Imagine standing on a football pitch. Now, picture someone so tall they make the goalposts look small. That’s what happened recently in Russia. Pavel Podkolzin, a former basketball giant from the NBA, stepped onto the professional football field for the first time. He’s 40 years old, and he measures a staggering 2.26 meters (about 7 feet, 5 inches).
This unexpected debut happened on Tuesday. Podkolzin played for FC Amkal Moscow in a Russian Cup match. They faced off against Kaluga in the second round. He started the game, which must have been a sight for anyone watching. One could easily think he looked more like the father of his teammates and opponents on the field. His team ended up winning the match. This moment made history, as Podkolzin is now the tallest player in Russian football ever. It’s very likely he is the tallest player in the sport’s history worldwide.
Podkolzin’s time in the NBA was brief. He holds the record as the seventh tallest player in the league’s history. Yet, he only played six games. The Utah Jazz picked him in the first round of the draft. Soon after, they traded him to the Dallas Mavericks. All of his NBA appearances were with the Mavericks. He was released by the team in 2006.
His professional basketball career ended in 2019. At that time, he played for Universitet Yugra Surgut. Now, after a break from professional sports, Podkolzin decided to try something completely different. His venture into football at 40 years old proves that it’s never too late for a surprising new chapter.
