Former Hawks Guard Named Among The Greatest NBA Players Under Six Feet Tall

Nov 20, 2019; Atlanta, GA, USA; A general view of the Atlanta Hawks logo at midcourt before a game between the Hawks and the Milwaukee Bucks at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-Imagn Images | Jason Getz-Imagn Images

They say that basketball is a tall man's game, but former Atlanta Hawks guard Spud Webb proved a lot of people wrong. Webb (5'6) was a part of one of the most iconic dunk contests of all-time in 1986, winning it against teammate Dominique Wilkins, and becoming the shortest player to ever win the dunk contest, a record that still stands today.

Webb played his first six NBA seasons with the Hawks before leaving to play with the Kings for four seasons. Webb did return to play one more season with the Hawks in 1995-1996.

While there are not many players to play in the NBA at 5'6, is Webb the greatest of them all? That is the argument that Bleacher Report's Andy Bailey made in a recent article ranking the greatest players of all time for each height:

Key Stats: 9.9 PPG, 5.3 APG, 1.1 SPG

Total Seasons: 12

B/R Top 100: Not Listed

"Perhaps best known for his dunk contest win in 1986, Spud Webb was a much more productive player than someone who should just be relegated to an event from a single All-Star weekend.

Particularly after he joined the Sacramento Kings, an era of his career that seems to be largely forgotten, he was an everyday starter and dynamic playmaker.

In 1991-92, his first year with the Kings, Webb put up 16.0 points, 7.1 assists and 0.9 threes (decent volume for the era), while shooting 36.7 percent from deep. A few years later, in 1994-95, he led the league in free-throw percentage at 93.4.

So, while the dunk contest might be the coolest and most memorable moment of his career, his impact went way beyond that weekend."

Nov 20, 2019; Atlanta, GA, USA; A general view of the Atlanta Hawks logo at midcourt before a game between the Hawks and the Milwaukee Bucks at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-Imagn Images | Jason Getz-Imagn Images

It is hard to argue with any of that logic and Webb should be remembered for more than that dunk contest, though that is his signature moment.

While Webb went on to become a better all-around player when he was with the Kings, he was still solid with Atlanta. In his seven seasons, Webb averaged 7.7 PPG and 4.5 APG in 19.7 MPG while shooting 46% from the field and 26% from three. He finished fourth in the Rookie of the Year race in 1985 to 1996.

Other players under six feet tall that Bailey mentioned as being the best of all time for their height were Muggsy Bogues (5'3), Earl Boykins (5'5), Keith Jennings (5'7), Charlie Criss (5'8), Isaiah Thomas (5'9), and Michael Adams (5'10).