Gheorghe Mureșan Quick Info | |
---|---|
Height | 7 ft 7 in |
Weight | 140 kg |
Date of Birth | February 14, 1971 |
Zodiac Sign | Aquarius |
Spouse | Liliane Mureșan |
Gheorghe Mureșan is a Romanian retired professional basketball player, actor, and author who is known for his extreme height, the result of a pituitary gland disorder, and his basketball career with the likes of Washington Wizards, New Jersey Nets, and Maryland Nighthawks. He was drafted by the Washington Bullets in the 2nd round (30th pick overall) of the 1993 NBA draft and played in the NBA until 2000. Gheorghe Mureșan has also tried his hand in acting and has appeared in movies such as My Giant and Adventures of Serial Buddies. Moreover, he has also branched out as a writer and has co-authored books such as The Boy’s Fitness Guide and The Girl’s Fitness Guide.
Born Name
Gheorghe Mureșan
Nick Name
Ghiță
Sun Sign
Aquarius
Born Place
Tritenii de Jos, Cluj County, Romania
Residence
Washington, D.C., United States
Nationality
Education
Gheorghe Mureșan studied at Babeș-Bolyai University which is a public university located in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. He also played competitive basketball at Cluj University.
Occupation
Retired Professional Basketball Player, Actor, Author
Family
- Father – Ion Mureșan
- Mother – Maria Mureșan
Position
Center
Shirt Number
77
Build
Slim
Height
7 ft 7 in or 231 cm
Weight
140 kg or 308.5 lbs
Girlfriend / Spouse
Gheorghe Mureșan has dated –
- Liliane Mureșan (1994-Present) – Gheorghe Mureșan is married to Liliane Mureșan and they were blessed with their first child, a son named George Mureșan, on April 23, 1998. Later, they became parents to their 2nd child, a son named Victor Mureșan. The family lived in Franklin Lakes, Bergen County, New Jersey before moving to Washington, D.C., United States.
Race / Ethnicity
White
Hair Color
Dark Brown
Eye Color
Dark Brown
Sexual Orientation
Straight
Distinctive Features
Towering height
Shoe Size
19 (US) or 18 (UK) or 52 (EU)
Brand Endorsements
Gheorghe Mureșan has been a part of TV commercials for a couple of brands such as ESPN and Snickers.
Best Known For
- His stint as a basketball player with the likes of Washington Wizards, New Jersey Nets, and Maryland Nighthawks
- Having been recognized as NBA’s “Most Improved Player” for the 1995–96 season as he averaged with 14.5 points, 9.6 rebounds, 2.26 blocks per game and made a league-leading 58.4 percent of his field goals
- His spectacular height and for being the tallest player ever, alongside Sudanese born basketball player and political activist Manute Bol, to have played in the NBA
First Film
Gheorghe Mureșan made his first theatrical film appearance by playing one of the lead characters, i.e. Maximus “Max” Sanferescu, in the comedy-drama film, My Giant, in 1998. He starred alongside Billy Crystal, Kathleen Quinlan, and Joanna Pacuła.
First TV Show
Gheorghe Mureșan made his first TV show appearance as Himself in an episode of the famous comedy music talk-show series, Late Show with David Letterman, in March 1998.
Gheorghe Mureșan Facts
- The reason behind his extremely tall physique has been a pituitary gland disorder.
- His father’s height is 5 ft 9 in or 175 cm and his mother’s height is 5 ft 7 in or 170 cm which further proves that Gheorghe Mureșan’s height isn’t something that he has inherited.
- He was recruited at the age of 14 when he went to see a dentist who also happened to be a basketball referee.
- Gheorghe Mureșan played with Pau-Orthez in the French league as a professional during the 1992–93 season. During that time, he gained a lot of attention and also became a hit amongst the fans.
- He was drafted by the NBA franchise, Washington Bullets, in the 2nd round (30th pick overall) of the 1993 NBA draft and remained an NBA player from 1993 to 2000.
- In his best season i.e. during the 1995–1996 campaign, Gheorghe Mureșan averaged with 14.5 points per game.
- Following his achievement as the NBA’s “Most Improved Player” for the 1995–96 season, he led with a 60.4% average in field goal percentage the following season.
- Gheorghe Mureșan wrapped up his career with averages of 9.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 0.5 assists, 1.48 blocks per game, and a .573 field goal percentage.
- He played the last 31 games of his career as part of the professional basketball team, New Jersey Nets, which he joined on May 3, 1999.
- He became a member of the tallest lineup in the history of basketball on March 11, 2007, when he played a match for the Maryland Nighthawks. Despite being extremely tall himself, Gheorghe Mureșan’s height was outdone by Sun Mingming, a Chinese professional basketball player and actor, whose height is 7 ft 9 in or 236 cm.
- Gheorghe Mureșan became the founder of the Giant Basketball Academy (GBA), which is a program dedicated to teaching the proper fundamentals of basketball to individuals of all ages, in 2004.
- He has also served as the ambassador for the Washington Wizards.
- As a writer, his credits include being the co-writer of 2 young adult fitness and health books named The Boy’s Fitness Guide and The Girl’s Fitness Guide.
- Gheorghe Mureșan was ranked at number #28 in Romanian Television‘s “100 Greatest Romanians of All-Time” list issued in 2006. He was also the 3rd highest ranked athlete/sportsman on the list after retired gymnast and a 5-time Olympic gold medalist, Nadia Comăneci, and former professional footballer, Gheorghe Hagi, who were both ranked at number #9 and number #13, respectively.
- He appeared as a ventriloquist in the music video for the song My Name Is by the famous American rapper, songwriter, record producer, record executive, film producer, and actor, Eminem.
- Gheorghe Mureșan also participated in the first annual 3v3 UMTTR (You Matter) Basketball Tournament held in 2013 to increase awareness, prevention, and research of teen suicide.
- His shirt number “77” reflects his height.
- Gheorghe Mureșan had a Great Dane named “Lucky”.
- His nickname ‘Ghiță’ translates to “Little Gheorghe” in English.
- In 2011, Gheorghe Mureșan also co-starred as Paul of the Shed in the buddy-comedy film, Adventures of Serial Buddies, alongside the like of Henry Winkler, Christopher Lloyd, Beth Behrs, Christopher McDonald, Maria Menounos, Kathie Lee Gifford, Artie Lange, David Proval, and Cassidy Gifford.
- Follow Gheorghe Mureșan on Twitter.
Featured Image by Gheorghe Mureșan / Instagram