7 Footer PBA Player: Top Skills and Career Insights for Aspiring Tall Athletes

The first time I stepped onto a professional basketball court, I remember looking up at the rim and feeling an odd mixture of intimidation and exhilaration. At 6'8", I was always the tallest guy in my college games, but here in the PBA, I was suddenly average. That’s when I noticed him – a 7-foot rookie stretching near the baseline, his movements fluid yet powerful, like a crane preparing for flight. He wasn’t just tall; he carried his height with a grace that made the court seem smaller, the rim lower. Watching him, I realized that being a 7-footer in the PBA isn’t just about height – it’s about mastering a unique set of skills that transform physical gifts into basketball artistry. This realization sparked my fascination with what I now call the "7 footer PBA player phenomenon," a subject that goes far beyond mere statistics and delves into the very soul of the game.

I recall one particular practice session where our coach had us working on close-range shots. The 7-footer on our team – let’s call him Marco – moved differently from the rest of us. When he posted up, his defender practically disappeared behind him. His wingspan created passing lanes that seemed to defy physics, and his hook shots arched over outstretched hands as if launched from a different dimension. What struck me most wasn’t his height itself, but how he used it. He’d developed this incredible footwork that allowed him to pivot in spaces that would have most players tripping over their own feet. His secret, he later told me, was spending hours practicing in tight spaces, learning to make his massive frame agile rather than just powerful. "They expect me to be clumsy," he said with a grin, "so I make sure my first step is always quicker than they anticipate."

This brings me to the current situation with Ginebra’s roster, which perfectly illustrates both the value and vulnerability of having a dominant big man. As things stand now, Ginebra only has a 13-man roster with big man Isaac Go listed in the injured/reserved list and not scheduled to join the Gin Kings until late December or early January. That’s nearly two months without their primary interior presence – two months where every rebound becomes a battle, every defensive rotation crucial. I’ve been in similar situations where an injury to our center forced the entire team to adjust our defensive schemes. The absence of that 7-foot anchor changes everything; suddenly guards drive more aggressively, opponents crash the boards with renewed confidence, and the paint feels exposed.

What aspiring tall athletes need to understand is that their development timeline isn’t linear. I’ve seen countless young players with incredible height struggle because they try to do everything at once. The most successful ones I’ve worked with – including several current PBA stars – focused on mastering two or three key skills before expanding their game. For instance, one player spent his entire rookie year perfecting his defensive positioning and free-throw shooting. Boring? Maybe. But by his second season, he was averaging 12 points and 8 rebounds simply because he’d mastered the fundamentals. Another dedicated six months solely to developing a reliable mid-range jumper, and now defenders can’t sag off him without paying the price.

The mental aspect is where many tall athletes surprisingly struggle. There’s this expectation that because you’re tall, you should dominate immediately. I remember my own frustration during my first professional season – missing easy putbacks, getting called for offensive fouls I didn’t understand. The pressure to perform can be overwhelming when everyone in the arena expects you to block every shot and grab every rebound. What saved me was developing what I call "selective amnesia" – the ability to forget a bad play immediately and focus on the next possession. This mental resilience separates good tall players from great ones. I’ve noticed that the most successful 7-footers in PBA history all share this quality; they might have an off night shooting, but their defense and rebounding never waver.

Looking at Isaac Go’s situation specifically, his absence creates opportunities for other players to step up, but it also highlights how specialized the center position has become. Modern PBA basketball requires big men who can switch on defense, handle the ball in transition, and occasionally stretch the floor. The days of traditional back-to-the-basket centers are fading – today’s successful 7-footer needs the footwork of a guard and the basketball IQ of a point guard. I’ve been particularly impressed with how some teams develop their big men; one organization I worked with had their centers practicing three-point shots for thirty minutes every practice, recognizing that spacing the floor creates opportunities for everyone.

The financial reality for tall athletes in the PBA is another aspect young players should understand. While exact figures vary, a starting center for a competitive team typically earns between ₱150,000 to ₱300,000 monthly – substantial but not astronomical when you consider the short career span. The smart players I’ve seen invest early, recognizing that basketball careers rarely last beyond age 35. One former teammate of mine used his earnings to open a chain of sports clinics, while another invested in commercial real estate. Their height opened doors, but their business acumen secured their futures.

What continues to fascinate me about observing and playing alongside these giants is how their presence transforms team dynamics. A skilled 7-footer doesn’t just add points and rebounds – he changes how opponents defend, creates spacing for shooters, and anchors the defense in ways that statistics can’t fully capture. When Isaac Go returns to Ginebra in January, watch how the team’s defensive rating improves, how their transition game becomes more fluid, how their three-point shooters get cleaner looks. These are the subtle impacts that make developing tall athletes so crucial for PBA teams. For any young player reading this who’s blessed with height, remember: your journey will be unique, challenging, and incredibly rewarding if you approach it with patience and the right mindset. The rim may be ten feet high for everyone else, but for you, it’s just the beginning.