Zion Williamson has shrunk one inch since his time at Duke; it’s more likely the NBA’s plan to measure height more strictly has resulted in a more accurate measurement, but either way, Zion is officially listed at 6’6’’, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Last week, The New York Times reported the NBA would be crackling down on player height listings, “Sparked by the league’s determination to emphasize ‘the integrity of information’ it disseminates publicly, front offices were informed that player heights must be certified by a team physician and their ages confirmed via the submission to the league office of a driver’s license or passport, according to the people, who were not authorized to discuss the procedural changes publicly.” It seems Zion is the first to feel the full force of that change.
Some are concerned that the shrinkage, combined with his weight (285 pounds) puts him at risk to be a bust, but that is still unlikely. Anyone who has seen him play can tell how dominant he is, and one inch won’t change that. If Zion’s career unfolds in a lesser way than expected, it shouldn’t be because of this height update.
Be on the lookout for more changes to official NBA player sizes going forward.