Gheorghe Mureşan

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Gheorghe Mureşan

Position	Center
Height	7 ft 7 in (2.31 m)
Weight	300 lb (140 kg)
Born	February 14, 1971 (1971-02-14) (age 37) Triteni, Romania
Nationality	Romania
College	Cluj University
Draft	2^nd round, 30^th overall, 1993 Washington Bullets
Pro career	1992–2003
Former teams	Pau-Orthez (1992–1993) Washington Bullets (1993–1994) Pau-Orthez (1995) Washington Bullets (1995–1997) New Jersey Nets (1998–2000) Pau-Orthez (2000–2001)
Awards	1995-96 NBA Most Improved Player

Gheorghe Dumitru Mureşan, also known as Ghiță (IPA: [gi.ʦə]) and "George", (born February 14, 1971 in Triteni, Romania) is a retired Romanian professional basketball player. At 7 ft 7 in (2.31 m), he is the tallest man to ever play in the NBA, standing a few millimeters taller than Sudanese player Manute Bol. Like Bol, both his parents are of average size, but unlike Bol his great height is the result of a pituitary disorder.

[edit] NBA Career

Mureşan was born in the Romanian district of Cluj in a poor family and played college basketball at Cluj University. He played professionally in the French league with Pau-Orthez during the 1992-1993 season and was an instant hit with fans. The NBA took interest in him and he was drafted by the Washington Bullets in the 1993 NBA Draft. He played in the NBA from 1993 to 2000, showing signs of a promising career that was derailed by injuries.

After returning to France and playing for the start of the 1995-96 season with Pau-Orthez, he was named the NBA's Most Improved Player for the 1995-96 season after averaging 14.5 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.26 blocks per game whilst making a league-leading 58.4 percent of his field goals. He led in field goal percentage again the following season, with a 60.4% average. Overall, he holds career averages of 9.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 0.5 assists, 1.48 blocks per game and a .573 field goal percentage. He joined the New Jersey Nets for the final 31 games of his career. After retiring from the NBA, Mureşan returned to the French league for three more years before returning to settle in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey with his family. He normally wore number 77, in reference to his height.

[edit] Personal life

Mureşan (right) meeting with Nicholas F. Taubman, the U.S. Ambassador of Romania.

Outside of basketball, Mureşan has dabbled in acting, playing the title character in 1998 film My Giant with his co-star, comedian Billy Crystal. He also played a ventriloquist in Eminem's breakout video "My Name Is", appeared in commercials for Snickers bars and ESPN, and has always taken pride in his Romanian identity.^{[citation needed]} On March 11, 2007, he played a game for the Maryland Nighthawks as part of the tallest lineup in the history of basketball. This is also the only basketball game he's ever played where he is not the tallest person on the court, as Sun Ming Ming is 7 ft 9 in - 2 inches taller.

v • d • e 1993 NBA Draft

First Round Chris Webber • Shawn Bradley • Anfernee Hardaway • Jamal Mashburn • Isaiah Rider • Calbert Cheaney • Bobby Hurley • Vin Baker • Rodney Rogers • Lindsey Hunter • Allan Houston • George Lynch • Terry Dehere • Scott Haskin • Doug Edwards • Rex Walters • Greg Graham • Luther Wright • Acie Earl • Scott Burrell • James Robinson • Chris Mills • Ervin Johnson • Sam Cassell • Corie Blount • Geert Hammink • Malcolm Mackey

Second Round Lucious Harris • Sherron Mills • Gheorghe Mureşan • Evers Burns • Alphonso Ford • Eric Riley • Darnell Mee • Ed Stokes • John Best • Nick Van Exel • Conrad McRae • Thomas Hill • Rich Manning • Anthony Reed • Adonis Jordan • Josh Grant • Alex Holcombe • Bryon Russell • Richard Petruska • Chris Whitney • Kevin Thompson • Mark Buford • Marcelo Nicola • Spencer Dunkley • Mike Peplowski • Leonard White • Byron Wilson

Draft Templates 83 • 84 • 85 • 86 • 87 • 88 • 89 • 90 • 91 • 92 • 93 • 94 • 95 • 96 • 97 • 98 • 99 • 00 • 01 • 02 • 03 • 04 • 05 • 06 • 07 • 08