Nice vert Kam. Wait until you are slowed down with a belly like some of us! I'm 5'9 and could barely touch the rim in high school. Now if I try to increase my vert my knees really start to hurt.
Hey Kam, did u do any leg exercises of some sort to increase your vert? or were you born with good vertical leap.
Mine is sitting steady at 19. Last I heard Francis' was 48.....and whichever announcer that said it was, said it was tied for the highest in the NBA(with Vince I think) But I heard Amare has a 48 inch vertical, too.
I'm pretty sure they did a survey of this back in '96-97 when the game NBA Jam was very popular and everybody was yapping about verticals. At his prime, Kemp was listed at 48 inch vertical since he could touch the top of the backboard. Pippen was listed third with a 47 inch and I believe Penny had a 49 inch and was listed at number one. Dream was reported to have a 41 inch vertical, which means as far as I know, he, Kemp, and McDyess are the only power forwards or center in the 40 inch vertical club. I'm sure Barkley would be on that list, too. D-Rob and Amare are listed to have a 36-38 inch vertical. And Oliver Miller was listed with 8 inches.
Pippen and Penny were athletic, but they weren't really known as skywalkers. 47 and 49 inch verticals are in Dominique, Jordan, and Spud Webb company.
That's still the most amazing thing I've ever seen in a basketball game... I've never really liked Carter before, but that's something you never forget seeing, especially as it happens.
I would love to see an angry-agressive Vince Carter... imagine having Iverson's heart and mind in Carter's body. That would make Carter as good, or better than Kobe/McGrady.
carter is the best dunker of all time....there is nobody better than him. 1) all-star dunks 2) over the 7' somethin guy 3) a windmill while his head was near the rim this guy is insane...when it comes to dunking....though i don't believe he has a 50" vertical.
You make a good point about VC, but you have to give Jordan and Wilkins some consideration. Anybody remember when Jordan dunked on 7'4" Mark Eaton? Dominique had some NASTY ones too. I remember him catching the ball off the rim and dunking over 3 people. As far as the 50 inch vertical, very few people have verticals that high. I've only heard of one person having a 50" vertical and that was off of 3 steps. Plus he was 5'9".
I watched LeBron James in a high school slam contest on TV. His chin was above the rim on several dunks. Now since he is 6'8" I don't know what that makes his vertical, but he can 'jump-out-of-the-gym' as they say. There's gonna be some guys challenged in next year's all star dunk contest. They'll just have to show up if they got the 'nads. BTW: a 7'2" Ralph Sampson with a 36" jump and his long arms must have been pretty awesome. Too bad he banged up his knees so early in his career, he should have been a great one.
Another guy who had a pretty amazing verticle. Robert Pack. Remember when he dunked on Shawn Kemp when the Nuggets upset Seattle in 94. Robert Horry, Latrell Sprewell and a player named James Robinson who used to play for the TrailBlazers I think, all were at Alabama at the same time and all had incredible hops. Robinson was a 6'2" guard who rountinely dunked in games. Anyone remember when Latrell dunked on Pipen in either the 96 or 97 all-star game?
DAvid wood ( http://www.eurobasket.com/ESPplayer.asp?PlayerID=9456 ) had a 48" leap. I remember him ALWAYS hanging from the rim after a dunk. He was instrumental in taking the Lakers to the 5th game in 91.
