RealGM

MICHAEL JORDAN'S VERTICAL JUMP
Krugh _l LeVeau B
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
PURPOSE The purpose of this study, which was part of an advanced
master's motion analysis class project in 1983, was to determine Michael Jordan's maximum vertical jump.
SUBJEa Michael Jordan
METHODS: Surface markers: Left lateral malleolus, left femoral epicondyle, left greater trochanter, left pelvic crest and right distal phalanges of digits 2 and 3 of the hand.
Tasks (in order) were:
Vertical reach while standing flat-footed-baseline
Vertical reach during a jump from standing
Vertical reach during a jump from running
Vertical reach during a 1-hand dunk
Vertical reach during a 2-hand dunk
All tasks except baseline vertical reach were done with free swing of
the upper limb(s). Equipment and instrumentation: Camera, lighting, markers, meter stick, and standard basketball. Location: Carmichael Gymnasium, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
DATA ANALYSIS: Distance measurements were analyzed by comparison to a meter stick in view of the camera. Displacement measure
ments of reach (pelvis) involved measurement of vertical height to
the tip of fingers 2 and 3 (pelvis) during a task minus vertical height
to the tip of fingers 2 and 3 (pelvis) during bilateral flat-footed
stance. Velocity measurements were analyzed by dividing vertical
height distance traveled divided by time taken for the tasks. A
VanGuard Motion Analyzer was used to analyze motion frame by
frame.

RESULTS: Maximum measurements:
Vertical reach while standing flat-footed 93.67 in.
Floor to pelvic crest while standing 49.00 in.
Vertical reach displacement during a jump 35.93 in.
from standing
Vertical displacement of the pelvis during a 38.07 in.
jump from running
Vertical velocity during a jump from running 6500.00"/sec
Vertical reach displacement during a jump 45.76 in.
from running
Vertical reach displacement during 41.70 in.
a 1-hand dunk
Vertical reach displacement during 40.93 in.
a 2-hand dunk

During the vertical reach from standing, push from the floor was
with both feet. During the vertical reach during a jump from running, push from the floor was with oncfoot and momentum of the
body, two upper limbs, and one lower limb was used to the maximum.
CONCLUSION/CLJNICAL RELEVAN=. Maximum displacement
for vertical reach was achieved with a jump from a running start, a
2-hand dunk, a 1-hand dunk, and a jump from standing, respectively.
This is consistent with use of momentum of the body and limbs to
assist with the vertical displacement. Michael Jordan's vertical jump
ability during several tasks provides a standard with which athletic
achievement by others can be compared.

Nike said a player landing after a 32-inch vertical leap (James has a 40-inch vertical)

LKN wrote:MJ very likely has a better vertical since he's shorter/lighter. Not that it really matters that much

freethedevil wrote:

LKN wrote:MJ very likely has a better vertical since he's shorter/lighter. Not that it really matters that much

What I wanna know how giannis and jordan's vertical compares. Giannis atheltically has done the same things mj has done while being bigger and faster. Can he straight up match jordan's quickness, flexibility and leap, or is he mj lite there

LKN wrote:

freethedevil wrote:

LKN wrote:MJ very likely has a better vertical since he's shorter/lighter. Not that it really matters that much

What I wanna know how giannis and jordan's vertical compares. Giannis atheltically has done the same things mj has done while being bigger and faster. Can he straight up match jordan's quickness, flexibility and leap, or is he mj lite there

Giannis isn't really that close to MJ in quickness (or first step)....although he's certainly very quick for his size (which is a big reason he's such a monster defensively). I doubt his vertical is as high... but he's so long that IMO it doesn't really matter (length is better than vertical leap anyways since it's easier to make it useful during a game).

Pure sprinting speed? Maybe - although I don't think that's particularly important in basketball (quickness is IMO far more important).

freethedevil wrote:

LKN wrote:

freethedevil wrote:What I wanna know how giannis and jordan's vertical compares. Giannis atheltically has done the same things mj has done while being bigger and faster. Can he straight up match jordan's quickness, flexibility and leap, or is he mj lite there

Giannis isn't really that close to MJ in quickness (or first step)....although he's certainly very quick for his size (which is a big reason he's such a monster defensively). I doubt his vertical is as high... but he's so long that IMO it doesn't really matter (length is better than vertical leap anyways since it's easier to make it useful during a game).

I mean as in how high they'd reach which would be a combinaton of height and jump.

Pure sprinting speed? Maybe - although I don't think that's particularly important in basketball (quickness is IMO far more important).

Westbrook, Lebron and literally any great transition player disagree with you. That applies both to defense and offense.

LKN wrote:MJ very likely has a better vertical since he's shorter/lighter. Not that it really matters that much

D.Brasco wrote:

LKN wrote:MJ very likely has a better vertical since he's shorter/lighter. Not that it really matters that much

LeBron was doing this at 260 lbs+




The force generated by LeBron to get that high was for sure higher than what it took MJ to get-up who was probably about 200-205 lbs during his athletic peak.

LKN wrote:

freethedevil wrote:

LKN wrote:
Giannis isn't really that close to MJ in quickness (or first step)....although he's certainly very quick for his size (which is a big reason he's such a monster defensively). I doubt his vertical is as high... but he's so long that IMO it doesn't really matter (length is better than vertical leap anyways since it's easier to make it useful during a game).

I mean as in how high they'd reach which would be a combinaton of height and jump.

Pure sprinting speed? Maybe - although I don't think that's particularly important in basketball (quickness is IMO far more important).

Westbrook, Lebron and literally any great transition player disagree with you. That applies both to defense and offense.

How high? Yeah good question - I'm going to be lazy and not look up Giannis's standing reach but I'd guess he'd be able to get higher

Being straight up slow is certainly bad of course

D.Brasco wrote:

LKN wrote:MJ very likely has a better vertical since he's shorter/lighter. Not that it really matters that much

LeBron was doing this at 260 lbs+




The force generated by LeBron to get that high was for sure higher than what it took MJ to get-up who was probably about 200-205 lbs during his athletic peak.

D.Brasco wrote:

LKN wrote:MJ very likely has a better vertical since he's shorter/lighter. Not that it really matters that much

LeBron was doing this at 260 lbs+




The force generated by LeBron to get that high was for sure higher than what it took MJ to get-up who was probably about 200-205 lbs during his athletic peak.

Triples333 wrote:

D.Brasco wrote:

LKN wrote:MJ very likely has a better vertical since he's shorter/lighter. Not that it really matters that much

LeBron was doing this at 260 lbs+




The force generated by LeBron to get that high was for sure higher than what it took MJ to get-up who was probably about 200-205 lbs during his athletic peak.

Not a particularly outlandish athletic play there when comparing to other NBA Goat athletes. LeBron has much more impressive feats himself.

D.Brasco wrote:

Triples333 wrote:

D.Brasco wrote:
LeBron was doing this at 260 lbs+




The force generated by LeBron to get that high was for sure higher than what it took MJ to get-up who was probably about 200-205 lbs during his athletic peak.

Not a particularly outlandish athletic play there when comparing to other NBA Goat athletes. LeBron has much more impressive feats himself.

Feats yes but I was just using this to showcase his verticality. The fact LeBron made ducking his head out of the way of the rim seem almost mundane is a testament to what kind of athlete he was/is.

As for vert shorter smaller players will always have a higher vert absolutely. But what a LeBron or Zion can do at their size will always seem more impressive to me than a Zach Levine for example.

D.Brasco wrote:

Triples333 wrote:

D.Brasco wrote:
LeBron was doing this at 260 lbs+




The force generated by LeBron to get that high was for sure higher than what it took MJ to get-up who was probably about 200-205 lbs during his athletic peak.

Not a particularly outlandish athletic play there when comparing to other NBA Goat athletes. LeBron has much more impressive feats himself.

Feats yes but I was just using this to showcase his verticality. The fact LeBron made ducking his head out of the way of the rim seem almost mundane is a testament to what kind of athlete he was/is.

As for vert shorter smaller players will always have a higher vert absolutely. But what a LeBron or Zion can do at their size will always seem more impressive to me than a Zach Levine for example.

D.Brasco wrote:

Triples333 wrote:

D.Brasco wrote:
LeBron was doing this at 260 lbs+




The force generated by LeBron to get that high was for sure higher than what it took MJ to get-up who was probably about 200-205 lbs during his athletic peak.

Not a particularly outlandish athletic play there when comparing to other NBA Goat athletes. LeBron has much more impressive feats himself.

Feats yes but I was just using this to showcase his verticality. The fact LeBron made ducking his head out of the way of the rim seem almost mundane is a testament to what kind of athlete he was/is.

As for vert shorter smaller players will always have a higher vert absolutely. But what a LeBron or Zion can do at their size will always seem more impressive to me than a Zach Levine for example.

freethedevil wrote:

LKN wrote:MJ very likely has a better vertical since he's shorter/lighter. Not that it really matters that much

What I wanna know how giannis and jordan's vertical compares. Giannis atheltically has done the same things mj has done while being bigger and faster. Can he straight up match jordan's quickness, flexibility and leap, or is he mj lite there