The Numbers — SGA's Athletic Profile
These numbers come from the 2018 NBA Draft Combine — the most reliable single source of standardized athletic measurements for NBA players. SGA weighed only 180 pounds at the time and has since filled out to approximately 195 pounds while maintaining the same length and explosiveness.
The headline number is the wingspan. At 6'11.5" — nearly 7 feet — his arms span more than 7 inches beyond his height. For a point guard, this is genuinely extraordinary. Most guards have wingspans within 2 to 3 inches of their height. SGA's wingspan matches what you would expect from a small forward or power forward, not a lead guard. That difference is the foundation of everything that makes him elite defensively.
SGA's Speed in MPH — What the Tracking Data Shows
NBA player tracking systems record every player's speed on every possession throughout the season. Here is where SGA sits in that data and what it means in real basketball terms.
SGA's average speed during games is approximately 4.5 to 5.0 mph — the same as most NBA guards, since most of basketball is played at walking and jogging pace. His top tracked speed in full-effort straight-line bursts reaches approximately 17 to 18 mph, which is solidly athletic but not among the fastest in the league.
The players who top NBA speed charts — fast break finishers and open-court speed merchants — typically hit 20 to 22 mph. SGA is not in that tier for raw top-end speed. What he is in is a completely different tier for something more useful: first-step quickness and the ability to change speed.
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Calculate My Sprint Speed →SGA's Wingspan — Why It Changes Everything
The 6'11.5" wingspan is the most consequential measurement in SGA's profile. Here is how it compares to other guards and what it enables on the court.
SGA's wingspan is closer to the average small forward than the average point guard. That 4.5-inch advantage over a typical guard translates directly into:
- Steals: His arms reach passing lanes and dribble windows that shorter-armed guards cannot reach from the same body position. This is the primary reason he consistently ranks among the league leaders in steals.
- Shot contesting: When he closes out on a shooter, he can contest from a step further away than a standard guard, making it harder for shooters to create a clean window by stepping into him.
- Finishing: Extra arm length at 6'6" means he finishes at angles where most guards cannot reach without jumping — allowing him to absorb contact and still score through traffic.
Vertical Jump — Above Average for a Point Guard
SGA's 36-inch vertical is above the NBA combine average for point guards, which sits at approximately 34 to 35 inches. Combined with his 8'8" standing reach, here is what his peak height looks like:
| Player / Group | Vertical Jump | Standing Reach | Peak Fingertip Height |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average NBA Point Guard | 34.5" | ~8'5" | ~11'3" |
| SGA | 36" | 8'8" | ~11'8" |
| Average NBA Small Forward | 36" | ~8'6" | ~11'6" |
| Average NBA Center | 29" | ~8'9" | ~11'3" |
| Wembanyama | 32" | ~10'0" | ~12'8" |
At a peak height of approximately 11'8", SGA reaches higher than the average small forward and well above the average for his point guard position. He has the aerial profile of a wing despite playing lead guard — which is a significant advantage in both finishing and shot contesting.
SGA vs Wembanyama — Speed vs Size in the WCF
The 2026 Western Conference Finals matchup between SGA and Wembanyama is the most compelling individual matchup in the playoffs precisely because their athletic profiles represent opposite ends of the physical spectrum.
SGA's advantages: Speed, quickness, change of direction, and first-step acceleration. At 195 pounds with elite lateral mobility, he can create separation against any individual defender in the league. His ability to control pace — speeding up and slowing down mid-possession — is what generates his scoring opportunities rather than outrunning defenders.
Wembanyama's advantages: Peak reach, shot-blocking radius, and the ability to contest shots from angles that geometry makes unanswerable. As we detailed in our Wembanyama vertical jump breakdown, his 10-foot standing reach means he barely needs to jump to affect shots at the rim. His 12'8" peak height creates a defensive window that no guard's quickness can fully escape.
The tactical question: Can SGA's change-of-speed and off-ball movement create shot opportunities at angles where Wembanyama cannot recover in time? Or does Wembanyama's sheer physical coverage radius negate SGA's quickness advantages? This is what the series is actually about.
How SGA Compares to Other Elite Guards Athletically
| Player | Position | Height | Wingspan | Vertical | Wing Advantage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SGA | PG | 6'4.5" | 6'11.5" | 36" | +7" |
| Luka Doncic | PG | 6'6" | 6'11" | ~34" | +5" |
| Jayson Tatum | SF | 6'7" | 6'11" | ~35" | +4" |
| Donovan Mitchell | PG/SG | 6'1" | 6'10" | ~38" | +9" |
| Steph Curry | PG | 6'2" | 6'3" | ~36" | +1" |
| NBA PG Average | PG | 6'2" | 6'7" | 34.5" | +5" |
SGA's wingspan advantage over his own height — 7 inches — is among the largest for any starting point guard in the league. Steph Curry, by contrast, has only a 1-inch wingspan advantage. That difference explains a significant portion of why SGA disrupts ball-handlers and passing lanes at a rate Curry never has despite Curry's superior quickness.
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SGA's 36-inch vertical is above the NBA point guard average. See how your vertical jump compares to NBA combine averages at every position.
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SGA vs Wembanyama — The Physical Matchup Explained
See why Wembanyama's 32-inch vertical is more dominant than SGA's 36-inch vertical — and the geometry that makes the WCF matchup so fascinating.
Wembanyama's Vertical →