Definition: A term borrowed from the study of flying things, wingspan is the term used to describe the length of a basketball player's arms and hands. The player stands straight with both arms fully extended out to his sides; the measure from fingertips to fingertips is his "wingspan."
A longer wingspan is a highly-prized commodity in basketball players -- longer arms allow players to "play taller" than they actually are, which is particularly helpful on defense -- blocking shots, rebounding, reaching into passing lanes for steals, etc.
Wingspan is one of the measurements taken at the NBA Predraft Camp each year, along with height (with and without shoes), weight, standing reach and body fat percentage. John Riek, a 7'2" center from Sudan, had the longest wingspan at the 2008 predraft camp, with a Boeing-esque 7 feet, 8.75 inches.
Also Known As: Length
Examples:
ESPN's Jay Bilas resolved not to describe any players as "long" during the 2008 NBA Draft; instead, he spent several minutes discussing each draftee's wingspan.
