10 NBA Players With The Highest Vertical Leaps Of All-Time

NBA players are among the best athletes in the world. What separates the players that make it to the NBA level and the ones who peak in high school and college is their ability to achieve things that everyday people view as superhuman. There have been some of the most gravity-defying moves that have ever been seen performed by NBA players during games, dunk contests, and on social media, just messing around in their free time. These feats of athleticism are often celebrated and recognized for the entertainment value they provide, as they should be, by NBA fans around the world.  

These NBA players went out every single night and put on a show for NBA fans at least once per game. While we have already selected our dream candidates for this year’s slam dunk contest, these NBA players in their primes would be the ideal all-time contest simply due to their athletic ability. The NBA players with the highest vertical leaps aren’t all superstars and well-known names but have still left their mark on the game with their different feats of athleticism.

These are the 10 NBA players with the highest vertical leaps in NBA history.

T10. Andrew Wiggins – 44 Inches

Andrew Wiggins’ super athletic ability has been on display since his junior and senior seasons in high school back in Canada. Nearly every Division I school in the United States recruited Wiggins to play for them when they heard and saw his athletic ability on full display. He eventually went on to choose the Kansas Jayhawks as his college destination, a choice that would pay off for him in the future.

After being chosen by the Cavaliers as the No. 1 pick in 2014, Wiggins has had many moments that have shown off his impressive vertical leap of 44 inches. What it means to have a vertical that high standing at 6’8’’ means that Wiggins can elevate his head 4 inches above the rim. We have never seen Wiggins in a dunk contest, although I bet most of us wish we could have with the athletic ability of that caliber.

T10. LeBron James – 44 Inches

The athletic ability of LeBron James is something that has been well covered in-depth over the last 20-plus years. Since high school at St. Vincent St. Mary’s, LeBron James has been tabbed as the next big thing in the NBA because of his incredible ability to play the game at a high level. LeBron was such an athletic freak in high school that he was a two-sport star that had his basketball games televised on ESPN.

James has done nothing to spell those expectations since arriving in the NBA, and as a matter of fact, he exceeded them. Despite never competing in the slam dunk contest, James has provided us with plenty of moments in games and exhibition contests to fill an hour-long highlight reel. James not only gets 44 inches in the air on his vertical but throws down his finishes with rim-rocking authority. It should come as no surprise that a player as athletic as James shows himself on a list of the NBA’s highest verticals.

8. Muggsy Bogues – 44.3 Inches

Muggsy Bogues is considered one of the greatest little men to ever play the game. During his career, Bogues was often revered for his ability on defense and to stand on the same floor as giants. Bogues was athletic, strong, and a monster for someone his size who managed to play 14 seasons in the NBA.

At his peak, Bogues was an average scorer and above-average facilitator. His best season came with the Hornets in 1993-94, when he averaged 10.8 PPG and 10.1 APG on the season. Bogues appeared with 4 teams in his career, such as the Bullets, Hornets, Warriors, and Raptors. Never an All-Star or Hall of Famer, Bogues is one of the most respected players in NBA history.

7. Shannon Brown – 44.5 Inches

Shannon Brown was a 9-year NBA veteran, most notably with the Los Angeles Lakers in the early 2010s. While he was constantly up and down from the NBA G-League, Brown was still able to make some noise in the NBA with his incredible hops. Do you remember the dunk that even got Kobe Bryant out of his seat with an enthusiastic explosion? Brown wasn’t a superstar by any means, but he had his moments.

Brown was still a 2-time NBA champion with the Lakers as the man who replaced Kobe Bryant whenever he needed a respite. Brown’s hops were one of the main reasons he got so many chances with different teams during his career, with teams hoping he could replicate his high-flying feats on a regular basis. Brown retired in 2015 after a season with the Miami Heat. He can now be found in the Big 3 league founded by famed rapper Ice Cube.

T6. Spud Webb – 46 Inches

Is it kind of crazy that one of the most explosive dunkers in NBA history stood just 5’7’’? Webb was a successful player for the Hawks, Kings, Timberwolves, and Magic from 1986 thru 1998. In 1986, his rookie season, Webb beat out his teammate and former dunk champion Dominique Wilkins to win the dunk contest, becoming the shortest player to ever do so. Webb’s feats of athleticism didn’t stop there.

I swear it looked like Webb could fly every time he stepped on the floor. He played fast, under control, and explosive for most of his career. Nothing matches his prime with the Hawks, and his athletic accomplishments are still held in high regard today. As just a career 9.9 PPG scorer, Webb’s greatest accomplishments are tied to what he did as a dunker and jumper. Even as a non-Hall of Famer, Webb is still one of the most recognizable names in NBA history.

T6. James White – 46 Inches

James “Flight” White is perhaps one of the biggest what-ifs in NBA history. I remember his high school mixtape being one of the best I have ever viewed, and his tape from Louisville was even better. White was the first player I ever witnessed dunk the ball after putting it between his legs and leaping from the foul line. It was awe-inspiring and is still one of the greatest highlights I have ever seen.

White played just 3 seasons in the NBA and was a participant in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest in 2013. White did not win that contest, but he was able to successfully capture a Turkish dunk crown in one of his many stints overseas. He averaged 8.3 PPG his rookie season with the Spurs but never was able to match those numbers again with the Knicks and Rockets. White is not n NBA name that many remember, but those who watched his high school and college days will never forget.

T6. Jason Richardson – 46 Inches

Of any player we have already spoken about, aside from LeBron James, Jason Richardson has had one of the more memorable careers. Richardson was an athletic beast who spent 14 seasons in the NBA with the Warriors, Hornets, Suns, and Magic. Richardson became a 20.0 PPG scorer at his peak who wowed audiences with his athletic ability on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball.

Richardson was the winner of both the 2002 and 2003 dunk contests but fell short in the Finals in 2004. At his peak, his athletic ability and skills on the court made him one of the most sought-after players in the NBA. Richardson was never actually named an All-Star and is one of the best players to never receive that honor.

T6. Zach LaVine – 46 Inches

Zach LaVine is one of the most talented dunkers of this generation. This is due largely in part to his unbelievable 46-inch vertical leap. LaVine is a two-time winner of the slam dunk contest with gravity-defying dunks such as the Space Jame dunk that saw him don a Michael Jordan Tune Squad jersey and his between-the-legs dunks from the foul line. 

LaVine is currently in his 9th season in the NBA and is one of its best shooting guards. He is a two-time All-Star who has peaked at over 37.0 PPG. As talented of a scorer as LaVine is, his athleticism seems to still be the most impressive part of his game. LaVine spent three seasons in Minnesota before heading to Chicago in 2017. In his sixth year with the team, LaVine may be headed elsewhere, and whoever makes the move to acquire him is getting a player with one of the most impressive highlight reels of the past decade.

T1. Darrell Griffith – 48 Inches

The man known as Dr. Dunkenstein comes in as one of 3 players on our list with a 48-inch vertical leap. The last time we heard Griffith’s name was in the 2018 slam dunk contest when Donovan Mitchell paid homage to him by donning his jersey. Griffith earned fame as a dunker at Louisville in college, where fans saw him raise his head 4 inches above the rim with dunks that rocked arenas around the country.

Griffith played 11 seasons in the NBA, all with the Utah Jazz. He won Rookie of the Year in 1981, averaging 20.6 PPG on 46.4% shooting. Over the next 4 seasons, Griffith averaged 21.0 PPG on 47.5% shooting. A foot injury would cost him his 1986 season and the explosiveness that once catapulted his rise to fame. Griffith had his No. 35 retired by the Utah Jazz, forever cementing him in their team’s history.

T1. Michael Jordan – 48 Inches

The man who garnered the nickname His Airness for his feats of athleticism, Michael Jordan, is also tied for the highest vertical in NBA history. Michael Jordan’s highlight reel is hours filled with him leaping over the tallest of defenders and throwing down dunks that had never been seen before his time. Jordan’s reign as the greatest player of all time still reigns today, and his leaping ability propelled him to superstardom.

Jordan’s reign with the Chicago Bulls lasted from 1984 thru 1998, with nearly 2 seasons retired. He delivered 6 championships to a city that had never felt the joys of an NBA title beforehand and won all 6 Finals MVP awards doing so. Jordan’s most iconic plays en route to greatness include using his incredible leaping ability to wow audiences and opponents alike.

T1. Wilt Chamberlain – 48 Inches

There is no shortage of stories about the amazing athletic ability of Wilt Chamberlain. The stories borderline those of Greek myths with the way he could just destroy all the competition in any athletic event that he participated in. He broke countless single-game records as well as career records. Wilt’s 48-inch vertical allowed him to touch the top of the backboard with ease and make the NBA players during his era look like they didn’t belong.

Chamberlain’s name fills the NBA record books for his insane scoring stretches and incredible feats of rebounding. Wilt’s physical abilities allowed him to average over 50.0 PPG and 25.0 RPG during the 1962 season, something that has never been replicated in NBA history. His 48-inch vertical on his 7’1’’ frame made for a sight to see during the 60s and 70s, well ahead of his time. 

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