From The Courts To The Classrooms: How Paul Sturgess Is Inspiring The Next Generation

He once travelled the world with The Harlem Globetrotters and visited 70 countries in the process, but since his retirement from professional basketball Paul Sturgess has swapped the court for the classrooms in a bid to inspire the next generation.

Standing at a colossal 7ft 7.26in - seven inches taller than Shaquille O’Neal - 34-year-old Sturgess is officially recorded as Britain’s tallest man by the Guniness World Records.

The former Cheshire Phoenix player, who originally hails from Leicestershire, has since moved into professional acting and will feature in Avatar 2, scheduled to be released in December 2022, and the Lord of the Rings TV series.

However, after filming wrapped up in New Zealand, where he spent two years during Covid-hit times, Sturgess recently returned to England and continued his tours of schools across the country. Pupils from Arlies Primary School in Stalybridge were lucky enough to meet the giant himself, with Sturgess spending a full day delivering motivational speeches, reflecting on his time as a professional player, coordinating basketball drills, and even showcasing some skills and tricks.

Sturgess, who weighs 147kg (23.14 stone), spoke to Reporter Sport and said he hoped his visit would encourage children to embrace their differences and strive to achieve their dreams. “I’ve been tall my entire life, but growing up I was very fortunate because I had a good support group around me. It could have gone either way; I could have been bullied or I could have been supported, and fortunately my experiences have been very positive, so It’s very important for me to visit primary schools across the country and show children that someone as different as myself can still be successful. I’ve had wonderful experiences and I try to portray that to the children."

Sturgess, who has appeared on The Jonathan Ross Show alongside former England striker Peter Crouch, is currently enjoying his new role as an actor. Although his height difference has caused a few problems in life, Paul has overcome the obstacles to forge a great career and is now excited for the new chapter in his life. “I’ve been acting for about five years and I was in New Zealand for the past two years filming the Lord of The Rings TV series, so to go from professional basketball to being in something as big as Lord of The Rings is something that I’m really proud of. It’s something that’s come about from embracing being different, being proud of who I am and using it to my advantage. Hopefully the opportunities continue to come and it’s a career that I can become quite successful at.”

You can watch our video feature on Paul on our website, www.questmedianetwork.co.uk