Bigger Than the Biggest
When it comes to size, Jeremy Gohier has already outgrown basketball’s tallest stars. At only 14 years old, he’s officially surpassed Victor Wembanyama (7’4″, or 2.24 meters)—yes, the same Wembanyama who’s taken the NBA by storm for his height and talent. In fact, Gohier is now taller than anyone playing in the NBA right now. He shot up 4.3 inches (11 centimeters) just last year. And he’s probably not done growing yet.
“Wherever I go, everyone stares at me. I wish I was 5’11” (1.80 m). Sometimes, I just want to disappear, but I’d rather be as tall as I am and play basketball.”
He’s learning to cope with the constant attention, even though sometimes, he’d prefer to be just another face in the crowd. Still, considering his role models are giants of the game like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic, he’s in pretty great company.
A Young Career on the Rise
Jeremy has already shown he can hang with the big kids—literally. Last summer, he competed for Canada in the FIBA U16 AmeriCup, an under-16 tournament, even though he was two years younger than most players. His team reached the final, where they were soundly defeated by the United States. On the court, he averaged 2.5 points (46.7% shooting), 4.3 rebounds, 0.5 blocks, and 0.2 assists in just 10.6 minutes per game. That’s solid productivity in limited minutes—add a few more birthdays and who knows?
The Genetics Behind the Height
Wondering if his parents are giants themselves? Not exactly. His dad stands around 6’0″ (1.83 m) and his mom is roughly 5’7″ (1.70 m). However, there are some tall branches on his family tree: he has a grandfather who’s 6’5″ (1.96 m) and a relative of about 6’11” (2.10 m). That genetic lottery helped doctors rule out medical gigantism after running tests.
His mother remembers cradling a little boy who was already 3’11” (1.20 m) at just two years old. By age nine, he was 5’7″ (1.70 m), coming home from school with ripped trousers. She recalls with a smile:
“The teacher told us he played on his knees with his classmates so he could keep up with them.”
Jeremy, for the record, hopes he won’t reach the 8’2″ (2.50 m) mark—but who knows what his growth plates have in store?
What the Future Holds
Looking ahead, there’s talk of Jeremy teaming up with fellow Canadian giant Olivier Rioux, who at 19 measures about 7’8″ (2.35 m) and currently plays for the Florida Gators in NCAA Division I. If they end up sharing the paint for Team Canada, that frontcourt would surely strike fear into opponents (or at least make it tough to get a rebound).
All eyes are glued to Jeremy Gohier as he charts his own path—giant strides and all. Basketball may soon have to adjust its rules… or at least its door frames.
