Alexander Sizonenko

Alexander Alekseyevich Sizonenko (Ukrainian: Олександр Олексійович Сизоненко; Russian: Александр Алексеевич Сизоненко; 20 July 1959 – 5 January 2012) was a Soviet professional basketball player. Possibly the tallest person to have ever played professional basketball, he was measured by Guinness World Records at 2.39 m (7 ft 10 in) and named the world's tallest man in 1991. Sizonenko was said to have grown since this measurement was taken, although age reduced his standing height considerably. Because of his enormous growth, his mobility was increasingly impaired.

Alexander Sizonenko

Sizonenko (right) and Georg Wessels
Personal information
Born	(1959-07-20)20 July 1959 Zaporizhzhia, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
Died	5 January 2012(2012-01-05) (aged 52) Saint Petersburg, Russia
Nationality	Ukrainian
Listed height	7 ft 11 in (2.41 m)
Career information
Playing career	1976–1986
Position	Center
Career history
1976–1978	Spartak Leningrad
1979–1986	Stroitel Kuybyshev

Basketball career

Sizonenko played professionally for Spartak Leningrad (1976–1978) and for Stroitel Kuybyshev (1979–1986). Sizonenko was also a member of the Soviet national team and appeared on its behalf for 12 games. While playing, Sizonenko was listed as standing at 2.41 m (7 ft 11 in).^[1]

Personal life

Sizonenko was born in the city of Zaporizhzhia, Ukrainian SSR. He lived in Saint Petersburg, was divorced and had a son Alexander born in 1994. In the last years of his life, he faced multiple health issues. In 2011 he was moved to a hospital in St. Petersburg, where he died on 5 January 2012. He was 52.