What's the height cutoff point for the average man to be able to dunk with training?

My guess would be like 6'1.

You also have to have hands big enough to palm the ball with one hand, as it is much easier to dunk with one hand than with two.
 
It probably has more to do with standing reach than height. Which of course is correlated with height, but also with length, which has more to do with body type and also population genetics. Ectomorphs tend to have the longest limbs in proportion to height. Also, people of sub-Saharan descent have the longest limbs proportionally, while people of East Asian descent have the shortest.

As a 6'0.5" basketball player with relatively short limbs, I could get rim and "tap" but couldn't dunk. I relied more on speed than jumping ability. I'm guessing somewhere around 6'4" although I've seen all sorts of outliers in real life, like people that tall or taller who couldn't dunk and guys much shorter who could dunk easily.

Edit: Think I misread this as without training. If you seriously dedicate yourself to vertical training, it's probably closer to 5'10" or so.
 
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I dunked a mini ball in the 9th grade on regulation at 5’11.5


I could get rim for a few years on regulation, but never dunked a full size ball. If you have me a rim that was a few inches short that looked close to regulation I was a dunking machine lol
 
My step bro Jarvis could dunk at 5’7 *shrugs*
 
dunking is more based on jumping than height homie.

squat
lunges
sprints
plyometrics
& stretching

you're vertical will increase.
 
If we're talking average athletic ability then way taller than most people here are thinking. You can only increase your vertical so much, which is why you will see guys like 5'3 that can clear 40" and guys that are 6'5 and can't dunk. It's a RARE ability to actually be able to dunk with authority.
 
I love that Steph Curry by NBA standards is quite small but flippin brilliant.
 
superpunch said:
Back when I used to train kickboxing and was in good shape, I tried playing some basketball 1 day. Turns out, I could touch the rim on a regulation size 10' hoop at 5'8" with a 68" wingspan. I could have dunked if I'd started training my vertical specifically to add a few more inches. I think it would be possible for me.

But it feels like I'm just at the point of it not being possible. If I was like 5'5" there's just no way. If I was 6' it feels like it'd be super easy. At what point is it just impossible unless you're like top tier 1% explosive genetics?
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Spudd Webb is 5'7 and won a slam dunk contest so probably well beneath that.
 
superpunch said:
Back when I used to train kickboxing and was in good shape, I tried playing some basketball 1 day. Turns out, I could touch the rim on a regulation size 10' hoop at 5'8" with a 68" wingspan. I could have dunked if I'd started training my vertical specifically to add a few more inches. I think it would be possible for me.

But it feels like I'm just at the point of it not being possible. If I was like 5'5" there's just no way. If I was 6' it feels like it'd be super easy. At what point is it just impossible unless you're like top tier 1% explosive genetics?
Click to expand...

There would be a different height for black and white guys.
 
I'm 6'2" with long arms, never could dunk. Tried plenty back in the day. Could do it with smaller ball though.

I do have short legs for my height.

I do look athletic but aren't really.
 
Honestly, if I had to choose between a deadly accurate jump shot or a being a dunking machine. I’m taking the jumper specialist.

3>2
 
Brandon Wilson said:
I'm 5'11". In high-school I could dunk a basketball. However, I was skinny as hell back then (162 lbs soaking wet) and the hardest part was being able to grip the basketball.
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I had the same issue. Could dunk a volleyball and a women's ball. I had blown my knee out and for some reason my body wanted me to jump off my right leg despite being right handed. This cut down my reach a little. But eventually got to being able to touch the top of the little white square above the rim, though that's from my perspective. I'm sure if you filmed it straight on I was a few inches below. So I couldn't tomahawk but could two hand or reverse. Never quite could 360. Lost the ball before I could ever even see how close I got. Before I started powerlifting I was still able to grab the rim going off 2 feet, so maybe 10 foot 3 or so. Guess I'll see where I'm at after my leg heals. This torn calf is a year old and still feels weird. I'm afraid to go all out. I touched her rim the other day jumping about 70%.


Any of those jump programs work?
 
Seen some little ass dudes who couldn’t have been 5’5 dunk with two fucking hands. Young guys age 15-20. They were black.
 
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