The Heaviest NBA Players For The 2022-23 Season

The widespread talent across the NBA through the early part of the season has been on full display for the past 2 weeks. What has also been noticeable is the return of the big man and the sheer size of some of the players that are manning the paint across the league. Size, weight, and athleticism have all been the clear points of emphasis whenever the topic of the evolution of the NBA comes up. Where exactly do these players stand when it comes to weight compared to 20, 30, or 40 years ago? Well, we did some research, and there are some interesting findings.

Currently, the average weight in the NBA per player is 214 pounds. The NBA was at its heaviest point ever when the median average weight in the NBA was 221 lbs. For reference, the average NBA player in the 70s and 80s was anywhere from 204 to 210 pounds. As you can see, the NBA continues to get bigger and in some cases, stronger. Today, we will take a look at the heaviest players as it stands in the 2022-23 season. These will only be players who have appeared in at least 1 game so far this season and have registered minutes played.

These are the heaviest NBA players for the 2022-23 season.

T10. Udoka Azubuike – 270 Pounds

Udoka Azubuike has begun his 3rd season in the NBA with the Utah Jazz in 2022-23. Azubuike has been held to limited minutes in his NBA career, appearing in just 32 games through his first 2 seasons and just 2 games so far in 2022-23. He had his best season in 2021-22 when he appeared in 17 games and averaged 4.7 PPG and 2.2 RPG. He shot 75.5% from the floor when he had the opportunity last year but has seen even more limited time this season due to the presence of Walker Kessler, Kelly Olynyk, and Jarred Vanderbilt.

Another reason for his lack of playing time the past 3 seasons has been due to injuries. Azubuike missed most of last season and the offseason after recovering from ankle surgery. He doesn’t seem to fit in with Utah’s style of play or push toward the future, so it will be interesting to see how everything unfolds for him over the next few months. If he can show that he is capable of being impactful when healthy, Utah will certainly find a place for him. Otherwise, a team out there in a desperate search for a big man will take a flier and make a move for the Nigerian big man.

T10. Wendell Carter Jr. – 270 Pounds

At just 23 years old and standing at 6’10’’, Wendell Carter Jr. Is tied with 2 others as the 10th heaviest player for the 2022-23 season. Carter Jr. spent his college years at Duke, where he was their starting big man next to Gary Trent Jr., Grayson Allen, and Marvin Bagley III. He was then taken by the Chicago Bulls with the 7th pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. Carter Jr. would spend his first 2 and a half seasons with the Bulls until he was traded as a part of the deal that sent Nikola Vucevic to Chicago. In Orlando, Carter Jr. has found a home and a role where he is thriving.

In 2021-22, Carter Jr. burst onto the national scene with an extraordinary season. He averaged 15.0 PPG and 10.5 RPG on a Magic team that finished toward the bottom of the league and earned the No. 1 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. So far in 2022-23, Carter Jr. has picked up where he left off. He has started all 8 games so far this season and is averaging 16.1 PPG and 9.5 RPG on 49.5% shooting. As one of the bigger players in the NBA, Carter Jr. is a major part of the huge lineup Orlando has built over the past 4 seasons.

T10. JaVale McGee – 270 Pounds

For 15 seasons now, JaVale McGee has been an integral part of 8 different teams, whether in a starting role or coming off the bench. He is a solid rebounder, an extremely athletic finisher, and an above-average defender for most of his career. His best season came back in 2019 with the Lakers when he appeared in 75 games for them. He averaged a career-high 12.0 PPG and 7.5 RPG, mostly in a starting role.

This season, McGee is once again the starter for the Dallas Mavericks at the center. He has started at center in 5 out of 6 games for Dallas so far this season but has seen his role diminish severely. He has only averaged 12.0 minutes per game at this stage, and that is not going to get the job done for Dallas on a consistent basis. It looks more and more likely that, eventually, Coach Jason Kidd will make the move of Christian Wood from the bench to the starting center role with the amount of production he has been delivering. Look for McGee to still contribute mightily off the bench for the Mavericks.

9. Kenneth Lofton Jr. – 275 Pounds

The first rookie to appear on our list is Kenneth Lofton Jr. from the Memphis Grizzlies. Lofton was undrafted coming out of Louisiana Tech but made an unforgettable impression in the Summer League to earn himself a roster spot with Memphis. At Louisiana Tech, Lofton spent 2 years at school, averaging 16.5 PPG and 10.5 RPG in his senior season. Lofton earned 2 selections to the All-C-USA Team and the 2022 All-C-USA Tournament team.

So far in 2022-23, Lofton has appeared in 3 games for the Grizzlies and is averaging 3.0 PPG. He had the best game of his young career in Memphis’s last contest against the Jazz. Lofton saw just 4 minutes of playing time but registered 5 points in that short amount of time. It is unclear how often Lofton will see the court moving forward, but for now, it seems to be in a garbage-time role.

8. Andre Drummond – 279 Pounds

Andre Drummond has been among the heaviest players in the NBA ever since he made his debut in the 2012-13 season with the Detroit Pistons. Drummond enjoyed a more than solid start to his career, earning 2 All-Star appearances with Detroit in 2016 and 2018. He has been one of the NBA’s best rebounders, leading the league 4 times in RPG all in a Detroit uniform. From the Pistons, Drummond was traded to the Cavaliers for the last half of 2020 and the first half of 2021. He then played 21 games for the Lakers before signing with Philadelphia for the 2021-22 season. In the middle of last year, Drummond was traded once again to the Brooklyn Nets and has begun the 2022-23 season with the Chicago Bulls.

After a few seasons of bouncing around, Drummond is settled for now with the Bulls. He has appeared in all 6 games for Chicago in a role off the bench which is no surprise considering Nikola Vucevic is their starter at center. Drummond has delivered nicely in his first 6 games, averaging 9.0 PPG and 10.5 RPG in 16.8 minutes of action per game. Drummond will be a critical piece for the Bulls as they head into the playoffs and try to build upon their first-round exit from last season.

7. Joel Embiid – 280 Pounds

No one said being heavy was a bad thing, and for Joel Embiid, it clearly hasn’t been an issue. After struggling with foot injuries for the first 3 seasons of his career, Embiid has remained relatively healthy over the better part of the last 3 years. For 2 seasons in a row now, Embiid has been the runner-up to the MVP award behind another generational big man, Nikola Jokic. Embiid became the first player to win the scoring title since Shaq in 2022 and has continued to blossom into one of the NBA’s best players.

After a slow start for the Philadelphia 76ers in 2022-23, things have picked up for the team a bit as of late. Embiid is currently averaging 27.2 PPG and 9.5 RPG on the season. The Sixers sit at 4-4 on the year and have an immense amount of pressure on them to do something with the championship core they have built there. Embiid will have to remain an MVP candidate in order for Philly to have any chance at making some postseason noise, and hopeful James Harden can contribute to their success as the year goes on.

6. Robin Lopez – 281 Pounds

Despite being a very average basketball player over the last 15 years, Robin Lopez has made a career out of doing all of the little things right. He is a great teammate and locker-room presence, as any of his old or current teammates will tell you. He has been an above-average rebounder and solid defender on the interior as well. Lopez got his start with the Suns in 2008-09, where he spent the first 4 seasons of his career. Since then, he has had stints with New Orleans, Portland, New York, Chicago, Milwaukee, Washington, Orlando, and now has landed with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Lopez enters his 15th season as a clear bench player present to strictly give the Cavs’ primary bigs some rest when needed. Lopez has appeared in just 3 of Cleveland’s games so far for an average of 13.3 minutes per game. Lopez is averaging 6.7 PPG and 3.0 RPG so far this season and appears to be in a very small role moving forward as well. For Lopez, 2022-23 could be one of, if not the last seasons, we see him on an NBA court.

5. Brook Lopez – 282 Pounds

Out of the 2 Lopez brothers, slightly bigger brother Brook has had a far better career. Lopez came into New Jersey with the Nets and make an immediate impact on his new team. For the next 9 years, Lopez would be the Nets’ best player and quickly become the franchise’s leading scorer and rebounder. After he was done in Brooklyn, Lopez would spend one season with the Lakers in 2018 and have a significant dip in production. Lopez has since found a home in Milwaukee with the Bucks, where he helped the team win the 2021 NBA championship.

So far in 2022-23, Lopez is having the best stretch of basketball since joining the Bucks in 2019. He is averaging 15.3 PPG and 6.8 RPG in 6 starts so far, as the Bucks have started the season 6-0. Where his impact is even more felt on the defensive side of the ball. Lopez is currently leading the NBA with 3.3 BPG and altering offensive game plans left and right. If he can continue to contribute at this level for the Bucks, they could just be the title favorites as everyone predicted they would become.

T2. Zion Williamson – 284 Pounds

Ok, hold back the jokes for just one minute. Zion Williamson has been the target of a lot of criticism over his weight the past 2 seasons, specifically when he missed all of 2021-22 with a foot injury. However, Williamson came into 2022-23 looking like he heard all of that noise and worked extensively to get healthy and lean for the season. Before this year, the last time we saw Zion on the court was in 2020-21. He averaged 27.0 PPG and 7.2 RPG that season on an incredible 61.1% shooting.

While Zion has missed a couple of games with New Orleans this season, he has looked very good on the floor. In 4 starts, Zion is averaging21.8 PPG and 8.0 RPG on 50.0% shooting from the field. It is clear that Zion’s health is a top priority this season because their success and how far they go might depend on it. Williamson can be a Top 10 player in the game when healthy on the court, and New Orleans certainly hopes that is for more than his 61 games in 2021.

T2. Nikola Jokic – 284 Pounds

Is it possible that the 2nd heaviest player in the NBA is also a Top 5 player in the NBA? Yes, it certainly is, as the 2-time reigning MVP comes in at 284 pounds. Nikola Jokic has exploded onto the scene since 2019 and has become the very best center in the sport. He is easily the best passing center we have seen with our own two eyes and makes plays consistently for the Denver Nuggets and his teammates. Jokic is a solid scorer, rebounder, and shooter, as well as one of the best overall offensive weapons in the NBA.

Nikola Jokic is currently defending not one but 2 straight MVP awards as he heads into the 2022-23 season. With the Nuggets returning both Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr., may have speculated that Jokic can lead them to title contention this season. He is off to another great start averaging 21.0 PPG, 11.1 RPG, and 8.4 APG. Jokic’s scoring is down a bit, but that is to be expected when you are reintegrating players into the system that have missed an extended period of time. If Jokic gets back to MVP form, look for Denver to come out of the West in 2022-23 possibly.

T1. Jusuf Nurkic – 290 Pounds

Standing at 7’0’’ tall, Jusuf Nurkic is one of 2 players who weigh 290 pounds and are the heaviest in the NBA. Nurkic isn’t someone you look at and are intimidated by his size relative to his competition. Nurkic is a 9-year veteran who has split his NBA career between the Denver Nuggets and the Portland Trail Blazers. After 2 and a half seasons with the Nuggets, Nurkic found his rhythm with the Trail Blazers and has remained with the team through thick and thin over the past 6 and a half seasons.

Nurkic seemed to have hit his peak in the 2020 season shortened by Covid-19. Nurkic averaged 17.6 PPG and 10.3 RPG that season which was a career-high for him scoring-wise. He is also off to a red-hot start in 2022-23. The Trail Blazers are currently 5-1 on the season, and Nurkic has a lot to do with their early success. He is averaging 13.5 PPG and 12.2 RPG on 48.3% shooting from the field. The Trail Blazers have been a nice surprise to start the season, and if Nurkic keeps contributing the way he has been, they can definitely be a sleeper contender in the West in 2022-23.

T1. Boban Marjanovic – 290 Pounds

Is anyone else not surprised that Boban Marjanovic is the heaviest player in the NBA? Mostly because not only is he the heaviest, but at 7’4’’, Marjanovic is also the tallest player in the NBA. Marjanovic has never been a steady starter or a player healthy enough to be considered a serious contributor to a winning team. Marjanovic has become a fan-favorite, however, especially with his loveable personality and contagious smile. Nevertheless, Bobi has been on 6 teams in 7 seasons and has yet to find a steady place to call home.

Marjanovic has done 1-year stints in San Antonio, Detroit, Los Angeles (Clippers), and Philadelphia. He had a 3-year run with the Dallas Mavericks from 2020 through 2022 but was traded this past offseason in the deal for Christian Wood. With the Rockets in 2022-23, Boban has appeared in just 3 games and has played 3.0 minutes per game. He is averaging just 1.3 PPG and 1.0 RPG, getting limited time and having little effect on what transpires on the court. Boban will always have a soft spot in our hearts, but it won’t be much longer until he remains on an NBA roster.

Credit the source: NBA.com

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