Will we ever see a 8ft, 400 pound athletic freak?

[KG5MVP]

Do you think we'll ever be able to see a 8ft, 400 pound, athletic freak play in the NBA? I guess once that guy comes he will be the new Chamberlain.

With better nutrition, med care, and technology, I wouldn't be surprised to see one 30-40 years later.

[taucesays]

He'd be able to dunk without jumping. This will never happen. No one that tall is anything close to athletic and they always drop dead around age 40.

[Stuckey]

no way, wont be able to run up and down the court

[PurpleChuck]

Head above rim!

[KG5MVP]

no way, wont be able to run up and down the court

you never know with better nutrition, medical technology, and training these days

if you can get shaq at 7'1 running up and down jumping 38 inches, you can probably get a 8fter running up and down jumping 20 inches 20 years later

[trig]

wait for yao to have a son

[DuMa]

no

[1987_Lakers]

Probably in the year 2350

[Al Thornton]

f*(SFJCK

STOP IT. THINK BEFORE YOU POST AND BEFORE YOU MAKE A THREAD. you are so f*cking dumb. its not funny anymore. just leave.

[shootingcomets]

yes... when genetic engineering of humans become legal in alll states

[taucesays]

you never know with better nutrition, medical technology, and training these days

if you can get shaq at 7'1 running up and down jumping 38 inches, you can probably get a 8fter running up and down jumping 20 inches 20 years later

There have been 7 foot tall athletic people for a long time. They're a bit more common now but humans aren't going to evolve over a period of 20 years. It could happen over a much longer period of time if we enacted a selective breeding program. Anyone you see now that's 8 feet tall will always have severe back issues from a young age and thyroid problems that lead to all sorts of other complications.

[KG5MVP]

Probably in the year 2350

by 2350 we would probably have genetically engineered super humans, 300 years is a long time for technology to advance

you can probably artifically design a person to grow to be 10ft tall, super athletic, strong, healthy, with all the basketball skills already implanted to his brain

[Simple Jack]

It's rare enough for one of these people to even be alive, let alone to be good at basketball.

[KG5MVP]

It's rare enough for one of these people to even be alive, let alone to be good at basketball.

actually there had been 8'11 guys before, 8'0 is nothing extraodinary

[kabalcage]

Those people are never physically capable to play professional sports. The human foot is just not designed for such large beings.

But isn't Pau Gasol almost 8 feet tall, enjoy him while he's here.

[Simple Jack]

actually there had been 8'11 guys before, 8'0 is nothing extraodinary


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_tallest_people


Even if this were incomplete, which it probably is, it's still extremely rare.

[tommyhtc]

actually there had been 8'11 guys before, 8'0 is nothing extraodinary
you are contradiciting yourself, those tall people above 8 feet were all from 50 years ago,
we have never seen 8 footers that can move properly, let alone a super athletic one.

Don't overrate nutritions, etc, we probably won't see a shaq type 8 footer for at least 300 years.

[gigantes]

Will we ever see a 8ft, 400 pound athletic freak?
why stop there, dude? let's hope for a 10ft, 500-lb specimen one of these days.

better yet, how about if someone signs the planet-eating galactus to the NBA?

"it could happen."

[nbacardDOTnet]

Probably in the year 2350

AD 23,500

[ZaaaaaH]

You had to be high to make this thread...









Let me get that green you smoking

[PistonsFan#21]

you never know with better nutrition, medical technology, and training these days

if you can get shaq at 7'1 running up and down jumping 38 inches, you can probably get a 8fter running up and down jumping 20 inches 20 years later

...:facepalm

Shad didnt have a 38 inch vertical at no point in his career. Maybe 30-32 inches at the most.

And Shaq didnt get up to 7'1'' because he had an amazing nutrition and medical technology. It has more to do with genetics than anything. Do you also think Nate Robinson is only 5'8'' because his nutrition wasnt as good as Shaq's?

[Manute for Ever!]

actually there had been 8'11 guys before, 8'0 is nothing extraodinary

Let's break down the stupidity of this entire thread with this single post:


There is currently ONE living person in the world that has been verified to stand 8' foot tall (Sultan Kosen of Turkey, 8'1", 247cm) amongst an estimated global population of 6,884,900,000.
Let me ask you this; If you achieved something where the odds were 1:6,884,900,000, would you say it was "nothing extraordinary"? I'd call winning the lottery "extrodinary", but:
Your actual odds of winning the lottery depend on where you play, but single state lotteries usually have odds of about 18 million to 1 while multiple state lotteries have odds as high as 120 million to 1. http://www.savingadvice.com/forums/other/5559-probability-winning-lottery-dont-waste-your-money.html
When the odds are 1:120,000,000, I'll take 'em as opposed to 6.8 billion to 1.
There have been a total of 13 people 8' and over in recorded history, 3 of whom (excluding Kosen) have lived past 50 years old. In fact, the average life expectency for anyone 8' or above, again, excluding Kosen, is 38.8 years old (Grant Hill's age, give or take a month).
Your title states "8 ft, 400 pound athletic freak". Let's see how athletic these 13 people are/were:


Robert Wadlow
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/5c/Robert_Wadlow.jpg/220px-Robert_Wadlow.jpg

Born February 22, 1918
Died July 15, 1940 (aged 22)
Height 8 ft 11.1 in (2.72 m)
Weight 490 lb (220 kg)

Wadlow's size began to take its toll: he required leg braces to walk, and had little feeling in his legs and feet.

John Rogan
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/17/John-Rogan.jpg/220px-John-Rogan.jpg

Born ca. 1865-1868
Died 1905 (aged 37-40)
Height 8 ft 7 in (262 cm)
Weight 175 lb (79 kg)

Rogan began to grow very rapidly at the age of 13 leading to ankylosis. After only being able to walk on crutches by 1882 he could not stand or walk.

[B][SIZE="5"][U]V

[Slam13]

...:facepalm

Shad didnt have a 38 inch vertical at no point in his career. Maybe 30-32 inches at the most.

And Shaq didnt get up to 7'1'' because he had an amazing nutrition and medical technology. It has more to do with genetics than anything. Do you also think Nate Robinson is only 5'8'' because his nutrition wasnt as good as Shaq's?

You can't really get bigger than 7"2 feet without gigantism...
Yao ming is one of the very few exceptions. Gigantism is al illness and the body can't cope with it and thus they are not athletic.
Yes Shaq is huge just because of his genes and that's why he can also be athletic because he is not ill.

You can't really be healthy and very mobile if you are over 7 feet, Shaq is one of very few exceptions.

[Manute for Ever!]

you can probably artifically design a person to grow to be 10ft tall, super athletic, strong, healthy, with all the basketball skills already implanted to his brain

Wouldn't that kind of take away from the competitive element of basketball? Plus, the Lakers would just go over the cap and sign all of them...

[A.R.T]

Wouldn't that kind of take away from the competitive element of basketball? Plus, the Lakers would just go over the cap and sign all of them...
:roll:

[Psileas]

Thanks Manute for Ever for ending the thread. For some, it seems like if something happened as often as 10-20 times in the last centuries, it's not extraordinary any longer.


You can't really get bigger than 7"2 feet without gigantism...
Yao ming is one of the very few exceptions. Gigantism is al illness and the body can't cope with it and thus they are not athletic.

I wouldn't call gigantism itself a disease. It's just the condition of being very tall, which usually makes you vulnerable to related disorders, like acromegaly. If you are like 7'5, you should be considered as having by definition gigantism, no matter how healthy you are.

[TennesseeFan]

Please, Shawn Bradley and Yao Ming can't even stay on the court at 7'6, let alone this 8'0 bullshit.

[Manute for Ever!]

Thanks Manute for Ever for ending the thread. For some, it seems like if something happened as often as 10-20 times in the last centuries, it's not extraordinary any longer.

But those are barefoot measurements, there would be a couple other 7'10" - 7'11" guys who would be rounded up to 8' if we were to measure them in shoes. :D

[TonyJones]

Probably in the year 2350

LOL There will be no basketball in the year 2350. Basketball will be something school children will read about in their history books just like we learned all of the "weird" sports the Greeks used to play.

[DCL]

You had to be high to make this thread...









Let me get that green you smoking


and everyone who responded seriously and made this into a legitimate discussion just had to be too

[LAClipsFan33]

So, in conclusion, of the 13 eight-footers in recorded medical history (one is unconfirmed), only one had a clean bill of health. Not quite the "Atheletic Freaks" you were looking for, huh? And, yes, being eight foot tall is quite extraordinary.



KG5MVP, PLEASE THINK BEFORE YOU POST.

Actually...after a bit of research

Sultan K

[Manute for Ever!]

[QUOTE=LAClipsFan33]Actually...after a bit of research

Sultan K

[jamal99]

I wouldn't call gigantism itself a disease. It's just the condition of being very tall, which usually makes you vulnerable to related disorders, like acromegaly. If you are like 7'5, you should be considered as having by definition gigantism, no matter how healthy you are.

My doctor (hepatologist) has sent me to test for gigantism and Im "only" 6'11, but I was amazingly and abnormally tall to her...
And of course the test were negative.

[JustinJDW]

8 foot 400 pound freak? That's pretty much borderline impossible dude. No, it is impossible. People that are 8ft can't even ****ing walk on their own power, and their hands and feet are deformed as shit. Much less play a freaking sport.

Lets get real.

[LAClipsFan33]

:cheers: Nice find, wasn't mentioned on wiki (only site I checked, wasn't going to put in a ton of effort when replying to KG5MVP).

No prob...yeah the chances your legs will work properly being that tall are slim to none

[hoopaddict08]

I would be happy with just a 7 foot dominant center.

[Manute for Ever!]

No prob...yeah the chances your legs will work properly being that tall are slim to none

Based on the info we found, it is none.

[SEEBASS1234]

you never know with better nutrition, medical technology, and training these days

if you can get shaq at 7'1 running up and down jumping 38 inches, you can probably get a 8fter running up and down jumping 20 inches 20 years later
It doesn't work like that :facepalm

[hoopaddict08]

It doesn't work like that :facepalm


Well he did also say we will have improved technology, which is true. Maybe the NBA will allow jetpacks in the future. I just hope they can handle an 8ft, 400 pound man.

[SinJackal]

There was a 7'8" college baller not too long ago. Name was Kenny George I think.

Health problems though, had his foot amputated.

[jbryan1984]

Anyone here wrestling fans? Jorge Gonzalez, who was known as El Gigante and Giant Gonzalez was actually drafted by the Atlanta Hawks in 88. He was believed to be close to 8 feet tall and weigh 460 pounds. He played ball in Argentina but never made it on the Hawks roster.

[Manute for Ever!]

There was a 7'8" college baller not too long ago. Name was Kenny George I think.

Health problems though, had his foot amputated.

But KG5MVP thinks we can add an extra 4" to him and make him an athletic freak :wtf: George could barely move.
When it comes to tall athletic freaks, Ralph Sampson was probably the most athletic exceptionally tall player and he was 'only' 7'4". Again, the OP wants to add 8". :banghead:

[KingBeasley08]

:roll: :roll: :roll: :roll:

:bowdown: Man, you are the greatest poster in ISH History :bowdown:

[sodap]

LOL There will be no basketball in the year 2350. Basketball will be something school children will read about in their history books just like we learned all of the "weird" sports the Greeks used to play.

now this would be kind of an interesting conversation to have, will basketball and sports in general exist by 2350 as we know them today?

[Manute for Ever!]

Anyone here wrestling fans? Jorge Gonzalez, who was known as El Gigante and Giant Gonzalez was actually drafted by the Atlanta Hawks in 88. He was believed to be close to 8 feet tall and weigh 460 pounds. He played ball in Argentina but never made it on the Hawks roster.

He was 7'7":
[QUOTE]Ring name(s) Giant Gonzales, El Gigante
Height 7 ft 7 in (2.31 m)
Billed height 8 ft 0 in (2.44 m)
Billed weight 463 lb (210 kg)
Born January 31, 1966(1966-01-31), El Colorado, Formosa, Argentina
Died September 22, 2010 (2010-09-22) (aged 44), San Mart

[Manute for Ever!]

Well he did also say we will have improved technology, which is true. Maybe the NBA will allow jetpacks in the future. I just hope they can handle an 8ft, 400 pound man.

Slamball!

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn289/ccsbaseball6/slamball.jpg

[greymatter]

No. For simple reasons of physics and biology.

The human heart has to work exponentially harder to circulate blood the longer/taller you are. It's for this reason why Mhuresan, Bol, and Yao are unlikely to live to see 60. At 8ft, simply standing up from a seated position is a huge chore. You put a lot more stress on your joints the longer/taller you are; especially if you're heavy as well. Shaq is the best example of freakish size/athleticism we'll ever see sans any sort of cybernetic or genetic modification.

[ILLsmak]

Manute and Bradley were pretty close to 8 foot athletic freaks, they just weren't 400 pounds. I think if there was to be someone who is that tall and athletic, they'd have to be skinny not 400 pounds.

Bradley and Manute were extremely athletic for their height.


Edit: I don't think Manute died because he was tall, though. And Bradley is good to go, I think. They didn't have growth diseases...

-Smak

[Rowe]

Manute and Bradley were pretty close to 8 foot athletic freaks, they just weren't 400 pounds. I think if there was to be someone who is that tall and athletic, they'd have to be skinny not 400 pounds.

Bradley and Manute were extremely athletic for their height.


Edit: I don't think Manute died because he was tall, though. And Bradley is good to go, I think. They didn't have growth diseases, I don't think.

-Smak

Manute died because he contracted a disease while in Africa.

It wasn't AIDS, it was something else that caused kidney failure. He reportedly was in good shape before he died.

[Manute for Ever!]

Manute died because he contracted a disease while in Africa.

It wasn't AIDS, it was something else that caused kidney failure. He reportedly was in good shape before he died.

It was Stevens–Johnson syndrome, usually caused by an allergic reaction to medication and causes kidney failure (as in Manute's case).
Also, Bol's height wasn't due to acromegaly, his was apparently genetic:

"My mother was 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m), my father 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) and my sister is 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)," he said. "And my great-grandfather was even taller — 7 ft 10 in (2.39 m)."
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/20/sports/basketball/20bol.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=bol&st=cse

[kumquat]

Bradley was actually pretty athletic for his heigt. Ralph Sampson is the only guy who I can think of with freak athleticism 7ft4 and above.

[D.J.]

Yao Ming and Ralph Sampson are basically the only guys 7'3" or more that were even remotely agile. And even then, both were/are extremely injury prone. Guys that big don't last long in basketball and sadly, most don't live long either.

[ZaaaaaH]

Again The Dude was high Leave the man Alone.










and Again where you Get that Green BOY !?

[Scoooter]

Bradley was actually pretty athletic for his heigt. Ralph Sampson is the only guy who I can think of with freak athleticism 7ft4 and above.
Ralph Samson wasn't that tall. Maybe 7'1" without shoes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VU6wOOQEd04

Barely (if at all) taller than Parish, only a few (certainly not 7) inches taller than Bird.

Still Very athletic though.

[tommyhtc]

[QUOTE=Manute for Ever!]It was Stevens

[Stuckey]

http://jaypayette.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/conan-in-the-year-2000.jpg

[TheCalmInsanity]

f*(SFJCK

STOP IT. THINK BEFORE YOU POST AND BEFORE YOU MAKE A THREAD. you are so f*cking dumb. its not funny anymore. just leave.

What number is this thread on the top 25? Lol

[Manute for Ever!]

http://jaypayette.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/conan-in-the-year-2000.jpg

:roll:

[joshwake]

actually there had been 8'11 guys before, 8'0 is nothing extraodinary
I don't know if there has ever been someone over 8 ft who did not have a pituitary disorder (gigantism, acromegaly, etc) but I doubt there has been. People with these disorders die young of heart and/or kidney failure and have arthritis and other joint/bone problems. We are not likely to see a healthy person over 8ft, and even so they would not be able to support their own weight well enough to be "athletic", the human body is simply not engineered that way. Just take Yao for example, he has no disorder but his bones are like paper mache.

[OldSchoolBBall]

Ralph Samson wasn't that tall. Maybe 7'1" without shoes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VU6wOOQEd04

Barely (if at all) taller than Parish, only a few (certainly not 7) inches taller than Bird.

Still Very athletic though.

Sampson was like 7'2.75" w/o shoes minimum and a legit 7'4" with shoes.

[Scoooter]

Sampson was like 7'2.75" w/o shoes minimum and a legit 7'4" with shoes.
I highly doubt that.

[FKAri]

When the NBA allows aliens to play. There's no rule against it. Im sure those aliens from District 9 would be a tough cover :lol

[Burgz]

I highly doubt that.

he speaks the truth

why did you think his knees were so bad haha

[Walker]

Suprised no one mentioned that alot of people that claim extrodinary height refuse to be offically measured and alot that are are found to be 4-5 inches shorter than they claim.
I'd be willing to bet some of the supposed 8 foot plus people from years ago were not infact anywhere near their claimed heigths.

[Manute for Ever!]

Suprised no one mentioned that alot of people that claim extrodinary height refuse to be offically measured and alot that are are found to be 4-5 inches shorter than they claim.
I'd be willing to bet some of the supposed 8 foot plus people from years ago were not infact anywhere near their claimed heigths.

All but one of the 13 I posted were mediacally verified, so 12 verified cases in recorded medical history, although K5MVP say this is nothing extraordinary...

[KingBeasley08]

Ty Lawson

[Scoooter]

he speaks the truth

why did you think his knees were so bad haha
The video evidence just doesn't support that. Especially when you consider how often and routinely heights in the NBA are exaggerated. He was at most 7'1".