Discover The Highest Vertical Jumps In The NBA

When we think of athletes that can jump high the sport of basketball instantly comes to mind. They do dunk after all, which is possibly the most exciting action in all of sports. NBA players are unique to say the least, with their combination of size and athleticism it makes for many memorable moments; moments where the athletes are seemingly floating in air.

This got me thinking, who has the highest vertical jump in NBA history?

The highest NBA vertical jump belongs to Michael Jordan with a height of 48 inches. In 1984, Jordan reportedly tested his vertical jump while playing for the U.S. Olympic team. Those in attendance support that Jordan successfully achieved a 48 inch vertical.

No surprise there really, he is known for the jump man logo after all, but there is little proof of many of these all time highest NBA vertical jump performances. Which is why in this article I am going to breakdown and sort through all of the claims floating out there for players past and present https://888b.study/.

The Vertical Jump Throughout NBA History

The ability to jump high has become increasingly more important throughout the history of the NBA. This is related to the emergence of the dunk. In the early days of the NBA dunking was considered insulting to the opposing team and was therefore rarely utilized. One can guess then that a player’s vertical jump ability was of little importance. By the early 1960s big men in the league like Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain began to incorporate the dunk. Now we start moving the needle a little bit in terms of the vertical jump, but still not much because it was a move largely reserved for the tallest of athletes.

Finally in the 1970s we start to see the creative high flying dunks we all love. Players like Darryl Dawkins and Julius Erving ushered in the modern era of dunking and with it the importance of having a high vertical jump.

Average NBA Vertical Jump

Now before we get into listing some of the highest vertical jumps in NBA history I think it is important to set the foundation. The average NBA vertical jump is 28 inches. This is no small feat by any means, 28 inches is a very good height and would put the average person to shame. However, it is important to know what the majority of players are capable of so that we can truly appreciate the greatness of these verticals.

I mean they are all nearly a full foot and a half higher than the 28 inch NBA average.

Highest Vertical Jumps In The NBA

I have searched the internet to find and attempt to corroborate the vertical jump accolades of NBA players past and present and this list includes the best of the best. The jumps combined with the height of most of these athletes makes these performance simply freakish.