Milwaukee's Darvin Ham is the NBA's "Mr. Average" this season.
Gary Dineen
NBAE/Getty Images
Darvin Ham is your typical, average guy -- as far as the NBA Survey of Height, Weight, Age and Experience goes. At 6-7, 230 pounds, 28 years old and with four seasons of NBA service, the Milwaukee Bucks forward is the one player who comes closest to earning the title of "Mr. Average," a distinction held in the past by such players as Bryon Russell of Utah and Michael Finley of Dallas.

The findings of the survey--based on the Opening Day rosters of all 29 NBA clubs--state the league is heavier, taller and younger than it was a year ago, with the average player measuring up this way:

Height: 6-7.26
Weight: 224.05
Age: 27.47
Experience: 4.82 years

That compares with the following averages from last season:

Height: 6-7.03
Weight: 223.47
Age: 27.75
Experience: 5.01 years

The Los Angeles Clippers begin the season as the league’s youngest team, averaging 24.87 years of age, despite not having a single rookie on the squad. The Chicago Bulls, last year’s youngest team, averaged 23.38 years old. The Clippers are also the NBA’s least experienced squad, averaging 2.92 years of service, and are the only team in the league to average less than three seasons of service.

The oldest and most experienced team in the NBA is the New York Knicks. With a league-high-tying seven players at least 30 years of age (along with Miami and Charlotte) the Knicks average seven years of experience and 30.02 years of age – the only NBA team to cross those barriers of seven and 30 years.

Although Seattle has only one seven-footer on its roster -- center Jerome James -- the SuperSonics are the tallest team in the NBA, averaging 6-8.07. They displace Indiana, which had held that distinction the past three seasons. The shortest team is the Portland Trail Blazers, who average 6-6.47.

The league’s heaviest team, averaging 232.87 pounds, is the Charlotte Hornets, while the lightest is the Philadelphia 76ers, who tip the scales at 206.53.

Here are the leaders in every category, as of October 30:

NBA’s TALLEST PLAYERS
Shawn Bradley, Dallas, 7-6
Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Cleveland, 7-3
Jake Tsakalidis, Phoenix, 7-2
Greg Ostertag, Utah, 7-2
Dikembe Mutombo, Philadelphia, 7-2
Bruno Sundov, Indiana, 7-2
NBA’s SHORTEST PLAYERS
Earl Boykins, L.A. Clippers, 5-5
Brevin Knight, Memphis, 5-10
Damon Stoudamire, Portland, 5-10



NBA’s TALLEST TEAMS
Seattle SuperSonics, 6-8.07
Indiana Pacers, 6-7.93
Toronto Raptors, 6-7.93
NBA’s SHORTEST TEAMS
Portland Trail Blazers, 6-6.47
Los Angeles Clippers, 6-6.54
Golden State Warriors, 6-6.57
New York Knicks, 6-6.57

NBA’s HEAVIEST PLAYERS
Shaquille O’Neal, L.A. Lakers, 315
DeSagana Diop, Cleveland, 300
Dalibor Bagaric, Chicago, 290
Felton Spencer, New York, 290
Jahidi White, Washington, 290
NBA’s LIGHTEST PLAYERS
Earl Boykins, L.A. Clippers, 133
Chucky Atkins, Detroit, 160
Dana Barros, Detroit, 163


NBA’s HEAVIEST TEAMS
Charlotte Hornets, 232.87
Seattle SuperSonics, 231.29
Cleveland Cavaliers, 229.33
NBA’s LIGHTEST TEAMS
Philadelphia 76ers, 206.53
Indiana Pacers, 217.29
New York Knicks, 218.57

NBA’s OLDEST PLAYERS
John Stockton, Utah, 39 years, 228 days
Patrick Ewing, Orlando, 39 years, 96 days
Kevin Willis, Houston, 39 years, 64 days
NBA’s YOUNGEST PLAYERS
Eddy Curry, Chicago, 18 years, 334 days
Tyson Chandler, Chicago, 19 years, 33 days
Gerald Wallace, Sac., 19 years, 104 days

NBA’s OLDEST TEAMS
New York Knicks, 30.02
San Antonio Spurs, 29.64
Portland Trail Blazers, 29.02
NBA’s YOUNGEST TEAMS
Los Angeles Clippers, 24.87
Indiana Pacers, 25.19
Chicago Bulls, 25.29

NBA’s MOST EXPERIENCED PLAYERS
Kevin Willis, Houston, 17 seasons
Hakeem Olajuwon, Toronto, 17 seasons
John Stockton, Utah, 17 seasons
NBA’s MOST EXPERIENCED TEAMS
New York Knicks, 7.0 seasons
Utah Jazz, 6.54
Portland Trail Blazers, 6.53

NBA’s LEAST EXPERIENCED TEAMS
Los Angeles Clippers, 2.92 seasons
Seattle SuperSonics, 3.07
New Jersey Nets, 3.15
 

LEAGUEWIDE SURVEY RESULTS: 1985-86 TO PRESENT
Opening Day Height (inches) Weight Age Experience (Years)
1985-86 79.36 214.40 26.72 3.85
1986-87 79.62 215.46 26.53 3.83
1987-88 79.38 215.61 27.01 4.10
1988-89 79.31 215.58 26.92 4.01
1989-90 79.09 214.82 26.79 3.95
1990-91 79.16 216.16 27.01 4.08
1991-92 79.04 216.47 27.09 4.20
1992-93 79.06 219.86 27.19 4.15
1993-94 79.34 221.68 27.26 4.28
1994-95 79.19 221.50 27.43 4.56
1995-96 79.27 223.66 27.56 4.42
1996-97 79.20 223.67 27.74 4.63
1997-98 79.11 222.95 27.82 4.82
1998-99 79.10 222.85 27.82 4.81
1999-2000 79.26 224.68 27.95 5.20
2000-01 79.03 223.47 27.75 5.01
2001-02 79.26 224.05 27.47 4.82