Carl Lewis long jump comments

[Atticus]

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 maintain that because NBA players are much bigger than the average LJer, i.e., higher centers of gravity - and many have superior speed and strength - there are potential 9m-ers lurking there, given several years of training with a good coach. I can't prove it, but no one can deny that super-freak genetic talent resides in the NBA and that is ingredients #1, 2 and 3 in the LJ.

[jazzcyclist]

I maintain that because NBA players are much bigger than the average LJer, i.e., higher centers of gravity - and many have superior speed and strength - there are potential 9m-ers lurking there, given several years of training with a good coach. I can't prove it, but no one can deny that super-freak genetic talent resides in the NBA and that is ingredients #1, 2 and 3 in the LJ.

I agree with this. Anecdotally, I can tell you that I've known quite a few NCAA, USATF and even IAAF champions, who settled for track when they realized that they would never be able to compete at the highest level in football or basketball. One encouraging trend is that we've had two NFL players in recent years (Jeff Demps, Marquis Goodwin) who've managed to keep one foot in track & field while pursuing their NFL careers.

[Tuariki]

I maintain that because NBA players are much bigger than the average LJer, i.e., higher centers of gravity - and many have superior speed and strength - there are potential 9m-ers lurking there, given several years of training with a good coach. I can't prove it, but no one can deny that super-freak genetic talent resides in the NBA and that is ingredients #1, 2 and 3 in the LJ.

Jabbar? Wilt? MJ? Magic? Le Bron? D J? All superstars. All super-freak genetic talent. But, none of them IMO showed any likely possibility of long jumping 28 feet, let alone 9m.

Dave is correct. All you got to do is look at that video and wonder where will this guy get the extra 8 to 10 feet fo a 28 foot plus LJ..

[ExCoastRanger]

Jabbar? Wilt? MJ? Magic? Le Bron? D J? All superstars. All super-freak genetic talent. But, none of them IMO showed any likely possibility of long jumping 28 feet, let alone 9m.

Dave is correct. All you got to do is look at that video and wonder where will this guy get the extra 8 to 10 feet fo a 28 foot plus LJ..

I don't know if those potential super jumpers are indeed opting for soccer, football and basketball in the USA and worldwide, but the examples you cite -- Jabbar, Wilt, Magic, etc. -- were clearly world class basketball players first and foremost. If there's hidden T&F talent in other pro ranks, it is likely in players we've never heard of before who are of relatively average talent in their chosen sport but play there because it was the easier/more popular/more lucrative way to go.

[user4]

... If there's hidden T&F talent in other pro ranks, it is likely in players we've never heard of before who are of relatively average talent in their chosen sport but play there because it was the easier/more popular/more lucrative way to go.

Ill agree with this. In fact most of the ones that were so off the charts talented in the speed and hops categories gave up on basketball and were happy just to say that they could dunk better than the best basketball players they played against and they then went out for track or football.

[Bruce Kritzler]

It is not the big men. It's the guards (6'-6'5") who are the great jumpers and speedsters in the NBA. In the NFL it's the running backs and wide receivers who have the speed and jumps. 24' jumps were advancing to the finals at ncaa indoor this past weekend.

[jazzcyclist]

It is not the big men. It's the guards (6'-6'5") who are the great jumpers and speedsters in the NBA. In the NFL it's the running backs and wide receivers who have the speed and jumps. 24' jumps were advancing to the finals at ncaa indoor this past weekend.

I agree with this assessment. I thought Tuariki was way off base when he mentioned Kareem and Wilt. Of the current NBA players with potential track & field potential, my nominee would be Russell Westbrook, though I also wonder what Lebron might do in the jumps.

[lonewolf]

In my completely subjective opinion, Lebron is just too big to jump into elite category.

[gm]

Yeah. 6'8" and 250 pounds. He's gonna sail.

[ExCoastRanger]

One thing Lewis had going for him was a top 100-meter-man's salary to support his LJ habit. That probably bought him longevity and the luxury to pick and choose his competitions and develop his talent at a pace of his own choosing. Not many jumpers today have that luxury or chance to succeed.

[Tuariki]

It is not the big men. It's the guards (6'-6'5") who are the great jumpers and speedsters in the NBA. In the NFL it's the running backs and wide receivers who have the speed and jumps. 24' jumps were advancing to the finals at ncaa indoor this past weekend.

24' is a rather long way from 29'6" (or 28' for that matter).
To be a 28' plus jumper you got to have the sub 10.20 speed and you cannot tell from watching a game of basketball if a player has the necessary speed.

[user4]

I think there are a few out there in the nba and nfl but it would not be trivial to get them even to 26 feet as evidenced by the numerous NCAA football players that we have seen compete at the LJ.

[lonewolf]

Also, Emmayan at 5-9 is an outlier among outliers in that he is the only 29 foot jumper of "average" size.

[user4]

24' is a rather long way from 29'6" (or 28' for that matter).
To be a 28' plus jumper you got to have the sub 10.20 speed and you cannot tell from watching a game of basketball if a player has the necessary speed.

I'm not so sure sub 10.2 is necessary. Was Beamon sub 10.2. Was Emmyan ? , certainly Dombrowski was not.

[user4]

Yeah. 6'8" and 250 pounds. He's gonna sail.

Yeah, like a frozen turkey��