Screw Size - The Greatest Really Small Players in Basketball History

Size has always been one of the biggest concerns in a lot of professional sports. It's always expected that football players are supposed to be brawny and bulky, marathon runners should have lean bodies built for endurance, and basketball players should be, well, very tall and extremely athletic. When it comes to stereotyping athletes, the first qualification is more often than not what what is associated with the sport. And a lot of shorter athletes are told to choose other sports like wrestling, weight lifting or competitive dance. But has this stopped the most determined and talented of players from ever trying their luck in the most prestigious basketball league in the world? Of course not!

Some of the most talented basketball players on the planet were under six feet tall. And instead of being shadowed by their gigantic teammates, they showed the world that enough talent, dedication and desire can more than make up for a little deficiency in height. Here are a few examples of their rare breed:

- Spud Webb: Standing at a humble 5'7, nobody thought Spud Webb would amount to anything early on in his career (he was drafted in the 4th round). But he would soon prove everyone wrong by averaging in double digits in five of his seasons. But his claim to fame would be beating the great Dominique Wilkins in the 1986 Slam Dunk Competition. After skying to perform some of the most gravity-defying dunks ever, Spud Webb would sky to the pantheon of NBA legends by proving little guys can beat big guys at their own game.

- Avery Johnson: You may know him these days as the coach of Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks, but Avery Johnson was once the championship-winning point guard for one fo the latter-day NBA dynasties: the San Antonio Spurs. As a point guard, Avery was known for his leadership, consistency and grace under fire. When in 1999 he hit the shot that eventually would clinch the title for the Spurs, we all knew that there was something special about this intelligent and talented young man that was born to win.



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