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Eight Freakish Athletes Across Different Sports

by Gabriel Rauch - 1/21/2025

Freakish athletes across different sports Muggsy Bogues NBA

Times have sure changed since the 1800s when you could pay a penny to gawk at genetic “freaks” at a circus sideshow. Now you not only have to pay hundreds of dollars to see some freaks of nature, but they have hundreds, thousands, or even millions of adoring fans.

To be a professional athlete, it takes genetic gifts and hard work; however, for the freak athletes on this list, genetics are the main factor. These athletes take the word “freak” to another level, using their body in never-before-seen ways that have left sports fans astounded, wondering how they are the same species as those on this list. 

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Victor Wembanyama - NBA

Three words: eight-foot wingspan. Victor Wembanyama has the largest recorded wingspan of any player in the NBA, and, at 7-foot-4, he is currently the tallest player in the league. 

Not only is he a defensive machine, but just like a similar lanky player, Kevin Durant, Wembanyama has impressive guard skills for his height. Wembanyama  is known for his  nasty crossover, and he has developed into an above average shooter, completely unheard of for someone of his body type. 

Aaron Gibson - NFL

We know offensive linemen are heavy, but are they Aaron Gibson heavy? The 6-foot-6 Offensive Tackle weighed 410 lbs at his heaviest, and he was the first ever NFL player to reach the 400 lb mark. Being able to even run at that size is a tremendous feat, but being able to have a decent career in the NFL at 400 lbs is unheard of. A man that size typically cannot move that way, and it’s impressive  his career lasted four years. My knees hurt just thinking about it.

Muggsy Bogues - NBA

A 5-foot-3 NBA player sounds impossible in a sport where, even in the 90s, the average height of a point guard was around 6-foot-2. Muggsy Bogues might have looked more normal in Space Jam than in the NBA, as he was an average of a foot taller than his peers. However, Bogues still managed to have a very solid 14-year NBA career. Bogues was a one-of-a-kind athlete, as there has not been a player 5-foot-5 and below in the NBA since.  

Oneil Cruz - MLB

While this spot could have gone to other tall MLB players (pitchers Randy Johson and John Rauch are both 6-foot-10+), Oneil Cruz is the freakiest athlete in baseball for his ability to play shortstop at a staggering 6-foot-7! Major League Baseball has never seen a player move like Cruz at his height, nor has it seen a player his size cover the most athletic position in the sport. Cruz looks like a video game create-a-player on the field, with the ability to cover ground and contort his body in ways that should not be possible at his height. As the tallest shortstop ever, Cruz will remain in the history books for a long time. 

Eddie Gaedel - MLB

3-foot-7, 60 lbs.

No, that’s not a typo. That was the height and weight of Eddie Gaedel, the shortest person to ever play a game in the MLB. Bill Veeck, owner of the St. Louis Browns (now the Baltimore Orioles), signed Gaedel as a stunt in the 50s, making Gaedel the only little person to ever play in the major leagues. In case you’re wondering, Gaedel walked with a 4-0 count during his one appearance at the plate and received a standing ovation from the Browns crowd. 

Nikolai Valuev - Boxing

The tallest and heaviest champion in boxing history, Nikolai Valuev has the undisputed title of a freak athlete in sports as well at seven-feet tall! Valuev’s stature, coupled with a weight exceeding 300 lbs, led to a legendary career with a record of 50-2-1. While there have been taller boxers, none can stand up to this freak of nature who managed to have a long and successful career, holding his heavyweight title for five years. 

Hongman Choi - MMA and Kickboxing

As the tallest kickboxer and tied for the tallest MMA fighter, constituting Hongman Choi a freak doesn’t even scratch the surface. The 7-foot-2 Choi managed to fight on and off in both kickboxing and MMA for 15 years, and he even achieved  a winning record in kickboxing. Choi set a record despite typically having to fight athletes around a foot shorter than him, as well as  having to make impossible maneuvers at over 350 lbs. 

One of his opponents in kickboxing, Jerome Le Banner, said it best, “He is dangerous, his knees are almost at the level of my head, he’s not human!” Banner further commented that it hurt to even just  hit Choi. 

Usain Bolt - Track: 

Everything that can possibly be said about Usain Bolt has been said at this point, as the fastest man in history’s achievements are well documented. However, many may not know that he is also the tallest sprinter in Olympic history. 

Bolt’s height at 6-foot-5 is unusual for sprinters who are typically around the 5-foot-10 to 6-foot-1 range.  While being taller typically offers less control in sprinting, this was not the case for Bolt. While his height might limit a strong start of having quick feet, Bolt was able to control himself and utilize his longer stride for a huge advantage later in the race. With an incredibly unusual body, we will likely never again see a freak athlete like Bolt for track. 

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