James White vs a Jumping Myth (article)

Post #1 » by **Doctor MJ** » Wed Jan 9, 2008 10:11 am

TrueHoop
has a fascinating, and amusing, article on one man's search to find someone who can touch the top of the backboard.

My thoughts on the players interviewed after reading this: I believe White has at least gotten close enough that I wouldn't have a problem giving him the nod in terms of pure leaping ability (actually time everything perfect on the backboard would be tougher). I think Howard and all the other guys who he talked to that claimed they could are full of it.

I also really don't believe there's ever been someone White's size with his ability to reach so high before (at least among people in the basketball world), so I definitely call BS on the Skywalkers of the world. Bigger guys like Wilt, I could see arguments for, but even then I'm skeptical seeing how a guy like Howard doesn't even come close.

I think the "make change of the top of the backboard" legend is completely made up. Don't buy that anyone could ever do that.

Your thoughts?

NBAMAN2006 · Post #2 » by **NBAMAN2006** » Wed Jan 9, 2008 10:29 am

I dont know about White. He is a great athlete, but I dont know if he can touch the backboard.

There are numerous rumors that Travis Outlaw touched the top of the backboard during pre-draft workouts. I doubt he could do it now due to the 15-20lbs of added weight, but I can definatley see him doing it earlier in his career.

He has a top 5 to 10 vertical in the NBA with bottom 100 coordination.

bigkevatoz · Post #3 » by **bigkevatoz** » Wed Jan 9, 2008 2:26 pm

the video of white trying to do it was close.
but yeah if howard cant do it, who can?
lebron and josh smith would be close too.

kooldude · Post #4 » by **kooldude** » Wed Jan 9, 2008 4:08 pm

damn, a friend of mine when I was younger told me that Jordan could do it and I believed it for all this time.....

nycballer718 · Post #5 » by **nycballer718** » Wed Jan 9, 2008 5:55 pm

lebron is 6'8 with a vertical in the high 30's .....james white is 6'7 with a vert in the mid 40's i heard....the players in the 6'8-6'9 range with super high verts like over 40 are going to be the closest .....any bigman over 7 foot tall or 6'11 like howard will have verts lower like howards is 35 ... if there can ever be a big man with a 40 inch vert then they can do it for sure

BiggieSmalls · Post #6 » by **BiggieSmalls** » Wed Jan 9, 2008 6:02 pm

i have also heard about outlaw, and being a blazers fan i have watched about 95% of blazers games since like 97 and i have no doubts that outlaw could reach the top of the backboard, not many people know it but B-Roy holds most jumping records at washington and if he actually tries his hardest he might be able to...he is 6'6" and has a vertical of just around 40" or so ive heard

NetsForce · Post #7 » by **NetsForce** » Wed Jan 9, 2008 6:03 pm

Prime Vince Carter ;=D

RJM · Post #8 » by **RJM** » Wed Jan 9, 2008 6:13 pm

I also heard Shaq was able to do this in his younger days as well as Wilt Chamberlain.

Fizzy · Post #9 » by **Fizzy** » Wed Jan 9, 2008 6:22 pm

BiggieSmalls wrote:Roy holds most jumping records at washington and if he actually tries his hardest he might be able to...he is 6'6" and has a vertical of just around 40" or so ive heard

Let's be realistic here. According to DraftExpress, Roy has a standing reach of 8'5". To touch the top of the backboard at 13', he would need to jump 55".

Uncooked · Post #10 » by **Uncooked** » Wed Jan 9, 2008 6:55 pm

Making change is impossible unless someone had some sort of mutation or genetic anomaly. Dwight Howard is a dirty liar as well I guess

.

D.Brasco · Post #11 » by **D.Brasco** » Wed Jan 9, 2008 7:07 pm

BiggieSmalls wrote:i have also heard about outlaw, and being a blazers fan i have watched about 95% of blazers games since like 97 and i have no doubts that outlaw could reach the top of the backboard, not many people know it but B-Roy holds most jumping records at washington and if he actually tries his hardest he might be able to...he is 6'6" and has a vertical of just around 40" or so ive heard

outlaw admitts he can't touch the top of the backboard:

Nicolas (France): Hey Travis, did you really touch the top of the backboard ?

Travis Outlaw: Ha-ha (Laughing) I don't know, it depends on the mood I'm in. I've gotten close when I wasn't tryin' that hard...I've never touched the top-top of the backboard, but you never know....

http://www.nba.com/blazers/chat/travis_ ... 11006.html

I don't think any current player can if any could do you know how much hype there would be? imagine the pic of dwight kissing the rim but like times 10. there's no way it would be a secret if any of them could do it.

Bucs80 · Post #12 » by **Bucs80** » Wed Jan 9, 2008 7:14 pm

Carter when he was younger was able to do it.

But I think Dwight can't do it. I doubt there is anybody that can do it

kooldude · Post #13 » by **kooldude** » Wed Jan 9, 2008 7:16 pm

Wilt probably could and did.

"I defy anyone to say they took change off the top of the backboard," Chamberlain said. "I could. Someone would put a quarter up and I'd snatch it down. I've heard stories about Jackie Jackson doing it, but I've never seen anyone (but himself) come close." Sonny Hill, a Philadelphia leaping legend of the '60s, backs Wilt, saying, "The only man that's been to the top, that's Wilt. I asked Kareem if he ever did, and he could jump a little bit. He told me, `Sonny, no.'"

Blame Rasho · Post #14 » by **Blame Rasho** » Wed Jan 9, 2008 7:23 pm

I believe David Thompson could do it but he was 6'5.

D.Brasco · Post #15 » by **D.Brasco** » Wed Jan 9, 2008 7:29 pm

Wilt is the only guy that people seems to vouch for as accomplishing it and honestly is probably the most likely nba player to have accomplished that. i mean how many 7 foot competitive high jumpers have their been?

I very much doubt thompson could do it. his vert would have to exceed the already somewhat hard to beleive 44 inches he's credited as having.

Blame Rasho · Post #16 » by **Blame Rasho** » Wed Jan 9, 2008 7:32 pm

D.Brasco wrote:Wilt is the only guy that people seems to vouch for as accomplishing it and honestly is probably the most likely nba player to have accomplished that. i mean how many 7 foot competitive high jumpers have their been?

I very much doubt thompson could do it. his vert would have to exceed the already somewhat hard to beleive 44 inches he's credited as having.

He was reported to have a 48 vert... not 44.

theTHIEF · Post #17 » by **theTHIEF** » Wed Jan 9, 2008 7:39 pm

didn't the GOAT supposedly do this frequently?

frankly i don't believe any of it...save for maybe the GOAT...there is no way Outlaw, or Roy, or White or any of these guys are doing it...no way...

also when did Dwight claim to do this? i never heard that, i dont think...i'd love to read that article...i know for a fact that at the RDV practice facility, there is a sharpie mark way up on one of the backboards just around the trim of the top where he swiped it, apparently he tried to "write his name" but was unsuccessful obviously...but thats as far as he got from what i know...

Post #18 » by **Doctor MJ** » Wed Jan 9, 2008 7:53 pm

TD is the MAN wrote:I believe David Thompson could do it but he was 6'5.

Well that was the rumor of course (like so many other rumors), you see his teammate Kiki Vandeweghe was interviewed and said he didn't believe Thompson could do it?

Rickdiculous · Post #19 » by **Rickdiculous** » Wed Jan 9, 2008 7:53 pm

Sam Dalembert. I've posted numerous times about this guy's athletic ability. As a legit 7 footer, this guy is possibly the most athletic of all the big men... even Dwight Howard.

I remember watching a game where the ball got stuck on the wiring right behind the backboard. So imagine the ball pinned between the corner of the TOP of the backboard and some wiring. At this point I'm expecting some crew to come out with a ladder to retrieve the ball. Sammy then comes walking up and jumps up and knocks the ball free. The bottom of the ball was only like 2-3 inches below the top of the backboard.

This is a player who once dunked from the foul line in a game. A player who used to rival Iverson in a foot race from baseline to baseline... All at 7 feet. Sammy can definitely touch the top of the backboard.

Post #20 » by **Doctor MJ** » Wed Jan 9, 2008 7:54 pm

thEthIEf wrote:also when did Dwight claim to do this? i never heard that, i dont think...i'd love to read that article

Do the latter and you'll know the former.