Dunk Calculator
Jump needed to touch a 7 to 10 ft rim, dunk (6 in over) and power dunk (10 in over) from your standing reach, or a reach estimated as 1.335 x height. How it works
Use the Dunk Calculator
Clearances above the rim are rules of thumb, unsourced.
Used only by the Estimate button.
Stand side-on to a wall, heels down, reach one arm up and mark the highest point your fingertips touch.
The jump-and-reach figure: how far higher your fingertips get in a jump than in your standing reach.
Jump needed = rim height + clearance - standing reach. Rim: 10 ft = 120 in = 3.048 m. Your standing reach: 8 ft 0 in.
What this is
Jump-and-reach arithmetic, not a probability or a prediction: it subtracts your standing reach from the height your fingertips must get to. The 6 in and 10 in clearances are rules of thumb with no official source; hand size, a one- or two-hand dunk and a run-up change what is really needed. The estimate button uses a reach of 1.335 times height, the median among players measured at the NBA Draft Combine (a blog analysis of DraftExpress data, not an official statistic; combine reach measurements have had accuracy concerns). It describes tall basketball players, so measure your own reach when you can.
About the Dunk Calculator
To dunk on a 10 ft (120 in, 3.048 m) rim your fingertips need to get about 6 in above it. With an 8 ft 0 in standing reach that is a 24 in vertical jump to touch the rim, 30 in to dunk and 34 in for a power dunk (10 in over). Jump needed = rim height + clearance - standing reach. The rim is 10 ft by default and can be set to 7, 8 or 9 ft for youth hoops: on an 8 ft rim a 6 ft 0 in reach needs 24 in to touch, 30 in to dunk and 34 in for a power dunk. Dunk style sets the clearance for the dunk you want, from +6 in one-handed to +12 in between the legs.
Vertical jump needed by standing reach
| Standing reach | In cm | Touch the rim | Dunk (+6 in) | Power dunk (+10 in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 ft 0 in | 213.4 cm | 36 in (91.4 cm) | 42 in (106.7 cm) | 46 in (116.8 cm) |
| 7 ft 6 in | 228.6 cm | 30 in (76.2 cm) | 36 in (91.4 cm) | 40 in (101.6 cm) |
| 7 ft 9 in | 236.2 cm | 27 in (68.6 cm) | 33 in (83.8 cm) | 37 in (94 cm) |
| 8 ft 0 in | 243.8 cm | 24 in (61 cm) | 30 in (76.2 cm) | 34 in (86.4 cm) |
| 8 ft 3 in | 251.5 cm | 21 in (53.3 cm) | 27 in (68.6 cm) | 31 in (78.7 cm) |
| 8 ft 6 in | 259.1 cm | 18 in (45.7 cm) | 24 in (61 cm) | 28 in (71.1 cm) |
| 9 ft 0 in | 274.3 cm | 12 in (30.5 cm) | 18 in (45.7 cm) | 22 in (55.9 cm) |
Rim 10 ft = 120 in = 3.048 m. Each column is rim + clearance - reach: for an 8 ft 0 in (96 in) reach, 120 + 6 - 96 = 30 in to dunk.
Estimated reach and jump needed by height
| Height | Estimated reach (height x 1.335) | Touch the rim | Dunk (+6 in) | Power dunk (+10 in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 ft 6 in | 7 ft 4.1 in | 31.9 in | 37.9 in | 41.9 in |
| 5 ft 9 in | 7 ft 8.1 in | 27.9 in | 33.9 in | 37.9 in |
| 6 ft 0 in | 8 ft 0.1 in | 23.9 in | 29.9 in | 33.9 in |
| 6 ft 3 in | 8 ft 4.1 in | 19.9 in | 25.9 in | 29.9 in |
| 6 ft 6 in | 8 ft 8.1 in | 15.9 in | 21.9 in | 25.9 in |
| 6 ft 9 in | 9 ft 0.1 in | 11.9 in | 17.9 in | 21.9 in |
| 7 ft 0 in | 9 ft 4.1 in | 7.9 in | 13.9 in | 17.9 in |
Each reach is height x 1.335, so 6 ft 0 in (72 in) becomes 96.1 in, or 8 ft 0.1 in. A measured reach is better than this estimate.
Jump needed by rim height, standing reach 6 ft 0 in (72 in)
| Rim height | Touch the rim | Dunk (+6 in) | Power dunk (+10 in) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 ft (84 in, 2.134 m) | 12 in | 18 in | 22 in |
| 8 ft (96 in, 2.438 m) | 24 in | 30 in | 34 in |
| 9 ft (108 in, 2.743 m) | 36 in | 42 in | 46 in |
| 10 ft (120 in, 3.048 m) | 48 in | 54 in | 58 in |
The four rim heights the calculator offers. Each foot of rim height adds 12 in to every figure.
Jump needed by dunk style, standing reach 8 ft 0 in (96 in), 10 ft rim
| Dunk style | Clearance over the rim | Jump needed |
|---|---|---|
| Touch the rim | 0 in | 24 in (61 cm) |
| One-hand dunk | 6 in | 30 in (76.2 cm) |
| Two-hand dunk | 8 in | 32 in (81.3 cm) |
| Windmill | 10 in | 34 in (86.4 cm) |
| Between the legs | 12 in | 36 in (91.4 cm) |
The clearances are the Dunk style options in the calculator: rules of thumb with no official source.
Frequently asked questions
- How high do you have to jump to dunk?
- Rim height plus about 6 in, minus your standing reach. With a standing reach of 8 ft 0 in (96 in) that is 30 in; with 8 ft 6 in it is 24 in, and with 7 ft 6 in 36 in. Hand size and a one- or two-hand dunk move the real figure up or down from that.
- How high do you have to jump to dunk on an 8 ft or 9 ft rim?
- Pick the rim height in the calculator. With a 6 ft 0 in (72 in) standing reach, an 8 ft rim takes a 24 in jump to touch, 30 in to dunk and 34 in for a power dunk; a 9 ft rim takes 36, 42 and 46 in; a 7 ft rim 12, 18 and 22 in.
- How tall do you have to be to dunk?
- Height alone does not decide it; standing reach and jump do. With the 1.335 reach estimate, a 6 ft 0 in player reaches about 8 ft 0.1 in and needs a 29.9 in jump to dunk, a 6 ft 6 in player about 21.9 in and a 5 ft 9 in player about 33.9 in. Measure your reach for a better figure.
- How do I measure my standing reach?
- Stand side-on to a wall with both heels on the floor, reach straight up with the arm nearest the wall and mark the highest point your fingertips touch. The height of the mark from the floor is your standing reach; enter it in feet and inches or in centimetres.
- How is standing reach estimated from height?
- Height x 1.335, the median ratio of standing reach to height for players measured at the NBA Draft Combine, from a blog analysis of DraftExpress data by The Hoops Geek (page last updated September 30, 2021, no sample size given). It is not an official statistic and it describes basketball players, so measure your own reach when you can.
- Should I enter my standing or running vertical jump?
- Enter the jump you will take off with. A standing vertical (feet planted, no steps) is usually lower than a running or approach jump, and most people dunk off a few steps. Compare the dunk figure with your approach jump if you dunk on the run, and with your standing jump for a dunk from a standstill. Measure either the same way: jump, touch the wall as high as you can, and subtract your standing reach from that mark.
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