| Paul Sturgess | |
| Position: | Center |
| Height Ft: | 7 |
| Height In: | 7.26 |
| Weight Lbs: | 325 |
| Nationality: | British |
| Birth Date: | 1987 11, df=yes[1] |
| Birth Place: | Loughborough, Leicestershire, England |
| High School: | Burleigh Community College (Loughborough, Leicestershire) |
| College: |
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| Draft Year: | 2011 |
| Career Start: | 2011 |
| Career End: | 2015 |
| Years1: | 2011–2013 |
| Team1: | Harlem Globetrotters |
| Years2: | 2013–2014 |
| Team2: | Texas Legends |
| Years3: | 2014–2015 |
| Team3: | Cheshire Phoenix |
Paul Sturgess (born 25 November 1987) is a British former professional basketball player, and the tallest living person from the United Kingdom. He was officially measured by Guinness World Records in November 2011 at 7feet and 325lb. Sturgess was the tallest college basketball player in the United States.[2]
Paul "Tiny" Sturgess was "drafted" by the Harlem Globetrotters in August 2011[3] and is the tallest ever to play for the team.[1] [4] He joined the team with fellow rookie Jonte "Too Tall" Hall, who, at 5feet was 2.5feet shorter than Sturgess, and who was at the time the shortest Globetrotters player ever.[5]
Sturgess wears a size 19 shoe.[6] [7] He was the second-tallest man in Britain until the unexpected death of Neil Fingleton, who was 7feet tall, in 2017. Examinations as a teenager revealed that his growth is healthy and not the result of a medical condition, but rather he possesses familial tall stature—that is to say his height is genetic. His biological father is 6feet, and there are other tall members in his family although his mother is 5feet and his younger sister is 5feet. He featured prominently in the 2007 ITV1 television documentary Supersize Kids: Britain's Tallest Teens when he was 19 and playing at Florida Institute of Technology.
Sturgess enjoys playing many other sports and before concentrating on basketball also played golf and football.[8] He started playing team basketball at age 14 when he was 5feet, was 7feet aged 16 playing at Burleigh Community College, and was 7feet when he graduated high school at age 18. A growth spurt during ages of 16 and 17 resulted in a 1feet of height added within a single year. Sturgess can hold the 10feet high rim whilst standing. He declined offers to play professional basketball in Europe, preferring to pursue basketball in the US.
On 1 November 2013, Sturgess was selected by the Springfield Armor in the third round of the 2013 NBA Development League Draft.[9] On 4 November 2013, he was traded to the Texas Legends where he played for the rest of the season.[10]
On 19 November 2014 he was signed by Cheshire Phoenix of the British Basketball League.[11]
Later Sturgess transferred back to the Harlem Globetrotters act, this time being part of the arranged opposition.[12] In the re-formed Washington Generals Sturgess adopted a mask and the pseudonym of "Cager," adopting a villainous role.[13]
Immediately following his basketball career, he became a motivational speaker, mostly for primary-school-aged children.[14]