You do not need to be tall to dunk. Your hand needs to get about 6 inches over a 10 foot rim, to 10 ft 6 in.
With average arms, every inch of height you lack costs about 1.33 inches of jump.
Nate Robinson was 5 ft 7.75 in without shoes at the 2004 NBA Draft Combine. He needed a 34.5 inch jump to reach 10 ft 6 in, and he jumped 43.5 inches.
1.33 inExtra jump for each inch shorter
5 ft 8.5 inBelow this, you need more than half of NBA prospects jump
40 inJump needed at about 5 ft 4.5 in
4 ft 10.5 inShortest height the 48 inch record could carry
Drag the height below to see your reach and the jump you need.
Drag your height, see the jump you need
| Height | Standing reach | Jump to touch rim | Jump for a one hand dunk |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5′0″ | 6′8″ | 40 in | 46 in |
| 5′3″ | 7′0″ | 36 in | 42 in |
| 5′6″ | 7′4″ | 32 in | 38 in |
| 5′8″ | 7′6.5″ | 29.4 in | 35.4 in |
| 5′10″ | 7′9.5″ | 26.7 in | 32.7 in |
| 6′0″ | 8′0″ | 24 in | 30 in |
| 6′2″ | 8′2.5″ | 21.4 in | 27.4 in |
| 6′4″ | 8′5.5″ | 18.7 in | 24.7 in |
| 6′6″ | 8′8″ | 16 in | 22 in |
| 6′8″ | 8′10.5″ | 13.4 in | 19.4 in |
Reach uses 1.333 times height, the average of 1,811 players measured at the NBA Draft Combine. A one hand dunk needs your hand about 6 in over the rim.
How tall do you have to be to dunk?
There is no height rule. Your standing reach decides it, and reach grows with height.
Across 1,811 players in NBA.com Draft Combine stats, standing reach averaged 1.333 times height without shoes.
The math at 6 feet
A 6 foot player is 72 inches tall. 72 times 1.333 is about 96 inches of reach.
126 minus 96 is 30, so he needs about a 30 inch jump.
The math at 5 feet 7
A 5 ft 7 in player is 67 inches tall. 67 times 1.333 is about 89.3 inches of reach.
126 minus 89.3 is 36.7. That player needs about a 36.7 inch jump.
Long arms lower these numbers. Learn how to measure your wingspan, or put your real reach in the dunk calculator.
How rare is the jump you need at your height?
The table compares the jump each height needs with 1,617 NBA combine jumps since 2000.
| Height (no shoes) | Jump needed | NBA combine jumps this high |
|---|---|---|
| 5 ft 0 in | 46.0 in | 0.1% (1 jump) |
| 5 ft 2 in | 43.4 in | 0.9% |
| 5 ft 4 in | 40.7 in | 5.2% |
| 5 ft 6 in | 38.0 in | 16.3% |
| 5 ft 8 in | 35.4 in | 43.5% |
| 5 ft 10 in | 32.7 in | 69.0% |
| 6 ft 0 in | 30.0 in | 88.5% |
| 6 ft 2 in | 27.4 in | 98.0% |
Below about 5 ft 8.5 in, you need a bigger jump than half of all NBA prospects. Around 5 ft 4.5 in, you need 40 inches, and only 8.6% of combine jumps got there.
How short is too short to dunk?
The best jump ever measured at the combine is 48.0 inches. With average arms, it would lift a person about 4 ft 10.5 in tall to 10 ft 6 in.
126 minus 48 is 78 inches of reach.
78 divided by 1.333 is about 58.5 inches. That height is 4 ft 10.5 in.
Anyone shorter would need a bigger jump than anyone has made at the combine since 2000.
Who are the shortest NBA players to dunk?
Spud Webb, 5 ft 6 in
NBA.com lists Webb at 5 ft 6 in, though some sites say 5 ft 7 in. He won the 1986 Slam Dunk Contest, per NBA.com.
Nate Robinson, 5 ft 7.75 in without shoes
Robinson is listed at 5 ft 9 in. At the 2004 combine he measured 5 ft 7.75 in without shoes and jumped 43.5 inches.
His hand reached 11 ft 3 in. He won the dunk contest in 2006, 2009 and 2010.
He is also the shortest player in the NBA.com combine data since 2000.
Kay Felder, 5 ft 8.25 in without shoes
Felder jumped 44.0 inches at the 2016 combine. That ties for sixth best in the data. The full list is in our NBA vertical jump records.
Questions people ask
Can I dunk at 5’7″?
Yes, with a big jump. With average arms you need about 36.7 inches, and only 28.4% of NBA combine jumps were that high. Nate Robinson did it at 5 ft 7.75 in.
Can a 5’4″ man dunk?
It is possible but rare. With average arms he needs about a 40.7 inch jump, and only 5.2% of NBA combine jumps reached it.
At what height does dunking get easier?
From about 6 ft 2 in. With average arms the jump drops to about 27.4 inches, and 98% of NBA combine jumps beat that.
Is NBA listed height the same as real height?
Not always. Nate Robinson is listed at 5 ft 9 in. At the 2004 combine he measured 5 ft 7.75 in without shoes.
Does the rim height change?
Not in the NBA. The NBA rule book sets the rim at 10 feet. Many park and home hoops can be lowered for practice.
Sources
- NBA.com Draft Combine stats, every combine from 2000 to 2026
- NBA.com, Slam Dunk Contest history, updated 15 February 2026
- NBA rule book, Rule No. 1: court and equipment