- Gheorghe Mureșan is a former Romanian basketballer who was born on the 14th of February 1971
- Standing at 7 ft 7 in, Mureșan currently holds the world record of the tallest player to have ever played in the NBA
- The successful NBA star has been married for over 3 decades to Liliana Muresan and the duo is blessed with 2 sons; Gheorghe Muresan Jr, and Victor Muresan
Popularly recognized as the tallest player in NBA history, 54-year-old- Gheorghe Mureșan is a former Romanian basketball player who has previously played for clubs like Universitatea Cluj-Napoca, Pau-Orthez, and Washington Bullets / Wizards.
Though his impressive height has obviously put him in the global spotlight, the former basketball star also matched his appearance with skill, hard work, and dedication, making him a name to reckon with as far as basketball is concerned.
He got married to his heartthrob Liliana Muresan in the mid-90s and the couple is blessed with 2 children who are currently going in the footsteps of their father as professional basketballers.
Who is Gheorghe Mureșan?
Gheorghe Mureșan also known as “Ghiță” was born on the 14th of February 1971 in Tritenii de Jos, SR Romania. His father’s name is Ion Muresan and his mother is Marian Muresan. The former NBA star is also said to have a sister by the name of Iliana Muresan.
According to sources, his early childhood was characterized by lots of hardship and struggles. He was however against all odds able to push through and complete his education at Universitatea Cluj where he actually made his early career debut.
Ghiță’s Career History
Mureșan’s professional days began in the early 90s. He notably made his debut at Universitatea Cluj, the same college he graduated from. His impressive play and performance in college led him to become a national champion in the year 1992.
After college, the player was later signed to Pau-Orthez between 1992-1993 where he played and won the French League Cup. Between 1993-1998, the NBA’s Washington Bullets chose him to be part of the 1993 NBA where he played until the year 2000.
Prior to that, 1995-1996 is said to have been the player’s best season. He was named the NBA’s most improved player as a result of his impressive performance. Gheorghe was able to clinch 14.5 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 2.26 blocks per game while also making a league-leading 58.4 percent of his field goals.
His last active moments as a professional basketballer were in the New Jersey Nets between 1999-2000 where he played the final 31 games of his career. Mureșan retired in 2001 as a result of surgery that was carried out on his back, ending his career with 9.6 rebounds, 0.5 assists, and 1.48 blocks per game.
How Tall is He?
Gheorghe Mureșan is very tall. As of 2022, he holds the record of the tallest NBA player in history, measuring 7 ft 7 in (2.131 m.) and weighing 303lb (137kg). While many people may think the player’s height is closely related to his family history, he was actually born to parents of normal height. The Romanian-born reached 7 ft at the age of 15. He became so tall due to a pituitary gland disorder.
According to the NBA record, Mureșan currently beats Manute Bol by a few millimeters. Bol who stands at a height of 7 ft 7 (2.31m) is the second tallest player in NBA history. He weighs about 200 pounds and has played in the NBA from 1985 to 1995 for teams like the Washington Bullets, and Golden State Warriors.
Gheorghe Mureșan has Been Married to Liliana Since 1994
Much of what is known about the former NBA star is related to his career. He however has built a very stable and admirable family with his wife Liliana Muresan with whom he tied the knot in 1994. The couple is blessed with 2 kids, Gheorghe Muresan Jr, and Victor Muresan.
His Sons are also Professional Basketballers
Muresan’s kids have undoubtedly taken after their father in the game of basketball. His first son Gheorghe Muresan Jr was born on the 23rd of April 1998 and has played for the Georgetown University Hoyas. Muresan’s second kid Victor Muresan, born on the 22nd of October 2000 also joined the Hoyas as a walk-on in the 2020-2021 season.
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What is His Net Worth?
The 54-year-old former NBA star has a projected net worth of about $ 5 million. Though his money is largely attributed to his success as an NBA star, Muresan also has other streams of income, especially through entertainment.
First of all, he has appeared in a movie and has also made commercials for Snickers candy bars. He has also co-authored two young adult fitness and health books titled The Boy’s Fitness Guide and The Girl’s Fitness Guide.
12 Fast Interesting Facts about Gheorghe Mureșan
1. He Celebrates his birthday every year on Valentine’s day (14 February). Valentine’s day is marked in most places as lovers’ day.
2. Gheorghe Mureșan started playing basketball because of his height and not passion. According to him, he initially wanted to be a footballer but his dentist who was a basketball referee convinced him to consider basketball. He gave it a try and later became passionate about it. The Romanian-born also said he is everything in his life because of basketball.
3. The Washington Bulletz saved his life by spending more than a million dollars to remove the tumor from his pituitary gland. If the tumor was not removed, he would have kept growing and he would have had a life expectancy of 40 years.
4. Washington personnel worked very hard to get him used to the American culture. He did not know English when he started playing for the team and so an interpreter was hired to go everywhere with him.
5. He is likely the only player in the history of the NBA who had a running coach. The Washington Bulletz also hired a running coach for the Gheorghe because he was always dragging his legs on the court. Furthermore, Muresan first European to get the NBA award for the most improved player.
6. His favorite NBA memory is playing against Michael Jordan in 1997 when Jordan was at the peak of his fame. According to him, even though his team lost against Jordan’s he cherished the moment.
7. He played a game on the 11th of March 2007 for the Maryland Nighthawks as part of the tallest lineup in the history of basketball and it became the only game he played where he is not the tallest person on the court. Sun Mingming who played with him stands at 7 ft, 9 in.
8. He founded Giant Basketball Academy (GBA) in 2004. Located in Ashburn, Virginia. The academy is dedicated to teaching young people the fundamentals of basketball. He also organizes basketball leagues in Virginia and Romania.
9. Muresan was one of those that participated in the Washington Wizards’ marketing and public relations team where he served as an ambassador for his team.
10. Gheorghe Mureșan is also an actor who starred in the feature movie My Giant (1998). He has also appeared as a Ventriloquist in Eminem’s music video My Name is.
11. He is actively involved in the campaign of mitigating teen suicide. In 2013, the basketballer notably participated in the first 3v3 UMTTR (You Matter) basketball tournament that was held to increase the awareness, research, and prevention of teen suicide.
12. He was active as a professional basketballer for just 9 years. His professional career was cut short by incessant injuries and surgeries making him retire at age 30.
In conclusion, Mureșan only experienced a rapid growth rate as a result of a pituitary gland disorder. His father’s height is said to be 5’9” while his mother is 5’7”. His sons and wife are also nowhere close to him in terms of his height.
Also, Gheorghe Mureșan may still be holding the world record of the tallest basketballer to have ever played in the NBA now. However, this may change with time if someone taller than him surfaces in the coming years.
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