Robert Bobroczky

Róbert Bobróczkyi, anglicised Bobroczky[2], (Hungarian: Bobróczkyi Róbert, born July 17, 2000) is a Romanian basketball player for SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio, US. Standing 2.31 m (7 ft 7 in), he has drawn attention for his exceptional height.

Róbert Bobróczkyi
No. 23 – SPIRE Institute
PositionCenter
Personal information
Born (2000-07-17) July 17, 2000
Arad, Romania
NationalityRomanian[1]
Listed height7 ft 8 in (2.34 m)
Listed weight220 lb (100 kg)
Career information
High schoolSPIRE Institute (Geneva, Ohio)
Career history
2014–2015Stella Azzurra

Early life

Bobróczkyi was born in Arad, Romania,[3] the son of the Romanian-born Hungarian[4] Zsigmond Bobróczkyi, a former basketball player, 2.17 m (7 ft 1 in) tall,[5] and Brunhilde, a former volleyball and handball player, 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in). At age 8 he was taller than his mother, at 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in) tall, and by the age of 12 he reached a height of 2.18 m (7 ft 2 in), surpassing his father. As such, he was taller than Robert Wadlow was from the ages 8 to 13 years. He has been the subject of medical studies nearly his entire life, leading to the prevailing opinion that his height is a result of healthy genetics (i.e. familial or constitutional tall stature), not a hormonal disease or overgrowth syndrome. Bobróczkyi weighed just 190 lb (86 kg) during his high school basketball debut.[6]

Career

Youth

In 2014, Bobróczkyi was recruited by A.S. Stella Azzurra, an amateur-level basketball club based in Italy that produced NBA power forward Andrea Bargnani.[7] A scouting report on him noted that Bobróczkyi possessed an improved midrange jumper and passing ability, and his physical attributes made him an obvious mismatch against any of his opponents. Like most players of his stature however, Bobróczkyi was limited by his lack of muscle mass, endurance, and mobility on the court. His tremendously awkward gait and threat of exhaustion forced Bobróczkyi to play limited minutes after helping the team win its Under-15 championship title. Despite his limitations, Bobróczkyi became an internet sensation in early 2016, as videos surfaced of him dominating much shorter competition during a game with Stella Azzurra.[8]

High school

In 2016, Bobróczkyi moved to Geneva, Ohio in the US to attend the prep school SPIRE Institute and Academy.[9] Entering his freshman season, Bobróczkyi was put on a minutes restriction as he attempted to bulk up his physique for a transition into faster, more physical American basketball.[10][11] On January 14, 2017, Bobróczkyi made his debut for SPIRE Institute.[12] As of January 2018 he attends nearby Grand River Academy.[13]

Personal life

As of 2017, Bobróczkyi is currently the second tallest basketball player in the world, behind Paul Sturgess, who played in what is now known as the NBA G League.[11] As a high school senior, Bobróczkyi wears size 17 shoes and has a 140 cm (57 in) inseam.[2]

Bobróczkyi speaks Romanian, Italian, English, Hungarian, and Serbian.[14][2]

References
  1. https://www.nbadraft.net/players/robert-bobroczky
  2. Stubbs, Roman (January 26, 2018). "7-foot-7 at 17". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2018-01-29.
  3. "Robert Bobroczky". nbadraft.net. Retrieved January 21, 2017.
  4. "Egészség és boldogság - Bobroczky Róbert, a legmagasabb". feol.hu. Retrieved February 16, 2016.
  5. "Zsigmond Bobroczky Basketball Player Profile, West Olympia Phoenix Arad, News, Liga I stats, Career, Games Logs, Best, Awards - eurobasket". www.eurobasket.com. Retrieved 2018-04-16.
  6. Corcoran, Tully. "A 7-foot-7, 190-Pound 16-Year-Old Made His High School Basketball Debut Last Night". thebiglead.com. Retrieved January 21, 2017.
  7. "Stella Azzurra signs 14-year old, 226cm prospect Robert Bobroczky". sportando.com. Retrieved January 21, 2017.
  8. Macklin, Oliver. "Meet Robert Bobroczky: Europe's 7-foot-6, 15-year-old basketball player". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 21, 2017.
  9. Ostrander, Lynden. "7-foot-7 Romanian freshman Robert Bobroczky plays high school basketball for SPIRE Institute". maxpreps.com. Retrieved January 21, 2017.
  10. Dampf, Andrew. "Teen basketball giant, attempting to bulk-up with pasta". cbc.ca. Retrieved January 21, 2017.
  11. Clapp, Matt. "The second-tallest basketball player in the world made his American high school debut". msn.com. Retrieved January 21, 2017.
  12. "7-foot-7 freshman Robert Bobroczky makes varsity basketball debut". si.com. Retrieved January 21, 2017.
  13. Schonbrun, Zach (January 26, 2018). "A Teenager's Basketball Dream Is Size XXXXXL". The New York Times. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
  14. Associated Press (Dec 19, 2015). "Towering Teenager Has Scouts Buzzing". The New York Times.
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