Single Hand Dunks

[SNPA]

Literally, off the dribble with a one hand snatch.

Go to the 1:11 mark.

Watch on YouTube

Did Dr. J use a single hand to grab it off the bounce and dunk in one motion? The size of his hands is legendary but damn.

Does anyone have other examples of J or other players doing this? Just palming a ball off the dribble while driving and dunking it? Not cradle, just snatching it.

[penbeast0]

Check for other guys with legendary hands and dunking ability like Wilt, Connie Hawkins, Jordan, Shaq, and Giannis.

https://sport.bovada.lv/sports/basketball/nba/biggest-hand-sizes-in-nba-history/#:~:text=Boban%20Marjanovic&text=When%20he%27s%20not%20starring%20in,in%20all%20of%20NBA%20history.

[SNPA]

Check for other guys with legendary hands and dunking ability like Wilt, Connie Hawkins, Jordan, Shaq, and Giannis.

https://sport.bovada.lv/sports/basketball/nba/biggest-hand-sizes-in-nba-history/#:~:text=Boban%20Marjanovic&text=When%20he%27s%20not%20starring%20in,in%20all%20of%20NBA%20history.

Certainly prime suspects. I’m curious if anyone here has seen it before?

To be in a game, driving and palm it off the bounce right into a one handed dunk is a vicious basketball move. Legendary stuff.

[DraymondGold]

Check for other guys with legendary hands and dunking ability like Wilt, Connie Hawkins, Jordan, Shaq, and Giannis.

https://sport.bovada.lv/sports/basketball/nba/biggest-hand-sizes-in-nba-history/#:~:text=Boban%20Marjanovic&text=When%20he%27s%20not%20starring%20in,in%20all%20of%20NBA%20history.

Woah

So you're telling me that Wilt, Kawhi, Jordan, Dr J, Giannis, Shaq make up 6/10 of the largest NBA basketball hands ever? If that list is comprehensive, that is a *shockingly* good list of all time and MVP level players, just from a single physical measurement. Is there any other physical measurement (e.g. combine style, pre-draft measurement) that gets nearly this good at picking out all-time talent? Googling the tallest and heaviest players in NBA history, hand size certainly does a better job. Perhaps some sort of Combine-style measurement of speed (e.g. 40 yard dash) or strength might produce an okay list?

It could just be small sample size, or it could just work at the outliers. But I wonder whether box stats would benefit from incorporating hand size in addition to the usual stuff like height/weight.

[AdagioPace]

Check for other guys with legendary hands and dunking ability like Wilt, Connie Hawkins, Jordan, Shaq, and Giannis.

https://sport.bovada.lv/sports/basketball/nba/biggest-hand-sizes-in-nba-history/#:~:text=Boban%20Marjanovic&text=When%20he%27s%20not%20starring%20in,in%20all%20of%20NBA%20history.

Woah

So you're telling me that Wilt, Kawhi, Jordan, Dr J, Giannis, Shaq make up 6/10 of the largest NBA basketball hands ever? If that list is comprehensive, that is a *shockingly* good list of all time and MVP level players, just from a single physical measurement. Is there any other physical measurement (e.g. combine style, pre-draft measurement) that gets nearly this good at picking out all-time talent? Googling the tallest and heaviest players in NBA history, hand size certainly does a better job. Perhaps some sort of Combine-style measurement of speed (e.g. 40 yard dash) or strength might produce an okay list?

It could just be small sample size, or it could just work at the outliers. But I wonder whether box stats would benefit from incorporating hand size in addition to the usual stuff like height/weight.

I was going to mention "wingspan" but it seems correlated with handsize to a certain degree.
Being able to control and protect the ball tightly, really is an underrated aspect of some people's entire success.

[MrLurker]

Literally, off the dribble with a one hand snatch.

Go to the 1:11 mark.

Watch on YouTube

Did Dr. J use a single hand to grab it off the bounce and dunk in one motion? The size of his hands is legendary but damn.

Does anyone have other examples of J or other players doing this? Just palming a ball off the dribble while driving and dunking it? Not cradle, just snatching it.

That play against Walton - an incredible sight to be sure.

[Owly]

Check for other guys with legendary hands and dunking ability like Wilt, Connie Hawkins, Jordan, Shaq, and Giannis.

https://sport.bovada.lv/sports/basketball/nba/biggest-hand-sizes-in-nba-history/#:~:text=Boban%20Marjanovic&text=When%20he%27s%20not%20starring%20in,in%20all%20of%20NBA%20history.

Woah

So you're telling me that Wilt, Kawhi, Jordan, Dr J, Giannis, Shaq make up 6/10 of the largest NBA basketball hands ever? If that list is comprehensive, that is a *shockingly* good list of all time and MVP level players, just from a single physical measurement. Is there any other physical measurement (e.g. combine style, pre-draft measurement) that gets nearly this good at picking out all-time talent? Googling the tallest and heaviest players in NBA history, hand size certainly does a better job. Perhaps some sort of Combine-style measurement of speed (e.g. 40 yard dash) or strength might produce an okay list?

It could just be small sample size, or it could just work at the outliers. But I wonder whether box stats would benefit from incorporating hand size in addition to the usual stuff like height/weight.

Strongly suspect that list is not comprehensive.

My impression is we just don't have that type of data for most of history but are more likely to get it informally for great players (and particularly for great players with somewhat notably big hands).


In terms of palming that ball, Otis Thorpe had short arms but was notably able to control the ball with one hand. I think he was the leading (volume) dunker the year before Shaq arrived in the league, so it may well have been that his ease in controlling the ball allowed him opportunities people needing both hands on the ball to gather didn't get.

Fwiw, I have a recollection of a video of Walter Herrmann clawing the ball too.

[penbeast0]

That would be my guess too. Too many superstars on the list and only little known guys are Greg Smith and Boban.

[LA Bird]

Check for other guys with legendary hands and dunking ability like Wilt, Connie Hawkins, Jordan, Shaq, and Giannis.

https://sport.bovada.lv/sports/basketball/nba/biggest-hand-sizes-in-nba-history/#:~:text=Boban%20Marjanovic&text=When%20he%27s%20not%20starring%20in,in%20all%20of%20NBA%20history.

Woah

So you're telling me that Wilt, Kawhi, Jordan, Dr J, Giannis, Shaq make up 6/10 of the largest NBA basketball hands ever? If that list is comprehensive, that is a *shockingly* good list of all time and MVP level players, just from a single physical measurement. Is there any other physical measurement (e.g. combine style, pre-draft measurement) that gets nearly this good at picking out all-time talent? Googling the tallest and heaviest players in NBA history, hand size certainly does a better job. Perhaps some sort of Combine-style measurement of speed (e.g. 40 yard dash) or strength might produce an okay list?

It could just be small sample size, or it could just work at the outliers. But I wonder whether box stats would benefit from incorporating hand size in addition to the usual stuff like height/weight.

Not to be a downer but

1. Hand measurements can be inflated just like listed height. Giannis is widely cited as having a 12 inch hand width when it looks more like 10 in the actual photo. Unless there is proof, I wouldn't trust some of the measurements too much (especially for the older players where it might just have been estimated).



2. There are plenty of players with huge hands who we don't have measurements for. In particular, I would assume many of the 7'4 plus giants would end up on the list too if they were ever measured. Manute Bol's hand looks freakishly long in this famous photo:



3. Even if we have accurate hand measurements for everyone, non-stars will still get left out of these lists because it will not generate any internet traffic or discussion. We can scroll through the draft combine measurements since 2011 and from a quick glance, I wouldn't say there is a particularly strong correlation between hand size and player ability. Plenty of no name scrubs at the top of the list and plenty of stars with below average sized hands (Anthony Davis ranked 57 out of 61 players in hand width)

https://www.nba.com/stats/draft/combine-anthro?SeasonYear=2012-13&dir=D&sort=HAND_WIDTH

[DraymondGold]

Check for other guys with legendary hands and dunking ability like Wilt, Connie Hawkins, Jordan, Shaq, and Giannis.

https://sport.bovada.lv/sports/basketball/nba/biggest-hand-sizes-in-nba-history/#:~:text=Boban%20Marjanovic&text=When%20he%27s%20not%20starring%20in,in%20all%20of%20NBA%20history.

Woah

So you're telling me that Wilt, Kawhi, Jordan, Dr J, Giannis, Shaq make up 6/10 of the largest NBA basketball hands ever? If that list is comprehensive, that is a *shockingly* good list of all time and MVP level players, just from a single physical measurement. Is there any other physical measurement (e.g. combine style, pre-draft measurement) that gets nearly this good at picking out all-time talent? Googling the tallest and heaviest players in NBA history, hand size certainly does a better job. Perhaps some sort of Combine-style measurement of speed (e.g. 40 yard dash) or strength might produce an okay list?

It could just be small sample size, or it could just work at the outliers. But I wonder whether box stats would benefit from incorporating hand size in addition to the usual stuff like height/weight.

Not to be a downer but

1. Hand measurements can be inflated just like listed height. Giannis is widely cited as having a 12 inch hand width when it looks more like 10 in the actual photo. Unless there is proof, I wouldn't trust some of the measurements too much (especially for the older players where it might just have been estimated).



2. There are plenty of players with huge hands who we don't have measurements for. In particular, I would assume many of the 7'4 plus giants would end up on the list too if they were ever measured. Manute Bol's hand looks freakishly long in this famous photo:



3. Even if we have accurate hand measurements for everyone, non-stars will still get left out of these lists because it will not generate any internet traffic or discussion. We can scroll through the draft combine measurements since 2011 and from a quick glance, I wouldn't say there is a particularly strong correlation between hand size and player ability. Plenty of no name scrubs at the top of the list and plenty of stars with below average sized hands (Anthony Davis ranked 57 out of 61 players in hand width)

https://www.nba.com/stats/draft/combine-anthro?SeasonYear=2012-13&dir=D&sort=HAND_WIDTH

Hey all good! I was wondering if that first list was too good to be true -- makes sense. I definitely wouldn't expect a single physical measurement to be so predictive, which was why I was so surprised. Cool to hear about inflated hand size measurements too! Not something I've heard of before, but I suppose it makes sense. If people are inflating their height measurements, they'd probably want to inflate their hand measurements too.

[penbeast0]

Whether it's a realistic list or not, was just looking for a 1st cut on who was likely to be able to make that kind of dunk so superstars would presumably be more likely to have both hand size and dunk ability. So, back to the OP, who else either has done it or presumably could do it?

[SNPA]

Whether it's a realistic list or not, was just looking for a 1st cut on who was likely to be able to make that kind of dunk so superstars would presumably be more likely to have both hand size and dunk ability. So, back to the OP, who else either has done it or presumably could do it?

The sheer number of guys physically able to do this, combined with the guts to do it in a game, and dunk on someone, makes me wonder if this isn’t the rarest type of dunk. I’ve never seen anyone else do this.

Add to that that Dr J is a wing and not a big and it’s more impressive. How many wings can claw a ball off the bounce? Then how many can do it in live action? Jordan maybe but I don’t recall seeing him do this.

It blew my mind when I saw it. I was wondering if he didn’t use his hip to help get the grip. I don’t think so now. I’d be curious what others think.

[Doctor MJ]

So, to me what you're getting at here is what I call Big Hand Basketball, and the kings of Big Hand Basketball were the Harlem Globetrotters. The Globetrotters specifically scouted for guys with big hands in a way that bizarrely it doesn't seem like competitive basketball ever has...which is just weird because I actually think the possibilities when you have gigantic hands are just plain amazing.

The potential for when you're looking to potentially drive and finish are huge, but I think it's got an even bigger potential value add for passing.

So yeah, I think big hands are underrated. Everyone knows they can be helpful, but I don't think most realize what all techniques have been used with them in the past. I think it likely that Connie Hawkins represents the apex of this in the NBA - and of course his time with the Globetrotters was central to him developing the skills beyond just driving & finishing.

[Doctor MJ]

Whether it's a realistic list or not, was just looking for a 1st cut on who was likely to be able to make that kind of dunk so superstars would presumably be more likely to have both hand size and dunk ability. So, back to the OP, who else either has done it or presumably could do it?

The sheer number of guys physically able to do this, combined with the guts to do it in a game, and dunk on someone, makes me wonder if this isn’t the rarest type of dunk. I’ve never seen anyone else do this.

Add to that that Dr J is a wing and not a big and it’s more impressive. How many wings can claw a ball off the bounce? Then how many can do it in live action? Jordan maybe but I don’t recall seeing him do this.

It blew my mind when I saw it. I was wondering if he didn’t use his hip to help get the grip. I don’t think so now. I’d be curious what others think.

Incidentally, "The Claw" was one of the early nicknames Erving got when he was a basketball youth.
He preferred "The Doctor". Good call I think.

[70sFan]

I think I have seen Connie Hawkins doing the same move.

[Jaivl]

Speaking of Dr. J, I remember a fantastic highlight montage over "Across 110th Street" by Bobby Womack from about 15 years ago, but it seems to have vanished from Youtube. I haven't been able to find it ever since, despite multiple searches. If anybody knows...

[Redmoon]

Kawhi has def done a single hand gather and dunk before. MJ maybe once or twice? He doesn't do it as often for wtvr reason.

If theres one thing big hands gives you an advantage in its probably dunking. You wouldn't need to jump as high to get the ball over the cup, and the ability to hold the ball while fully extending your arm gotta be a big help in finishing.

I do think having giant hands is slightly overrated in terms of how much it helps.

[Doctor MJ]

Kawhi has def done a single hand gather and dunk before. MJ maybe once or twice? He doesn't do it as often for wtvr reason.

If theres one thing big hands gives you an advantage in its probably dunking. You wouldn't need to jump as high to get the ball over the cup, and the ability to hold the ball while fully extending your arm gotta be a big help in finishing.

I do think having giant hands is slightly overrated in terms of how much it helps.

I think it's one of those things where simply having big hands doesn't necessarily help much. It's what you do with them that matters.

The ability to decide instantaneously whether to actually pass the ball or simply fake the pass without changing anything in your body other than your grip is really, really useful if you know what you're doing.

[oaktownwarriors87]

Check for other guys with legendary hands and dunking ability like Wilt, Connie Hawkins, Jordan, Shaq, and Giannis.

https://sport.bovada.lv/sports/basketball/nba/biggest-hand-sizes-in-nba-history/#:~:text=Boban%20Marjanovic&text=When%20he%27s%20not%20starring%20in,in%20all%20of%20NBA%20history.

I love this. The hand size of those guys is a huge reason why they were able to move, pass and finish like no other all time greats. That extra 1-2 inches of hand size is SO important and SO over looked. Hand size needs to be a more mainstream part of measuring a basketball players athletic ability.

Tallest player, longest player, fastest player, quickest player, strongest player... non of them are as important as hand size. If MJ had the same size hands as LeBron probably wouldn't have a single ring.

[Cavsfansince84]

Check for other guys with legendary hands and dunking ability like Wilt, Connie Hawkins, Jordan, Shaq, and Giannis.

https://sport.bovada.lv/sports/basketball/nba/biggest-hand-sizes-in-nba-history/#:~:text=Boban%20Marjanovic&text=When%20he%27s%20not%20starring%20in,in%20all%20of%20NBA%20history.

I love this. The hand size of those guys is a huge reason why they were able to move, pass and finish like no other all time greats. That extra 1-2 inches of hand size is SO important and SO over looked. Hand size needs to be a more mainstream part of measuring a basketball players athletic ability.

Tallest player, longest player, fastest player, quickest player, strongest player... non of them are as important as hand size. If MJ had the same size hands as LeBron probably wouldn't have a single ring.

MJ's hands are only half an inch longer than LeBron's. It's actually KD who has really small hands relative to these other guys.