Jordan and LeBron's Verticals Revealed

[LakerLegend]

On Tuesday, though, James and Nike were very much on the same page, showing off the new, neon-colored LeBron 12, engineered with a hexagonal sole in place of the waffle pattern that defined Nike's early running shoes.

"The new technology is lightweight," James said. "It allows me to explode. When I'm landing it allows me to absorb the landing."

Nike said a player landing after a 32-inch vertical leap (James has a 40-inch vertical) can create force 10 times that of the athlete's body weight. The company boasts that its hexagonal pattern, on a sole composed of air and fiber, distributes that impact.

http://www.oregonlive.com/playbooks-pro ... james.html

When I started working with Michael Jordan in 1989, his vertical jump was 38 inches. By today’s standards, that might not even get you drafted in the top ten; Andrew Wiggins reportedly had a 44” vertical jump before he was drafted No. 1 overall in the 2014 NBA Draft. Eventually we got MJ up to 42”—and then 48”—using the training program which later became my book JUMP ATTACK. But we weren’t specifically training for vertical jump; we trained for overall explosiveness and skill, and the vertical increase was just a by-product of the training.

http://www.si.com/edge/2014/10/16/tim-g ... snt-enough

Although I find it hard to believe Jordan's vertical went UP in the 90's.

[GYK]

I never thought neither got extraordinary high off the ground.
Felt Jordan accelerated off the ground faster with great body control and Lebron finished with unstoppable power.

[RSCD3_]

On Tuesday, though, James and Nike were very much on the same page, showing off the new, neon-colored LeBron 12, engineered with a hexagonal sole in place of the waffle pattern that defined Nike's early running shoes.

"The new technology is lightweight," James said. "It allows me to explode. When I'm landing it allows me to absorb the landing."

Nike said a player landing after a 32-inch vertical leap (James has a 40-inch vertical) can create force 10 times that of the athlete's body weight. The company boasts that its hexagonal pattern, on a sole composed of air and fiber, distributes that impact.

http://www.oregonlive.com/playbooks-pro ... james.html

When I started working with Michael Jordan in 1989, his vertical jump was 38 inches. By today’s standards, that might not even get you drafted in the top ten; Andrew Wiggins reportedly had a 44” vertical jump before he was drafted No. 1 overall in the 2014 NBA Draft. Eventually we got MJ up to 42”—and then 48”—using the training program which later became my book JUMP ATTACK. But we weren’t specifically training for vertical jump; we trained for overall explosiveness and skill, and the vertical increase was just a by-product of the training.

http://www.si.com/edge/2014/10/16/tim-g ... snt-enough

Although I find it hard to believe Jordan's vertical went UP in the 90's.

Yeah I find it almost impossible that It went up in the 90's

And if James has a 40 inch vertical now, he must have had at least a 42 in Cleveland


Sent from my iPhone using RealGM Forums

[HornetJail]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNOOoZZB9BY[/youtube]

I think Lebron can get up plenty higher than 40 inches. This jump has to be 44-45 inches, maybe more. His chin is nearly as high as the rim.

[Jaivl]

Peak athletic LeBron is about 43 inches. I don't know what to say about MJ, but absolutely not 48 inches.

[D.Brasco]

That 48" vert claim for Jordan is total BS. His head would be half way up the back board if that was true. Let alone that he acheived that in the 90's, when it is blatantly obvious his peak hops were in the 80's.

So this huckster is claiming that as Jordan approched his 30's his vert rose up 10"?

[Shot Clock]

That 48" vert claim for Jordan is total BS. His head would be half way up the back board if that was true. Let alone that he acheived that in the 90's, when it is blatantly obvious his peak hops were in the 80's.

He's 6'6" with a 48" vertical (4 feet) that puts the TOP of his head 6 inches above the rim.

So this huckster is claiming that as Jordan approched his 30's his vert rose up 10"?

He was 25 in 1989 when he started training You know...peak time for a player.

[fancynapkin]

Jordan's vertical was not 48 inches. That is nonsense. I'm sure it sells more sneakers if you say that though.

[trex_8063]

48" seems like a bit of boastful exaggeration (the fish always gets bigger with each subsequent telling, right?).

However, he must have had at least something in the 43-44" range. I recall one clip from a dunk contest where he comes underneath the hoop for a reverse, and he tilts his head sideways to avoid hitting or scraping his scalp on the rim (in the slow-motion you can clearly see that he would indeed make contact if he kept his head upright). So that's ~43" at a minimum right there.

[trex_8063]

Speaking of verticals, check out this guy.

Note 0:31 in particular. If he is indeed 5'9", he must be a good 49" up.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J0sWNEHdM08[/youtube]

[JonBones]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNOOoZZB9BY[/youtube]

I think Lebron can get up plenty higher than 40 inches. This jump has to be 44-45 inches, maybe more. His chin is nearly as high as the rim.

I've always seen him as a powerful dunker..more of a "glider" than a riser. But wow yeah that dunk just reminded me of how he was a flyer.

[kingkirk]

48 inches?

I love me some Michael, but this is a load of crap.

[jolbin]

Grover talking BS promoting his Jump Attack program...
Also, both those results (For Michael and Lebron) cant really be confirmed, so its pretty irrelevant to talk about them...And also.. They are not high jumpers, but basketball players...And pretty good ones Playing basketball is the ultimate functional performance test for basketball players, dont we agree ?

[Dupp]

This is clearly not true.

[Ryoga Hibiki]

For reference, Nate has been recorded at the combine at 43.5

[moss_is_1]

Wasn't Lavine recorded at the lakers workout at 46" ?

[Rosque]

I love Jordan, but these fake stories about him...smdh

[LakerLegend]

RESULTS:=20
Maximum measurements:=20
Vertical reach while standing flat-footed 93.67 in.
Floor to pelvic crest while standing 49.00 in.
Vertical reach displacement during a jump from standing 35.93 in.
Vertical displacement of the pelvis during a jump from running 38.07 in.
Vertical velocity during a jump from running 701.00 o/sec.=20
Vertical reach displacement during a jump from running 45.76 in.
Vertical reach displacement during a 1 hand dunk 41.70 in.
Vertical reach displacement during a 2 hand dunk 40.93 in.

http://www.jospt.org/doi/pdf/10.2519/jospt.1999.29.1.A1

North Carolina measurements, page 10.

[NO-KG-AI]

I find that almost every vertical is smaller than people actually think. Seems to be something people always overestimate for big time dunkers. Lots of the most dynamic dunkers are right in that 35-38 range, and people swear they are in the low to mid 40's.

I think LeBron is closer to 40 than he is to 45, and Jordan has him edged by a few inches.

I also find it amusing that every time a guy comes through, who is supposed to have a mythical 44+ inch vertical (Wiggins, LeBron, etc)... they never record their vertical at the "official" places that will have listed measurements, like the Combine, the Nike Hoop Summit, or other camps. I get that once there is that much hype around it, they can only lose, but it's annoying when people say with such certainty what they really could record.

[Joseph17]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNOOoZZB9BY[/youtube]

I think Lebron can get up plenty higher than 40 inches. This jump has to be 44-45 inches, maybe more. His chin is nearly as high as the rim.

He lost some athleticism now. 40 seems about right.