Aaron Durley
Encyclopedia
Aaron Durley is a former Little League
World Series baseball player known for his exceptional size, and current all-state high school basketball player.
He first became the object of media attention in 2005 (though garnered much more in 2006
when he had grown 4 more inches to 6' 8"), when he played first base and pitched and batted fifth in the Little League World Series for the Arabian American team from Dhahran
, Saudi Arabia
, which is largely composed of the children of foreign petroleum workers, many from the United States
. In 2006, he made his second consecutive series appearance for Dhahran. At 6' 9", 245, Durley is the biggest player in Little League World Series history. He was taller than the average NBA player.
He had previously played for the Arabian American team in the 2005 Little League World Series
. By 2008, Durley was 6-foot-10 and 265 pounds with a size-19 shoe. Durley is slimmer after going through a summer workout for basketball in Houston, where he is living with grandparents, said his father, James Durley, coach of this year's team. In August 2009, Durley was 6' 11" tall, weighed 250 lbs., and takes a size 20½ shoe.
Aaron received some of his shoes from big time basketball players such as Rockets star Yao Ming, and University of Texas center Dexter Pittman. For five years, Durley has lived with his parents in Saudi Arabia, where his 6' 8" father works for Saudi Aramco
and coached his Dahran team. His mother, Dana, is just under 6 feet tall. Previous to that, he lived in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, where his father had moved from Texas.
Aaron is attending high school in Houston at St. Thomas High School, and living with his grandparents. As of 2008 and 2009 he was concentrating on basketball, but said he might give baseball a try because former Houston Astro Craig Biggio
would be his coach. Described by the Houston Chronicle in November 2008 as a "freshman phenom", at 6' 10", 265 he was impressive in his debut, amassing 16 points. In 2010, he was honored by the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools
on its postseason second-team Class 5A All-State Boys Basketball Team.
His brother Cameron Durley participated in the 2008 Little League World Series
, also as a member of the Dhahran, Saudi Arabia team. Cameron was 6' 2" and 228 lbs. at 12 years of age. His maternal grandfather, Wilson Graham, was an All State guard in Ohio, and his father played basketball at East Texas State. His aunt is former WNBA player Margo Graham.
On October 26, 2011, Durley committed to play basketball at Marquette University in Milwaukee starting in the 2012 season.
Little League
Little League Baseball and Softball is a non-profit organization in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, United States which organizes local youth baseball and softball leagues throughout the U.S...
World Series baseball player known for his exceptional size, and current all-state high school basketball player.
He first became the object of media attention in 2005 (though garnered much more in 2006
2006 Little League World Series
-Pool play:The top two teams in each pool moved on to their respective semifinals. The winners of each met on August 27 to play for the Little League World Championship. Teams marked in green qualified to the knockout stage, while teams marked in red were eliminated. Ties are broken based on...
when he had grown 4 more inches to 6' 8"), when he played first base and pitched and batted fifth in the Little League World Series for the Arabian American team from Dhahran
Dhahran
Dhahran is a city located in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province, and is a major administrative center for the Saudi oil industry. Large oil reserves were first identified in the Dhahran area in 1931, and in 1935 Standard Oil of California drilled the first commercially viable oil well...
, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
, which is largely composed of the children of foreign petroleum workers, many from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. In 2006, he made his second consecutive series appearance for Dhahran. At 6' 9", 245, Durley is the biggest player in Little League World Series history. He was taller than the average NBA player.
He had previously played for the Arabian American team in the 2005 Little League World Series
2005 Little League World Series
-Pool play:The top two teams in each pool moved on to their respective semifinals. The winners of each met on August 28 to play for the Little League world championship.-All times US EDT-International:All times US EDT:Elimination round...
. By 2008, Durley was 6-foot-10 and 265 pounds with a size-19 shoe. Durley is slimmer after going through a summer workout for basketball in Houston, where he is living with grandparents, said his father, James Durley, coach of this year's team. In August 2009, Durley was 6' 11" tall, weighed 250 lbs., and takes a size 20½ shoe.
Aaron received some of his shoes from big time basketball players such as Rockets star Yao Ming, and University of Texas center Dexter Pittman. For five years, Durley has lived with his parents in Saudi Arabia, where his 6' 8" father works for Saudi Aramco
Saudi Aramco
Saudi Aramco , officially the Saudi Arabian Oil Company, is the national oil company of Saudi Arabia.Saudi Aramco is the world's largest and most valuable privately-held company, with estimates of its value in 2011 to be $7 trillion USD.Saudi Aramco has both the largest proven crude oil reserves,...
and coached his Dahran team. His mother, Dana, is just under 6 feet tall. Previous to that, he lived in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, where his father had moved from Texas.
Aaron is attending high school in Houston at St. Thomas High School, and living with his grandparents. As of 2008 and 2009 he was concentrating on basketball, but said he might give baseball a try because former Houston Astro Craig Biggio
Craig Biggio
Craig Alan Biggio is a former Major League Baseball second baseman, catcher, and outfielder. He played his entire 20-year baseball career with the Houston Astros . He ranks 21st all-time with 3,060 career hits, and is the ninth player in the 3000 hit club to get all his hits with the same team. He...
would be his coach. Described by the Houston Chronicle in November 2008 as a "freshman phenom", at 6' 10", 265 he was impressive in his debut, amassing 16 points. In 2010, he was honored by the Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools
Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools
The Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools, or TAPPS, is an organization headquartered in Salado, Texas which creates rules for, and sometimes administers, almost all athletic and academic contests for non-public high schools in the American state of Texas...
on its postseason second-team Class 5A All-State Boys Basketball Team.
His brother Cameron Durley participated in the 2008 Little League World Series
2008 Little League World Series
The Little League World Series, was held in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. It began on August 15 and ended August 24. Eight teams from the United States and eight from throughout the world competed to decide the winner of the 62nd installment of the Little League World Series...
, also as a member of the Dhahran, Saudi Arabia team. Cameron was 6' 2" and 228 lbs. at 12 years of age. His maternal grandfather, Wilson Graham, was an All State guard in Ohio, and his father played basketball at East Texas State. His aunt is former WNBA player Margo Graham.
On October 26, 2011, Durley committed to play basketball at Marquette University in Milwaukee starting in the 2012 season.