Aaron Durley facts for kids

Aaron Durley, born on July 21, 1991, is known for being a very tall athlete. He played baseball in the Little League World Series. Later, he became an all-state basketball player in high school. He also played basketball for Texas Christian University (TCU).

Early Life and Little League Fame

Aaron Durley was born in Houston, Texas. He first caught the media's attention in 2005. This was because of his amazing height while playing in the Little League World Series.

In 2006, he was 6 feet 8 inches tall. He played first base and pitched for the Arabian American team from Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. This team was made up of children whose parents worked for Saudi Aramco, the national oil company. Many of these families were from the United States.

At 6 feet 9 inches and 245 pounds, Aaron was the biggest player ever in the Little League World Series. He was even taller than the average NBA player! He had also played for the same team in the 2005 Little League World Series.

Growing Up and High School Sports

Aaron kept growing taller. By 2008, he was 6 feet 10 inches tall and weighed 265 pounds. He wore a size 17 shoe. In August 2009, he reached 6 feet 11 inches tall and wore a size 18 shoe.

Because of his large shoe size, Aaron sometimes received shoes from famous basketball players. These included NBA star Yao Ming and college player Dexter Pittman.

For five years, Aaron lived in Saudi Arabia with his parents. His father, who was 6 feet 8 inches tall, worked for Saudi Aramco. He also coached Aaron's Dhahran team. Before living in Saudi Arabia, Aaron lived in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

Aaron attended St. Thomas High School in Houston. He lived with his grandparents there. In 2008, the Houston Chronicle newspaper called him a "freshman phenom." He scored 16 points in his very first game with the team.

In 2010, he was named to the second-team Class 5A All-State Boys Basketball Team. This honor came from the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools. Aaron later moved to Fort Bend Bush High School in Houston. He graduated in 2011.

College Basketball and Beyond

Aaron first planned to play basketball for Marquette University. However, he later decided to sign with Texas Christian University (TCU).

During his first year at TCU, he had a serious knee injury. He had to take a break from playing. After nine months of recovery, he injured his knee again. This happened during a practice drill before a game in Canada.

Aaron and the TCU coaches decided it was best for him to stop playing basketball. This was to protect his long-term health. Aaron graduated from TCU in May 2016. He studied Sports Broadcasting.

Family Connections

Aaron's brother, Cameron Durley, also played in the 2008 Little League World Series. He was also on the Dhahran, Saudi Arabia team. At 12 years old, Cameron was 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighed 228 pounds.

Aaron's grandfather, Wilson Graham, played college basketball in Ohio. His father played basketball at East Texas State. His aunt, Margo Graham, was a player in the WNBA, a professional women's basketball league.