Shaquille O'Neal vs Yao Ming

Who is taller, Shaquille O'Neal or Yao Ming?

Yao Ming is taller than Shaquille O'Neal by 13 cm — Yao Ming is 2.29 m and Shaquille O'Neal is 2.16 m. Yao Ming is taller by 13 cm (0'5") — about 6% taller than Shaquille O'Neal. Add more people or objects to the chart above to extend the comparison, or switch between centimetres and feet with the unit toggle.

Shaquille O'Neal and Yao Ming side by side, to scale

What the numbers say

• Shaquille O'Neal reaches 94.3% of Yao Ming's height. To match Yao Ming, Shaquille O'Neal would need to be 13 cm (5.1 in) taller.
• Shaquille O'Neal is 41 cm (16.1 in) taller than the average adult man (175 cm) and 54 cm (21.3 in) taller than the average adult woman (162 cm).
• Yao Ming is 54 cm (21.3 in) taller than the average adult man (175 cm) and 67 cm (26.4 in) taller than the average adult woman (162 cm).

Who else is close in height?

• Close to Shaquille O'Neal (2.16 m): Wilt Chamberlain (2.16 m).
• Close to Yao Ming (2.29 m): Venom (2.29 m).

Heights are the figures listed on each person's page and may differ by a centimetre or two between sources.