Kevin Durant is a giant. Everyone knows this. But for almost a decade, the NBA’s official record books tried to convince us he was just another 6-foot-9 forward. It was the league’s most poorly kept secret. Fans would watch him stand next to "7-foot" centers and notice he was actually taller than them.
The mystery of kevin durant how tall isn’t just about a tape measure. It’s about the psychology of the game.
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The Truth Behind the 6-foot-9 Lie
For years, Durant was listed at 6'9". He admitted to the Wall Street Journal back in 2016 that he intentionally lowballed his height. Why? Because he didn’t want to be labeled a power forward or a center. In the NBA of the late 2000s, being 7 feet tall meant you were destined for the "block." You were expected to bang bodies in the paint, grab rebounds, and leave the perimeter shooting to the "small" guys.
Durant is a sniper. He wanted to play the wing. By telling coaches he was 6'9", he stayed in the small forward category, which allowed him the freedom to cross people over and pull up from three.
He once famously said, "When I'm talking to women, I'm 7 feet. In basketball circles, I'm 6'9"."
It’s hilarious, honestly. A man who is quite literally one of the tallest humans on the planet was trying to "fit in" by pretending to be shorter.
The 2019 NBA Measurement Crackdown
The gig was finally up in 2019. The NBA decided they were tired of the "heightflation" and "heightflation" in reverse. They forced every team to submit official, certified measurements taken by team physicians without shoes on.
No more guessing. No more lying.
When the Brooklyn Nets (his team at the time) broke out the measuring tape, the truth came out. Durant wasn't 6'9". He was officially 6'9.5" barefoot.
Now, here is where it gets tricky. In the NBA, they often round up. With shoes on—which is, you know, how he actually plays basketball—he easily clears 6'11" or even 7 feet.
Current Official Stats for 2026
As of the 2025-26 season with the Houston Rockets, KD's official profile looks like this:
- Listed Height: 6'11"
- Barefoot Height: ~6'10"
- Wingspan: 7'5"
- Weight: 240 lbs
That 7'5" wingspan is actually the most important number. It’s why he looks even taller than he is. When a guy has arms that long, his standing reach is basically the same as a traditional 7-footer who doesn't have those "Go-Go-Gadget" limbs.
Why He Still Calls Himself 6'9"
Even as recently as the 2024 Paris Olympics, KD was back at it. He was seen standing next to Joel Embiid and Anthony Davis, looking every bit as tall (if not taller) than both.
During an interview on the Up & Adams show, he doubled down on the chaos. He claimed he was still 6'9" and that everyone else was just lying about their height. "I'm 6'9" though... it looks like Bam Adebayo is probably 6'8" instead of 6'10". And AD is probably 6'9"."
He’s trolling. He has to be.
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But there’s a nuance here. Most NBA players do add an inch or two to their height to sound more imposing. Because Durant does the opposite, it creates this weird optical illusion where he looks like a titan among mortals.
The "Small Forward" Identity
Basketball is a game of labels. Durant’s insistence on being 6'9" for so long was a way to protect his identity as a perimeter player.
Think about it.
If you’re 7 feet tall, you’re a "Big."
If you’re 6'9", you’re a "Wing."
By staying in that 6'9" bucket, he mentally and strategically kept himself in the category of players like LeBron James or Larry Bird rather than Shaquille O'Neal. It worked. He changed the game. Now, we see "7-footers" like Victor Wembanyama or Chet Holmgren playing like guards, and they have Kevin Durant to thank for making that acceptable.
Comparing KD to Other Giants
If you really want to understand the scale of this man, you have to look at the photos.
- Against Joel Embiid: Embiid is listed at 7'0". In Team USA photos, Durant’s eye level is almost exactly the same as Embiid's.
- Against DeMarcus Cousins: Back in the Golden State days, Cousins (6'10") looked slightly shorter than Durant when they stood shoulder to shoulder.
- The Barefoot Rule: When the NBA switched to barefoot measurements, most players "shrank." Kemba Walker went from 6'1" to 5'11". Isaiah Thomas dropped significantly. Durant was one of the few who actually "grew" on paper because he had been lying in the wrong direction for a decade.
The Verdict on Kevin Durant's Height
So, what is the final answer?
If you meet him at a grocery store and he's wearing flip-flops, he is almost certainly 6'9.75" or 6'10".
If you see him on the court in his signature Nike KD sneakers, he is 6'11" and change.
And if he’s trying to block a shot? That 7'5" wingspan makes him feel like he’s 8 feet tall.
The reality is that "Kevin Durant how tall" will always be a fun debate because the man himself refuses to let the mystery die. He enjoys the conversation. He likes that people can't quite pin him down. It matches his game—uncategorizable, fluid, and unlike anything we've ever seen before.
To track his impact yourself, watch his defensive positioning in the next Rockets game. Notice how he uses that "6'9"" frame to cover ground that shorter wings simply can't reach. You can also compare his official NBA.com profile height against the "eye test" during the national anthem lineup; the height difference between him and "true" centers is usually non-existent.