has never been a consistent starter or a player fit enough to be considered a significant contributor to a winning team. However, Majanovic has become a fan favorite, especially with his cute personality and infectious smile. Despite this, Bamba has played for 6 teams in 7 seasons and has yet to find a stable home.
Marjanovic has played a year in San Antonio, Detroit, Los Angeles (Clippers) and Philadelphia. He played for the Dallas Mavericks for 3 years, from 2020 to 2022, but this past offseason, he was traded to Christian Wood. In the 2022-23 Rockets, Boban played in just 3 games, averaging 3.0 minutes per game. He averaged just 1.3 points and 1.0 rebounds per game, had limited time and had little impact on what happened on the court. There's always a soft spot in our hearts, but that won't last long and he'll be on the NBA's roster.