ESPN article about touching the top of the backboard (13ft)

[VeeCee15]

Vince can come close.

In the miami heat charity game he did a self alleyoop in warmup where his head was a LEGIT 1 inch above the rim.

If he was just jumping straight up, VC at his prime, could get around 2-3 inches above rim with his head.

But still he'd be inches off from actually touching the top of the backboard imo.

KOBE? get real.

[Kblaze8855]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=FbVJ1IvYkaI

The above link shows a former University of Iowa player, Doug Thomas, supposedly touching 13 feet, the height of the top of the backboard. Unfortunately, though, you can't see it very well. I wish they would've zoomed in on his hand or something.

Thats what I was gonna post(I did once a while back). They measured it at 13 but it wasnt jumping actually with a backboard.

I really wouldnt bet against a guy like Travis Outlaw getting up there. Ive seen him about close as James white was in that video a year ago. I didnt see video but I saw a still image of outlaw riiiiiight next to the white at the top.

*Edit*

Found it.



How far short would you say he is? 4-5 inches?


A guy with a 9'6'' standing reach(Wilt, Andrew Bynum, and a few others) would need to get up 42 inches to do it(maybe a little less with shoes). Wilt was a big ten high jump champ. I gotta believe that even in the 50s a college level high jumper would have to have a vertical in the 35 range or better. Maybe on the highest jump of their lives these crazy long armed lanky bigmen could get there.

Im not buying anyone under 6'9 doing it though.

[Younggrease]

Vince can come close.

In the miami heat charity game he did a self alleyoop in warmup where his head was a LEGIT 1 inch above the rim.

If he was just jumping straight up, VC at his prime, could get around 2-3 inches above rim with his head.

But still he'd be inches off from actually touching the top of the backboard imo.

KOBE? get real.

I swear to god at a speech he gave in 2003 at Eastern Invitational Camp in Trenton NJ at College of NJ...Vince said in high school he could jump up with two hands and hand from the top of the back board... He said he couldnt hang anymore but he could still touch it..

I feel so lied to. I wish I taped it because I would put him on blast. Maybe Hoop Group has the tape still

[SHEED_ gangsta]

I've heard the "guy grabbing change from the top of the backboard" story so many times one guy said VC did another guy said Mcdyess did it I never believed them though

[SomeBunghole]

I don't know why people would be so impressed with someone grabbing anything of the top of the backboard anyway, least of all so much as to spread stories and rumours about it for decades. The best was a few years back when I was still in teaching school doing my practicum, and a 13-year-old tried to convince me that if Vince felt like it, he could go to the Olympics and win the high jump competition. When I asked the kid why he doesn't do it, he said Vince doesn't feel like it. Makes sense, since one could say the same about basketball.

Either way, for those of you impressed by leaping ability, here:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Jw-mHX_wKM8

http://youtube.com/watch?v=IclEQA48IOE

In the last video, the bar is at 8 feet and half an inch. Dirty commies and their insane leaping ability.

[SHEED_ gangsta]

holy ****!!!!

[Jasper]

This thread periodically comes up ... and I keep mentioning early 70's Milwaukee Bucks - Curtis Perry did it.

Sorry - no youtube back then , and I would be surprised if a telecast was even there.
Any case all I could possibly do is contact one of the Legend web sites and ask them to contact one of the old Bucks and legit. the factoid.

[gyu]

I've seen that vid of James white coming within like an inch or two of the top.

[RoseCity07]

Are people so lame they think it's amazing Dwight Howard can touch the top of the back board. Travis Outlaw can grab a stack of quarters off the top of the back board.

[bigboi_baller]

When I try to warm up for my dunks on the 13 foot hoop in my backyard, I usually try to get my head over that top of the 10 foot hoop's backyard. On a good day, I can blow the dust off the top.

And yes, I have a 12 foot hoop and a 10 foot hoop in my backyard. No body wants to play with me unless I have to shoot on a 13 foot hoop so its fair.

[DatZNasty]

I wonder if people realize how big a regulation backboard is, 72inches wide by 42 inches tall. In this case the height is all that matters, but I have been in plenty of gyms where the backboards were not regulation and the top was only 12'6 or sometimes even 12ft like on those sucky half circular ones.

If this rim ws made to be regulation height, the top of this backboard would be 12'6


Still, to put that in perspective James White has a 8'9 standing reach. 13ft-8'9=51 inches.

[3stat2]

Yeah that Doug Thomas video is the only real proof I have ever seen of someone legitimately touching 13 feet. Since he's a one footed jumper he'd probably collide with the backboard and seriously hurt himself if he tried to jump and grab at the top of an actual one. Too bad the Suns released him!

Tell you what, I think Dwight is telling the truth. Sometimes you just feel great, your adrenaline is pumping, your legs are ready yet rested, and you just do one of those freak jumps where everything is perfect - one where you get a few inches higher than normal, but is extremely difficult to do again. One where conditions are absolutely perfect and you fluke that balance of muscle twitch coordination. That's pretty much what high jumpers aim for, is it not? Seeing how close he can come, I think he's telling the truth about maybe just getting a nail up to 13 feet.

Wilt I think you could make a case for. In the vids I've seen of him, he does seem to have some decent leaping ability but I've never seen him with his head at the rim. I think he's downright spewing **** when he claims he has a higher vert than Jordan - but looking at his freakishly long arms and legs, and his amazingly high reach, I think he had the potential to touch the top.

PS Kblaze, his hand is like 9 or more inches from wrist to tip so you can kinda get some perspective on that. He's probably around 8 inches from the top imo

[DatZNasty]

Yeah that Doug Thomas video is the only real proof I have ever seen of someone legitimately touching 13 feet. Since he's a one footed jumper he'd probably collide with the backboard and seriously hurt himself if he tried to jump and grab at the top of an actual one. Too bad the Suns released him!

Tell you what, I think Dwight is telling the truth. Sometimes you just feel great, your adrenaline is pumping, your legs are ready yet rested, and you just do one of those freak jumps where everything is perfect - one where you get a few inches higher than normal, but is extremely difficult to do again. One where conditions are absolutely perfect and you fluke that balance of muscle twitch coordination. That's pretty much what high jumpers aim for, is it not? Seeing how close he can come, I think he's telling the truth about maybe just getting a nail up to 13 feet.

Wilt I think you could make a case for. In the vids I've seen of him, he does seem to have some decent leaping ability but I've never seen him with his head at the rim. I think he's downright spewing **** when he claims he has a higher vert than Jordan - but looking at his freakishly long arms and legs, and his amazingly high reach, I think he had the potential to touch the top.

Slam claimed Wilt would put a ball in his armpit, jump up and get so high over the rim he'd punch the ball in with the opposite hand and called it the hammer dunk. Nate McMillan claims he's seen LeBron and Travis Outlaw do it, both deny they can. David Thompson claims he can, as always no proof. I've heard Ralph Sampson claim he can do it.

I'm not gonna upload the clip of James White trying it, that this article is based on because like I said someone keeps threatening to sue me, but here is James White missing an alleyoop

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-uXAThYKnI

[steve]

Slam claimed Wilt would put a ball in his armpit, jump up and get so high over the rim he'd punch the ball in with the opposite hand and called it the hammer dunk. Nate McMillan claims he's seen LeBron and Travis Outlaw do it, both deny they can. David Thompson claims he can, as always no proof. I've heard Ralph Sampson claim he can do it.

I'm not gonna upload the clip of James White trying it, that this article is based on because like I said someone keeps threatening to sue me, but here is James White missing an alleyoop

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-uXAThYKnI

It wouldn't suprise me if Ralph Sampson would be able to do it, he was 7'4" or 7'5" and very good leaping ability, some of the block he made in his best days definitely make it look like it was at least possible.

[mnsully15]

Slam claimed Wilt would put a ball in his armpit, jump up and get so high over the rim he'd punch the ball in with the opposite hand and called it the hammer dunk. Nate McMillan claims he's seen LeBron and Travis Outlaw do it, both deny they can. David Thompson claims he can, as always no proof. I've heard Ralph Sampson claim he can do it.

I'm not gonna upload the clip of James White trying it, that this article is based on because like I said someone keeps threatening to sue me, but here is James White missing an alleyoop

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-uXAThYKnI

Why would you get sued for posting the video?