DUNK ANALYSIS
CAN A 5'9" PERSON DUNK?
Yes — but you'll need around a 86 cm (34″) vertical. Here's the full breakdown for a 5'9" player.
TOUCH RIM
71cm
28″
to reach 10ft
DUNK
86cm
34″
rim + 15 cm clearance
WINDMILL
102cm
40″
rim + 30 cm clearance
Get your exact number
Use your real standing reach instead of an estimate.
The math for a 5'9" player
At 5'9", the average standing reach is around 234 cm — about 1.33× your height. A regulation rim sits at 305 cm (10 feet). To dunk cleanly you want your wrist about 15 cm above the rim, so the real target is 320 cm.
That leaves a gap of 86 cm (34″) — the vertical leap you need to dunk. Most untrained 5'9" athletes jump 40–55 cm, so the typical gap to close is 36–46 cm.
Realistic timeline
- 8–12 weeks of structured strength + plyometrics: +5–15 cm
- 6 months consistent: +10–25 cm
- 12–18 months serious training: +20–38 cm
What helps a 5'9" player most
- Single-leg strength — Bulgarian splits, step-ups, RDLs
- Depth jumps + broad jumps, low reps, full recovery
- 10–30 yd sprints twice a week for elastic power
- Drop 5–10 lb if you have it to lose — every pound matters