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If there's one thing that sticks out when watching footage of Nate Thurmond it's his bodily proportions. Freakishly long limbs, both in an absolute AND relative sense. Like McHale, it gives him a gumby-like appearance: a short torso and never-ending extremities. Not to mention broad and square high-set shoulders that maximize the standing reach and give the appearance of a non-existent neck.

It's a body type that's very rare. McHale, Phil Jackson, Thurmond, and Marion are the best examples.

Wilt Chamberlain said that Nate's standing reach was several inches bigger than his 9'6" measurement. I wouldn't be surprised if he was in that 9'8" to 9'9" ball park. He's listed at 6'11.5" barefoot but an old article said he's taller than that, referring to him as a seven-footer. I estimate Nate's wingspan to be somewhere between 7'9" to 8'.

Mo Bamba is 6'11.25" and has a 9'7.5" standing reach and 7'10" wingspan. Nate looks as long to me and definitely shorter in the neck.

My one takeaway is that 25 year olds looked like 45 year olds back in the day

BigGargamel wrote:My one takeaway is that 25 year olds looked like 45 year olds back in the day

Have you taken a look at Talen Horton-Tucker lately? Guys nowadays shave their heads to keep from having that male pattern baldness look. Well, Trae Young doesn't, but most other guys seem to.


On Thurmond, his length is pretty incredible. No wonder he was an elite defensive player. Lean and strong too.

BigGargamel wrote:My one takeaway is that 25 year olds looked like 45 year olds back in the day

Having to work as a plumber with your NBA career being a side note makes you age earlier.

Not sure I've seen those photos before! Damn that's a long boi.

Makes sense with Nate Thurmond GOAT ability to disrupt other bigs or anyone who has the ball. In any footage I've seen, he very simply looks like the hardest guy to score on of all-time. Makes sense that the physical aspects are off the charts.

Nate Thurmond was born in Akron Ohio and died in San Francisco, CA. He played for both the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers.

Lebron James born in Akron, Ohio played for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Steph Curry born in Akron, Ohio played for the Golden State Warriors.

Just thought that was an interesting little piece of symmetry.

Chuck Everett wrote:

BigGargamel wrote:My one takeaway is that 25 year olds looked like 45 year olds back in the day

Have you taken a look at Talen Horton-Tucker lately? Guys nowadays shave their heads to keep from having that male pattern baldness look. Well, Trae Young doesn't, but most other guys seem to.


On Thurmond, his length is pretty incredible. No wonder he was an elite defensive player. Lean and strong too.

THT could easily play an orc in the next lord of the rings movie. Doesn’t even need makeup.

mg wrote:Nate Thurmond was born in Akron Ohio and died in San Francisco, CA. He played for both the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers.

Lebron James born in Akron, Ohio played for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Steph Curry born in Akron, Ohio played for the Golden State Warriors.

Just thought that was an interesting little piece of symmetry.

He was just Nate Thurmond, from Akron, Ohio, from the inner city. And he wasn’t supposed to even be here

On the other side, when I see Desmond Bane's negative wingspan...



... I think of this:

Thurmond length is absolutely insane and that's what allowed him to make some of the most absurd defensive plays I've ever seen:

I do think that that Nate is LeBron's grandfather. His mother especially could be Nate's daughter, she looks like it and there is no known grandfather. LeBron hairline is likely the same (untreated).

70sFan wrote:Thurmond length is absolutely insane and that's what allowed him to make some of the most absurd defensive plays I've ever seen:

Gyatt damn! That second photo is crazy. He looks to have legitimate Wemby arm length. An 8-foot wingspan seems possible to me. We know that a +13" ape index is possible (BeeJay Anya).

FrodoBaggins wrote:

70sFan wrote:Thurmond length is absolutely insane and that's what allowed him to make some of the most absurd defensive plays I've ever seen:

Gyatt damn! That second photo is crazy. He looks to have legitimate Wemby arm length. An 8-foot wingspan seems possible to me. We know that a +13" ape index is possible (BeeJay Anya).

Yeah, people don't understand how freakish Thurmond was from physical perspective. Some people used to talk that modern players (Shaq, Yao at that time) would have dominated him due to size, but it's just silly.

70sFan wrote:

FrodoBaggins wrote:

70sFan wrote:Thurmond length is absolutely insane and that's what allowed him to make some of the most absurd defensive plays I've ever seen:

Gyatt damn! That second photo is crazy. He looks to have legitimate Wemby arm length. An 8-foot wingspan seems possible to me. We know that a +13" ape index is possible (BeeJay Anya).

Yeah, people don't understand how freakish Thurmond was from physical perspective. Some people used to talk that modern players (Shaq, Yao at that time) would have dominated him due to size, but it's just silly.

How much did Nate weigh? Like 240-250? Not much different from Hakeem and Robinson. And judging by Thurmond's body, he had no problem putting on size. I feel like he could be 260 if required. At nearly 7' barefoot, he's far bigger than a lot of the bigs from the '90s and '00s. His disproportionate limbs just give him the appearance of looking skinny when he really isn't.

FrodoBaggins wrote:

70sFan wrote:

FrodoBaggins wrote:Gyatt damn! That second photo is crazy. He looks to have legitimate Wemby arm length. An 8-foot wingspan seems possible to me. We know that a +13" ape index is possible (BeeJay Anya).

Yeah, people don't understand how freakish Thurmond was from physical perspective. Some people used to talk that modern players (Shaq, Yao at that time) would have dominated him due to size, but it's just silly.

How much did Nate weigh? Like 240-250? Not much different from Hakeem and Robinson. And judging by Thurmond's body, he had no problem putting on size. I feel like he could be 260 if required. At nearly 7' barefoot, he's far bigger than a lot of the bigs from the '90s and '00s. His disproportionate limbs just give him the appearance of looking skinny when he really isn't.

He started his career around 230 lbs and then he was around 240-245 lbs for most of his prime (probably more in the mid-70s). That's basically the same as peak Robinson, who never weighed above 250 lbs until he came back from the injury in 1997.

Nate was much slimmer in the OP pic than he looked out on the court.

Being extremely ripped does that though.

GSWFan1994 wrote:On the other side, when I see Desmond Bane's negative wingspan...



... I think of this:

Watch on YouTube

Yeah. He and Kevin Willis have dinosaur bodies and hummingbird wingspans lol.

Also that big diesel kid that plays for Kansas.

Keldon Johnson too. Very short arms.

Myself and Donovan Mitchell 6’1, 6’11 wingspan. It’s such an insane advantage on the floor.

he gave kareem the most trouble

FrodoBaggins wrote:

70sFan wrote:Thurmond length is absolutely insane and that's what allowed him to make some of the most absurd defensive plays I've ever seen:

Gyatt damn! That second photo is crazy. He looks to have legitimate Wemby arm length. An 8-foot wingspan seems possible to me. We know that a +13" ape index is possible (BeeJay Anya).

is anyone looking at his massive shoulder structure

This photo of Nate reminds me of this shot of McHale. The disproportionately long arms and nonexistent neck.