Mike Powell (long jump world record holder) got me thinking....

[pauk]

In 1991, Mike Powell (6'3") long jumped for a world record ~9 meters (29 feet & 4 inches)....

For you to know how ridicilous this is take a look at his departure and landing distance relative to NBA basketball court dimensions:




Now, if you take a look at the slowmotion of that video above you will see that mr Powell reaches and holds his top vertical height up (which as you can see is very high up) to almost 6 meters (19-20 feet) before he starts falling down....

So? Well... from the top of the key line to the centre of the hoop its almost 6 meters (19-20 feet)... what this means is that its possible mr Powell could have dunked a basketball from the top of the key or at very least touched/grabed the rim/net.........

From the NBA 3PT line to the centre of the hoop its 7.3 meters distance (23 feet & 9 inches)... i dont think he could have dunked from there, but maybe touched the net perhaps... who knows... hm....

Whatever the case...... Powell dunking from the FT line (14 feet to the hoop) would be childs play, lets just say its safe to say Mike Powell could have dunked from further away than anybody you ever seen in basketball history........

I just thought this was crazy enough to share... :)

[Magic bird]

A long jumpers Peak during a jump is 3/4 of the distance, I think he could definitely touch the net, but not the ring. Interesting post.

[pauk]

A long jumpers Peak during a jump is 3/4 of the distance, I think he could definitely touch the net, but not the ring. Interesting post.

Exactly... again, i just think its.. crazy.. :)

[iamgine]

Would that jumping power translate into touching the top of the backboard easily?

[Force]

James White can go through his legs from the Ft line, also can do behind the back from the line. If he can do that there has got to be people on this planet that can reach out and barely dunk from the top of the key if given the practice. It's crazy to think about it, LOL

[Magic bird]

Would that jumping power translate into touching the top of the backboard easily?

Is'nt Dwights max reach the top of the backboard? And thats with an approx 10 metre run up (On Sports Science) How could this guy touch the top of the backboard?

[pauk]

What Mike Powell would most definitely be in the NBA is the most accurate 3PT shooter in NBA history, he would realistically be able to do 3PT layups... i mean... really... 3PTs on the boxscore... he would technically be high up enough to get exactly close or under the rim for a simple layup before he lands... and considering there is usually defenders around it would be very hard to not foul him during that long flight... so its either 3 freethrow attempts or a and1/4pt play.... lol..

[PistolPete44]

wow I almost cried, that's impossible

[dunksby]

Stupid post, you can't take what he did in that setting and apply it to everyday basketball or even empty court play. Give him a bball to hold and he can't even reach 70% of momentum he needs for that jump let alone laying it up. Every limb of a long jumper works in harmony to make a jump, take one away and it all falls apart.

[pauk]

Stupid post, you can't take what he did in that setting and apply it to everyday basketball or even empty court play. Give him a bball to hold and he can't even reach 70% of momentum he needs for that jump let alone laying it up. Every limb of a long jumper works in harmony to make a jump, take one away and it all falls apart.

Nah, he would be able to do almost exactly that jump with a basketball in his hands.... its not a medicine ball for gods sake... he would most definitely reach 80% or more of that exact result with a basketball in his hands... and that percentage or more from 29'4" is more than enough ....

[Clutch]

Powell is focused on length of the jump,not on its height. Also he needs a lot of preparation to do it and a really long "runway" to get to his maximum speed and take off.

I doubt it would translate well into basketball. First of all it would be impossible for him to run as fast with the basketball. Second of all he doesn't really jump high and in the last few meters of flight he makes "weird" motions to maintain his jump.

Maybe in a fast break he could lay it in from the 3-pt line but again,just MAYBE.
In a real game with set defenses no way he could even lay it in from 3-pt line,let alone dunk it.

Still,jumping that far is certainly impressive. I just don't think it's possible for him to jump that long and that high while dribbling the basketball and then focusing to dunk the ball at the rim.

[chains5000]

Offensive foul waiting to happen.

[dunksby]

Nah, he would most definitely reach 70% or more with a basketball in his hands, he would be able to do almost exactly that jump with a basketball in his hands.... its not a medicine ball for gods sake...

You never practiced sports in your life obviously, but it's ok you can fantasize all you want.

[eliteballer]

Being able to do that and do it while putting a ball into a hoop 10 feet in the air are two completely different things.

[I<3NBA]

the force needed from a horizontal jump to a vertical jump increases exponentially. and as a poster has said, arm swinging helps in propelling a long jumper further. add the difficulty of handling a ball without losing it, and the degree of difficulty of making that dunk rises.

doing this in game is virtually impossible. doing it in a dunk contest, yes. on the moon.