Shawn Bradley

Bradley came from a tall family: his father Reiner Bradley (1949–2010) was 6ft 8in tall, and his Mother Teresa was 6ft 0in.

Bradley was already 6ft 8in by the end of junior high school (age 13–14), and by the end of his junior year of high school (age 16–17) he had grown to 7ft 5in, one inch shy of his adult height of 7ft 6in.

Shawn Paul Bradley (born March 22, 1972) is a German-American former professional basketball player who played center for the Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets, and Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Nicknamed "the Stormin' Mormon", Bradley is one of the tallest players in NBA history at 7ft 6in.

Bradley was born in Landstuhl, West Germany, as his family was stationed at the U.S. military base medical facility, and grew up in Castle Dale, Utah.

He holds citizenship in both the United States and Germany.

Shawn Bradley was born on March 22, 1972, in Landstuhl, West Germany, where his father was working at a U.S. military hospital.

In one game against Eastern Kentucky (EKU), Bradley blocked 14 shots, tying the NCAA single-game record set by Navy's David Robinson in 1986.

In that same game, Bradley also established a new career high by scoring 29 points.

BYU received a bid to the NCAA tournament that season, and Bradley continued his dominant defense.

In the first-round game against Virginia, he set a tournament single-game record with 10 blocked shots, leading the Cougars to a 61–48 victory.

However, he struggled with foul trouble in the second round, and BYU lost to Arizona, 76–61.

Bradley collected several awards and honors for his outstanding freshman season.

He was named the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) Freshman of the Year, in addition to All-WAC defensive team and newcomer team honors.

He was also named Honorable Mention All-American by the Associated Press (AP)

Bradley was a standout basketball, football, and baseball player at Emery High School from 1987 to 1990.

He was one of the most successful basketball players in Utah high school history, finishing with career averages of 20.3 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 5.4 blocked shots per game.

During his time at the school, Emery compiled a 68–4 record and won two state championships.

Bradley was named All-State three times and twice earned the season MVP award.

In his senior year, he averaged 25 points, 17 rebounds, and 9 blocks per contest.

He was named All-American by several national publications, including Parade Magazine, Street and Smith, USA Today, and others.

He turned in a strong performance at the McDonald's All-American Game (12 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 blocks), earning the Most Valuable Player award for the West team.

During his freshman season (1990–91), he started all 34 games for BYU, averaging 14.8 points and 7.7 rebounds per game.

But his main contribution to the team was shot-blocking: he led the entire nation in total blocks (177) and average (5.2 per game)—setting an NCAA freshman record in both categories.

Bradley took a two-year leave of absence from BYU from 1991 to 1993 to serve as a full-time missionary for the LDS Church.

He was assigned to serve in Sydney, Australia.

After his mission, Bradley decided to forgo his final three years of NCAA eligibility and declared for the NBA draft.

Bradley entered the 1993 NBA draft as one of the most intriguing and highly debated prospects in the history of the NBA draft.

Supporters claimed his tremendous size and surprising athleticism would allow him to dominate the league.

Critics argued that he would struggle in the NBA due to his thin build – listed at just 235 lb, he was described by Ric Bucher of The Miami Herald as "rail-thin," and Lee Rose, player personnel director for the Milwaukee Bucks at the time, said, "Size-wise, he'll get pushed around a little bit," – and lack of experience (just one season of college basketball, followed by a two-year hiatus from the sport due to his church mission).

Ultimately, he was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers with the second overall pick, behind Chris Webber and ahead of Penny Hardaway.

Given the novelty of a 7-foot-6 center playing for the 76ers, Bradley was issued jersey number 76.

Philadelphia's management saw Bradley as a major project with huge long-term potential.

The team acquired legendary big man Moses Malone to serve as a mentor for Bradley, hoping to develop his skills in the low post.

Also, the franchise hired strength and conditioning consultant Pat Croce and registered dietitian Jeanie Subach, as well as assistant coach Jeff Ruland, to add bulk to Bradley's skinny frame.

As of 2015, Bradley still holds Utah state records for blocked shots in a single game (18), season (209), and career (605).

Bradley was heavily recruited by many colleges from across the United States, but ultimately decided to play at Brigham Young University (BYU) in Provo, Utah.

In 2018, genetic analysis of Bradley's DNA showed that his great height is not the result of any physical or genetic disorders, but because he happened to inherit a natural but extremely rare combination of the thousands of genetic variants that determine human height.

Bradley was raised on a farm outside the small town of Castle Dale, Utah.

He and his siblings were raised in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).