Robert Bobroczky
Robert Bobroczky
In action
Robert Bobroczky (born July 17, 2000) is a Romanian basketball player who currently plays at the SPIRE Institute. Measured at 7 ft. 7 in. tall, Bobroczky first garnered attention for his towering stature, drawing comparisons to professional basketball players of similar heights such as Manute Bol. He is now listed as the tallest individual in European basketball.
Early Life
Bobroczky was born in Arad, Romania. He experienced a dramatic swell of growth as a pre-teen, surpassing the height of his father, 7 ft. 1 in. former basketball player Zsiga, by 12 years-old. Progressively, Bobroczky grew about 12 cm a year in his early teens. In 2014, Bobroczky signed with A.S. Stella Azzurra, an amateur-level basketball club based in Italy that produced NBA power forward Andrea Bargnani. Applauded for his shot blocking, passing, and mid-range jumper, like most players of his stature however, Bobroczky was limited by his lack of muscle mass, endurance, and mobility on the court. As a result, he played only sparingly after helping the team win its Under-15 championship title. Bobroczky, nonetheless, became an internet sensation in early 2016, as videos surfaced of him dominating his much shorter competition during a game with Stella Azzurra.
In 2016, Bobroczky began attending a certified American Olympic and Paralympic training facility in Geneva, Ohio called the SPIRE Institute. Objectives were outlined during his freshman season to further Bobroczky's physical development, instead of prematurely rushing him onto the court, according to the facility's sports director, Bobby Bossmen. To achieve this goal, Bossmen tasked advisors at the institute to develop a nutrition plan for him, which required Bobroczky to eat seven times a day and engage in drills that improved his mobility and endurance. Weighting just 190 lbs. at the beginning of his training, the program also was designed to bulk up Bobroczky's rail-thin physique, optimistically setting a target weight around 220 to 230 lbs for the end of freshman year. On January 14, 2017, Bobroczky made his debut for SPIRE Institute.
As of 2017, Bobroczky is currently the tallest European basketball player and the second tallest in the world, behind Paul Sturgess, who played in the NBA Development League.