.jpg/1280px-KennyGeorge2_(cropped).jpg) George with the UNC Asheville Bulldogs in 2007 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | c. 1986 (age 39–40) Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Listed height | 7 ft 7 in (2.31 m) |
| Listed weight | 370 lb (168 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Latin School of Chicago (Chicago, Illinois) |
| College | UNC Asheville (2006–2008) |
| NBA draft | 2010: undrafted |
| Position | Center |
| Career highlights | |
| |
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Kenneth George Jr. (born c. 1986)[1] is an American former college basketball player. Listed at 7 ft 7 in (2.31 m), he was the tallest basketball player in the United States during the two years he played for the UNC Asheville Bulldogs.[2] George and Mike Lanier of the UCLA Bruins were the tallest players in the history of college basketball until they were surpassed in 2025 by Olivier Rioux of the Florida Gators at 7 ft 9 in (2.36 m).[3]
Early life and education
George was raised on the north side of Chicago, Illinois.[2] His parents separated when he was 2 and he was raised by his father, Ken Sr.[2]
At the age of 15, he had an overactive pituitary gland issue that caused him to grow to a height of 6’11” by his sophomore year at Latin School of Chicago.[citation needed]
College career
George was academically ineligible for his first season with the UNC Asheville Bulldogs and missed his second season after he dislocated a knee during preseason.[2]
George played for the Bulldogs from 2006 to 2008.[4][5] He was listed as 7 ft 7 in (2.31 m) but reached 7 ft 9 in (2.36 m) with shoes.[2] George was selected as the Big South Conference Defensive Player of the Year and earned second-team all-Big South honors in 2008.[6][7]
Career statistics
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
College
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–07 | UNC Asheville | 23 | 0 | 10.5 | .772 | .000 | .235 | 3.5 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 5.5 |
| 2007–08 | UNC Asheville | 28 | 0 | 19.8 | .696 | .000 | .652 | 7.0 | 1.1 | 0.1 | 3.3 | 12.4 |
| Career | 51 | 0 | 15.2 | .734 | .000 | .460 | 5.3 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 2.7 | 9.0 | |
Personal life
In October 2008, George had his right foot partly amputated due to a Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection.[6][8]
References
- ^ "Report: Tallest College Basketball Player Loses Part of Foot to Staph Infection". Fox News. January 13, 2015. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
- ^ a b c d e Clemmons, Anna Katherine (2008-01-09). "7 Feet 7 and 350 Pounds, With Bigger Feet Than Shaq's". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-01-10.
- ^ Valdes, Alex (November 7, 2025). "Florida's 7-foot-9 Olivier Rioux becomes tallest college basketball player ever". The Athletic. Retrieved November 7, 2025.
- ^ "Kenny George College Stats". sports-reference.com.
- ^ MSNBC
- ^ a b "Source: UNC Asheville's George has right foot partly amputated". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2008-10-17.
- ^ "Kenny George". uncabulldogs.com. University of North Carolina - Asheville. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
- ^ The Tallest Man: Kenny George
