Keon Johnson has the highest vertical jump ever measured in the NBA. He jumped 48.0 inches (121.9 cm) at the 2021 NBA Draft Combine.
At the May 2026 combine, Tobi Lawal jumped 45.5 inches. That ties Kenny Gregory’s jump from 2001 for second place.
Michael Jordan’s famous 48 inches was never measured at the combine.
48.0 inThe record, Keon Johnson, 2021
45.5 inTobi Lawal, 2026, tied for second
34.65 inAverage combine jump with a run up
12 ft 6.5 inHighest a hand has reached
Pick a record holder below and jump next to him with your own numbers.
Jump next to the record holders
| # | Player | Combine | With a run up | From standing | Hand reached |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Keon Johnson | 2021 | 48 in | 41.5 in | 12′1″ |
| 2 | Kenny Gregory | 2001 | 45.5 in | 39.5 in | 12′2.5″ |
| 3 | Tobi Lawal | 2026 | 45.5 in | 40 in | 12′6″ |
| 4 | Hamidou Diallo | 2017 | 44.5 in | 34.5 in | 12′2″ |
| 5 | Jericho Sims | 2021 | 44.5 in | 37 in | 12′6.5″ |
| 6 | Shane Larkin | 2013 | 44 in | 34.5 in | 11′1.5″ |
| 7 | Pat Connaughton | 2015 | 44 in | 37.5 in | 11′8″ |
| 8 | Kay Felder | 2016 | 44 in | 35.5 in | 11′0.5″ |
| 9 | Cassius Stanley | 2020 | 44 in | 34.5 in | 11′11.5″ |
| 10 | Tim Bowers | 2004 | 43.5 in | 37 in | 11′9.5″ |
Numbers: NBA.com Draft Combine stats, every combine from 2000 to 2026.
Every combine jump of 44 inches or more
The combine runs two jump tests: one from standing with no step, and one with a run up. NBA.com Draft Combine stats cover every combine from 2000 to 2026.
Nine jumps in that data reached 44 inches or more.
| Rank | Player | Combine | With a run up | From standing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Keon Johnson | 2021 | 48.0 in | 41.5 in |
| 2 | Kenny Gregory | 2001 | 45.5 in | 39.5 in |
| 2 | Tobi Lawal | 2026 | 45.5 in | 40.0 in |
| 4 | Hamidou Diallo | 2017 | 44.5 in | 34.5 in |
| 4 | Jericho Sims | 2021 | 44.5 in | 37.0 in |
| 6 | Shane Larkin | 2013 | 44.0 in | 34.5 in |
| 6 | Pat Connaughton | 2015 | 44.0 in | 37.5 in |
| 6 | Kay Felder | 2016 | 44.0 in | 35.5 in |
| 6 | Cassius Stanley | 2020 | 44.0 in | 34.5 in |
2021: Keon Johnson sets the record
Johnson came to the combine from Tennessee. His 48.0 inch jump with a run up is the best in the data.
His 41.5 inch jump from standing is also the best ever measured there.
2026: Tobi Lawal ties for second
Lawal, a forward from Virginia Tech, jumped 45.5 inches in May 2026. NBA.com posted its own top list on 30 April 2026, before that combine, so he is not on it.
The Dallas Mavericks picked him 48th in the 2026 draft, says Virginia Tech Athletics.
The top jump at each recent combine
| Combine | Leader | With a run up |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Tobi Lawal | 45.5 in |
| 2025 | Drake Powell | 43.0 in |
| 2024 | Devin Carter, Trentyn Flowers, Keshad Johnson, Reed Sheppard | 42.0 in |
| 2023 | Julian Phillips | 43.0 in |
| 2022 | Kennedy Chandler | 41.5 in |
| 2021 | Keon Johnson | 48.0 in |
Keshad Johnson, one of the four 2024 leaders, won the 2026 Slam Dunk Contest.
Did Michael Jordan jump 48 inches?
No one can say. Jordan joined the NBA in 1984, and the combine numbers on NBA.com start in 2000. There is no official test of his jump.
Many lists mix measured jumps with stories. These are the famous ones:
- Michael Jordan: lists say 46 or 48 inches. No measured number.
- Darrell Griffith and Wilt Chamberlain: lists say 48 inches or more. No measured number.
- Spud Webb: often listed at 46 inches. He was drafted in 1985, long before the combine data.
Zach LaVine: 46 at a workout, 41.5 at the combine
LaVine jumped 46 inches at a Los Angeles Lakers workout in June 2014, reported by Sports Illustrated. At the 2014 combine, NBA.com shows 41.5 inches.
DJ Stephens: 46 at a team workout
Yahoo Sports reported a 46 inch jump by Stephens at a Brooklyn Nets workout before the 2013 draft. He does not appear in the combine data.
Nate Robinson: 43.5 measured
Some lists give Robinson 46 inches. At the 2004 combine he jumped 43.5 inches, standing 5 ft 7.75 in without shoes. His story is in our guide on how tall you have to be to dunk.
Who got highest above the rim?
A tall player with a smaller jump can reach higher than a short player with a huge one. Standing reach plus the jump with a run up gives the highest point each hand reached.
| Player | Combine | Standing reach | Jump | Hand reached | Above the rim |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jericho Sims | 2021 | 106 in | 44.5 in | 12 ft 6.5 in | 30.5 in |
| Trevon Brazile | 2026 | 109 in | 41.5 in | 12 ft 6.5 in | 30.5 in |
| Udoka Azubuike | 2020 | 109 in | 41.0 in | 12 ft 6 in | 30.0 in |
| Tobi Lawal | 2026 | 104.5 in | 45.5 in | 12 ft 6 in | 30.0 in |
| Keon Johnson | 2021 | 97 in | 48.0 in | 12 ft 1 in | 25.0 in |
Here is the math for Sims. His standing reach was 106 inches, and he jumped 44.5 inches.
106 plus 44.5 is 150.5 inches. The rim is 10 feet, or 120 inches, under the NBA rule book.
150.5 minus 120 is 30.5. His hand got 30.5 inches above the rim.
What a normal NBA prospect jumps
The combine data holds 1,617 jumps with a run up from 2000 to 2026. The average is 34.65 inches, and the middle score is 34.5 inches.
Only 139 of those 1,617 jumps reached 40 inches. 139 divided by 1,617 is about 8.6%.
NBA.com’s own count, made before the 2026 combine, is 129 of 1,795 players over 25 years.
The best jumps from standing
- Keon Johnson, 41.5 inches (2021)
- Tobi Lawal, 40.0 inches (2026)
- Kenny Gregory, 39.5 inches (2001)
What a run up adds
Players jumped 5.37 inches higher with a run up than from standing, on average. Our guide on how to dunk shows how to get those inches.
Questions people ask
Who had a 50 inch vertical?
No one at the NBA Draft Combine. The highest measured jump since 2000 is 48.0 inches, by Keon Johnson in 2021.
Who has a 70 inch vertical?
No one. A 70 inch jump would be 22 inches higher than the combine record of 48.0 inches.
What is LeBron James’s max vertical?
There is no official number. NBA.com shows LeBron at the 2003 combine with no jump result.
He measured 6 ft 7.25 in without shoes, with a 7 ft 0.25 in wingspan.
What is Ja Morant’s highest vertical?
There is no official number. NBA.com lists Morant at the 2019 combine with no jump results.
What is the highest NBA vertical in cm?
121.9 cm. That is Keon Johnson’s 48.0 inch jump from the 2021 combine.
Sources
- NBA.com Draft Combine stats, every combine from 2000 to 2026
- NBA.com, “Highest max vertical leaps”, 30 April 2026
- Virginia Tech Athletics, Tobi Lawal draft story, 24 June 2026
- Sports Illustrated, Zach LaVine workout story, 4 June 2014
- NBA rule book, Rule No. 1: court and equipment