How tall is Markquis Nowell? Kansas State's 'little kid' reaching new heights with big March Madness

Kansas State guard Markquis Nowell was one of the breakout stars of the regular season, but he's started to make a national name for himself in March. 

Nowell looked like a star in the Wildcats' second-round win over Kentucky, pouring in 27 points while dazzling with highlight-reel passes that kept John Calipari's defense on its toes.

When you watch Nowell, it might not be his scoring ability or even passing skills that stand out the most - it's his height. The guard is among the shortest players in the country but has thrived against all levels of competition. 

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Here's what you need to know about Nowell's height as he tries to lead Kansas State to Houston for the Final Four.

How tall is Markquis Nowell?

Nowell is listed as 5-8, five inches shorter than any other Kansas State player who has earned minutes this season. For comparison, Nowell is shorter than any active NBA player.

Height was part of the reason Nowell received only one Division I offer after his high school career. The Harlem native accepted the offer and moved from New York to Arkansas to play for Little Rock for three seasons before earning his way to a power conference when he transferred to Kansas State. 

In his fifth and final collegiate season, Nowell is proving that heart matters more than height. He's averaging 17.1 points and 7.8 assists per game, becoming the driving force behind a Kansas State team that has exceeded all expectations.

Between 5-8 Nowell and Keyontae Johnson, who overcame a life-threatening collapse to return to the court, the Wildcats continue to be one of the feel-good stories of this college basketball season.

“Heart over height, that’s the slogan I live by.” ❤️

Markquis Nowell (@MrNewYorkCityy) joined @TheAndyKatz as he returns to his hometown to play in the Sweet 16 with @KStateMBB pic.twitter.com/sZcHn2zXVr

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 22, 2023

DeCOURCY: K-State's littlest 'dude' Markquis Nowell conjures huge performance vs. Kentucky

How does Markquis Nowell's height compare to other players?

Nowell is one of the shortest players in college basketball. Even FDU, the shortest team in the nation, doesn't have a player shorter than 5-8, though Knights leading scorer Demetre Roberts is listed at the same height as Nowell. 

There have been some other recent examples of short players who made an impact in the NCAA Tournament. Chris Lykes, just 5-7, reached the Elite Eight with Arkansas a season ago. 

While not as short as Nowell, 5-10 Markus Howard was one of the nation's most prolific scorers at Marquette in 2019 and 2020. One of the country's leading scorers this season, Liberty's Darius McGhee, is 5-9.

Longtime Virginia guard Kihei Clark is 5-10, while Missouri's Phil Pressey and Baylor's Pierre Jackson — also 5-10 — were some of college basketball's top players a decade ago.

The list obviously gets much smaller when looking for players of Nowell's caliber who were 5-8 or shorter. The Kansas State star is setting a new standard for players his size, and some more wins in the NCAA Tournament 

DeCOURCY: Ranking the Sweet 16, from 1 (Alabama) to 16 (Princeton)

Markquis Nowell stats

Nowell emerged as a serious scoring weapon in his second season at Little Rock, but he wasn't the same player in 2020-21.

This season, he's transformed himself into a star at Kansas State. Primarily a 3-point shooter, Nowell is shooting better than 35 percent from beyond the arc and is easily averaging a career-high in assists per game.

Nowell has two games of at least 30 points this season and has recorded double-digit assists in nine different games. 

After scoring 27 against Kentucky, Nowell will have a chance to add to his Kansas State legacy against Michigan State.