Can I still play basketball if I'm short?
While having a little extra length helps, the NBA goes more for talent and ability to play. There are plenty of people who are less than six feet tall who can score relatively easily. That includes NBA players Nate Robinson and Spud Webb, two shorter players known for their ability to get to the rim.
Baggy and long is the look. Before the 1990s, college basketball players were pulling their shorts down around their hips to lengthen them. Problem was, the jerseys wouldn't stay tucked in, so college students at the University of Michigan began to order shorts two to four inches longer.
Yes of course, anyone at any size can play basketball. You will have to work a little harder in order to get better skillets to compete with individuals who are taller than you but anyone at any size can play ball.
Plenty of players less than six feet tall are successful in the NBA, so don't let your height stop you from playing. You just need to find a coach who will help you adjust your game to fit the shorter stature and be more agile on the court.
However, being short is no excuse for not being able to dunk, as many short players such as Nate Robinson and Spud Webb have proved long ago that vertically-challenged athletes are still capable of flying high. The key to developing an impressive vertical is consistent training and perseverance.
In 1984, Michael Jordan asked for longer shorts and helped popularize the move away from tight, short shorts toward the longer, baggier shorts worn by basketball players today.
The Length of the Shorts
As the fashion transitioned, players in the NBA started wearing longer baggy shorts instead of the super short tight ones. Commissioner David Stern intervened and decided that shorts could not extend lower than 0.1 inch above the knees.
NBA shorts got longer because Michael Jordan asked his manufacturer for longer shorts in order to be more comfortable on the court. After Michael Jordan started wearing longer and baggier shorts, the rest of the NBA started to adopt longer shorts and moved away from short shorts.
Because of the N.C.A.A.'s longstanding Rule 1, Section 22, Article 7, Clause b. 2 — the little-known statute that prohibits college basketball players from wearing any of the numerals 6, 7, 8 or 9. Those are the numbers you will not see on a college basketball court.
The odds of a high school basketball player making a Division 1 basketball roster is 105:1, and the odds of a high school basketball player making any college roster is 18:1. Division 1 basketball is a headcount sport—so coaches have exactly 13 full-ride scholarships that they can award to 13 players.
Is it hard to dunk at 5 11?
At the same time, an average-sized guy--say, 5-11--won't have a chance without at least a little athletic ability. Dunking isn't for everybody, but many men at least have a chance at pulling it off. Even so, it depends on a lot of variables for those on the fringe. Many guys have excess weight that keep them grounded.
Brandon Todd is 5'5″ and can dunk a basketball. At that height, you need a 42+ inches vertical leap to have a chance of putting the ball in the hoop. This is pretty insane. Todd trained for three years, putting on 85 lbs of muscle to gain the power needed to dunk.
- Roll, stretch, activate to warm up.
- 2x3 Ninja landings.
- 10x1 Max ring touches (with lots of rest between reps)
- 3x10 Squats.
- 3x10 Glute Bridges.
- 3x30 DL calf raises.
Michael Jordan's Shorts
After leading the North Carolina Tar Heels to a national championship in 1982, Jordan believed that the shorts he played in were lucky. During his entire career, he wore his North Carolina practice shorts under his NBA uniform for good luck.
It's in the National Federation of State High School Associations' basketball rule book. Second ... the policy prevents the drawstring from hanging out, which is a safety concern with the potential of hands or feet getting caught in it.
A number of reasons: LeBron stated that he wanted to instill a more professional look in the NBA. Others like Kelly Oubre simply note that shorter shorts are more comfortable.
Know Your Skills
Scouts are looking for highly skilled players that are well-versed in all positions. You must be a well-rounded player to be considered for an offer from a basketball scout. Shooting, passing, and dribbling are three of the most-watched elements recruiters will take note of.
D1 is more competitive than D3, and typically comes with more tuition benefits. D1 athletes also have a better chance of going pro after their college career.
Don't expect the journey from high school basketball to D1 Universities to be easy, because it isn't. The competition is fierce and the top caliber programs have high expectations for their student athletes.
Boxing. The Sweet Science. That's the sport that demands the most from the athletes who compete in it. It's harder than football, harder than baseball, harder than basketball, harder than hockey or soccer or cycling or skiing or fishing or billiards or any other of the 60 sports we rated.

What GPA do you need to play D1?
For D1 sports, high school athletes need to earn a core course GPA of 2.3 or higher.
Do many NCAA student-athletes go on to play professionally? Fewer than 2 percent of NCAA student-athletes go on to be professional athletes. In reality, most student-athletes depend on academics to prepare them for life after college.
That's a really good height for your age, especially if you play like a traditional guard. You still have 4 years left of growing so you might even hit 6 ft. If you keep playing and improving your game, you can definitely be a top high school player in your area and maybe play D1/D2 college.
Yes, You can slam dunk even if you were shorter. The only thing that now matters to you is your vertical jump. You can increase your vertical jump by doing these exercises: Weighted Squats.
Playing Segment | Size of Ball | Height of Basket |
---|---|---|
Ages 7-8 | Boys and Girls size 5 (27.5”) | 8' |
Ages 9-11 | Boys and Girls size 6 (28.5”) | 9' |
Ages 12-14 | Girls size 6 (28.5”) Boys size 7 (29.5”) | 10' |
Grades 9-12 | Girls size 6 (28.5”) Boys size 7 (29.5”) | 10' |
Let's assume you're 5 foot 9 and have average length arms. You'll then have a standing reach of around 7 foot 7 inches. That means you'll need to jump 29 inches to touch the rim. To dunk, you'll need to be jumping around 35 inches high, which would be considered impressive even in professional sports.
What can I do to become taller? Taking good care of yourself — eating well, exercising regularly, and getting plenty of rest — is the best way to stay healthy and help your body reach its natural potential. There's no magic pill for increasing height. In fact, your genes are the major determinant of how tall you'll be.
Average height for men in the United States
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , the average age-adjusted height for American men 20 years old and up is 69.1 inches (175.4 centimeters) during the years 2015 to 2016. That's about 5 feet 9 inches tall.
D1 Point Guard
Height: 6'0" - 6'3"
The truth is your genetics do dictate your potential to jump. Muscle fiber type and CNS efficiency are just two examples of traits that will ultimately determine how high you can jump, both of which are nearly impossible to see just by looking at someone. Not everyone can have a 30 inch vertical, much less a 40 or 50.
Is a 28 inch vertical good?
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What is the average standing vertical jump?
Rating | (inches) | (cm) |
---|---|---|
Very good | 24 - 28 | 61-70 |
Above average | 20 - 24 | 51-60 |
Average | 16 - 20 | 41-50 |
Below average | 12 - 16 | 31-40 |
Developing a one-handed dunk requires less vertical ability than a two-handed dunk, and, for most players, jumping off of one foot from a running start makes it easier to jump high enough to dunk. There are many things that you can do to work on your vertical leap.