Carl Lewis long jump comments

[user4]

That makes sense. I suspect LJ coaches world wide watch NBA dunking competitions and weep for what might have been.

There might be 3 guys in the NBA with the LJ talent of marquise Dendy.

[beebee]

There might be 3 guys in the NBA with the LJ talent of marquise Dendy.

Based on what? You really don't know...

Some of the world's best athletes are currently in the NBA...and some are languishing on their teams bench.

[user4]

Based on what? You really don't know...

Some of the world's best athletes are currently in the NBA...and some are languishing on their teams bench.

Based on likely the same kind of intuition and experience that those who think the NBA is home to legions of 28ft long jumpers.

As someone that could effortlessly dunk a basketball and having watched the best NBA dunkers I'm not convinced that there are more tha few of them that even after devoting themselves to the LJ for 3 years would be 28 footers. Take that any way you want but one thing can not be denied, Dendy is a mega talent.

[beebee]

Based on likely the same kind of intuition and experience that those who think the NBA is home to legions of 28ft long jumpers.

As someone that could effortlessly dunk a basketball and having watched the best NBA dunkers I'm not convinced that there are more tha few of them that even after devoting themselves to the LJ for 3 years would be 28 footers. Take that any way you want but one thing can not be denied, Dendy is a mega talent.

Pointing out other's possible wrongs surely doesn't make you right.
I personally believe that the NBA has many potential high and long jumpers.

[beebee]

Based on likely the same kind of intuition and experience that those who think the NBA is home to legions of 28ft long jumpers.

As someone that could effortlessly dunk a basketball and having watched the best NBA dunkers I'm not convinced that there are more tha few of them that even after devoting themselves to the LJ for 3 years would be 28 footers. Take that any way you want but one thing can not be denied, Dendy is a mega talent.

Track and Field is losing talent annually to football and basketball.

If I had a son who was a great athlete with phenomenal leaping ability I would surely get him a basketball.

[user4]

Track and Field is losing talent annually to football and basketball.

If I had a son who was a great athlete with phenomenal leaping ability I would surely get him a basketball.

I completely disagree. Leaping ability does not make you a great basketball player. Countless kids with great leaping ability devoted themselves tob basketball and got nothing in the end. I doubt the NBA has the best leapers. They obviously have the guys that are 1) big 2) good athleticism 3) live for basketball. If you have all three of those features you have a shot.

Suggesting that the NBA is full of world class long jumpers is akin to believing that Carl Lewis , Michael Powell and Larry myricks just had to play college hoops and they would have had sure NBA careers.

[gm]

Amen, user4. I know some shot put guys with unbelievable vertical jumping ability, but they couldn't go 22 feet with years of training.

[Merner521]

Sure, there are some amazing athletes in the NBA, but the main talent that most of those guys have is simply being tall.

[lonewolf]

Based on what? You really don't know...

Some of the world's best athletes are currently in the NBA...and some are languishing on their teams bench.

Yeah, but they are languishing at salaries few track/field athletes can aspire tol

[beebee]

Yeah, but they are languishing at salaries few track/field athletes can aspire tol

Absolutely.
Generally the best athletes follow the money. Not a lot of money in the long jump ��

[Tuariki]

I very much doubt there any potential 9m jumpers hiding in the NBA or the NFL. Any I doubt also that there that many, if any, potential 28 footers in the NBA or NFL.

[Gabriella2]

It seems you are focussing on the USA? It may be the dominant athletics nation, but every other country is having difficulty finding 8.53 jumpers too. (28ft in your old money)

The NBA and American Football may be syphoning off talent, but that doesn't answer the worldwide issue.

Jamaica can churn out 9.8 100m runners, but not 8.53 long jumpers. Why?
Russia can churn out 2.35+ High jumpers but not 8.53 long jumpers. Why?
Cuba & France can churn out 17.70 Triple jumpers between them but not 8.53 long jumpers. Why?

Since 2000 Dwight Phillips & Irvin Saldadino have 8 jumps each over 8.53 (28ft) Tsátoumas has 2 and Menkov 1. That's it since Pedroso in 2000. It's pretty dire. But as I said earlier, there is more to it and we cannot compare the 80's to the 00's and 10's. And it is more than just US athletes running off to the NBA, it's a problem globally.

[jazzcyclist]

I very much doubt there any potential 9m jumpers hiding in the NBA or the NFL. Any I doubt also that there that many, if any, potential 28 footers in the NBA or NFL.

I agree with the first statement, but not the latter. There's a big difference between 8.53m and 9.00m.

[Dave]

This guy took off at the foul line, 15 feet from the basket, to dunk.

http://www.msn.com/en-my/video/news/longest-dunk-ever/vp-BBpqy28

This is a big deal, but there would be a lot of changes required to extend the distance by 13-14 feet.

[lonewolf]

There is a simple explanation for the dearth of 28 and 29 foot long jumpers.
It is very difficult to jump 28 feet, evidenced that out of billions of humans, hundreds (thousands?) who have tried, so few have done it.
It is as unrealistic to denigrate those who cannot jump 28/29 feet as it would be for Bolt to criticize those who cannot run 100m in 9.5 seconds.