Michael Jordan is called Air Jordan for a reason – He could leap head and shoulders above everybody.
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Michael Jordan measured an incredible 46 inches off the ground in North Carolina—he barely had hair on his upper lip, but he was in the upper echelon of jumpers. The man was slightly below average for the guys who guarded him, but his jumping abilities made him a tough prospect to guard.
How tough, you ask? He went on to become the best shooting guard ever to play the game. Some call him the best player ever, but that is up for debate. The Chicago Bulls legend famously jumped from the free-throw line to dunk a ball and has been on posters for every kid since.
How famous is his jump, you ask? A coaching institute called Byjus in India made him into a physics problem. That’s how iconic his jump has been, climbing up an incredible 48 inches. Throughout 10 seasons in the NBA, Jordan gained 2 inches in his vertical leap.
He had to go through a pre-Olympic combine, and in this event, he showed off the Go-Go Gadget Calves. At 48 inches, Michael Jordan leaped in the air the equivalent of 4 footlong subway sandwiches and stayed there for.92 seconds.
Michael Jordan jumped like a man on hot coals – his last shot against Utah looks like he was floating
Jumping is a science, and Mike was a mad scientist. He mastered the art of making it look like he wasn’t affected by gravity. His leaps were so effortless, making it look like anybody could do it. So many tried, but all they could manage was to look like turtles flailing their arms.
There have been many actual studies to decode how Jordan did it. And even when they did break it down, it was tough to replicate it. The theory is one part of it. The effort to make it look effortless is another. There is no one like Mike, not even his sons.
There has been only one other player who’s registered 48 inches – He is 2 inches shorter than the Bulls man
Daniel Griffith, the man who inspired Donovan Mitchell’s Dunk contest jersey, was the only person who jumped the same height as MJ. The 6’4 guard was 2 inches shorter, but the springs in his calf were wound a bit tighter. He had an easy 4 inches above the rim each time he jumped.
Here are the five highest verticals ever recorded:
- Michael Jordan -48 inches
- Daniel Griffith – 48 inches
- Jason Richardson – 46.5 inches
- Anthony Webb – 46 inches
- James White – 46 inches
Will anyone reach his height, or cross it? It is a question players and fans have asked for decades. LeBron James, Derrick Rose, Ja Morant, and even Kobe Bryant knocked on heaven’s doors, but his majesty got wings. Maybe it was the red bull on his jersey that gave him his set!
