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How tall is spud webb the basketball player
Height offers great potential in sports – NCHS LIVE!
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Sam Roberts September 20, 2022
Being tall in volleyball definitely helps. I have always been taller for my age, and people are constantly asking the question, “volleyball or basketball?”
I actually did play basketball when I was younger. I played for a travel AAU team and was hoping to continue playing. When I played basketball, I was always the tallest and could rebound very easily.
Unfortunately, I hated the super aggressive side of basketball. I was very disappointed that I was quitting, but also excited to try something new out.
When I started playing volleyball, it pretty much came naturally. I had previous jumping skills from basketball, so it was easy to jump high. I started out playing middle blocker, which is what I play now. I was always the tallest, and the middle is always the tallest.
My first club season was successful, and I felt like I got a lot better as I moved on. Now, I have stuck with volleyball and kept playing. Last club season, I played on a high level club team. I played and practiced with girls that will probably go on to play division one volleyball.
This past season was a growing point for me and really helped out my skills.
One sport that does not benefit you in being tall is skiing.
Every other spring break, my family and I go skiing in Colorado. We visit Beaver Creek and usually go skiing for 4 days.
At first, skiing was definitely not my forte. I am 5’11”, so maybe I was built to do something other than be a skier. I quickly learned that having a lower center of gravity is an advantage in skiing.
I also learned that shorter people do not have to fall as far when skiing. This is probably why kids are so good at skiing.
My dad is 6’6”, so being good at skiing is also very hard. When we go skiing, the green hills are more up our alley. However, my brother is the complete opposite.
The last time we went skiing was 2 spring breaks ago, and my brother was much shorter. He wasn’t afraid to go down some of the black rated hills. He was only 5”7’ then, so now it may be harder.
Professional skiers are similar. The average height of a female professional skier is only 5’4” while the average height of a male professional skier is 5’9”.
Kjetil André Aamodt, is former olympic alpine skier from Norway. He has won 5 gold medals and 21 individual World Cup events.
Aamodt only stands at 5’9”, and still brings heat in the Olympics and other ski competitions. He proves that you do not have to be tall to be successful in skiing.
Spud Webb shocked basketball fans despite his height – September 20
A common stereotype basketball players face is that they have to be tall to play. However, some of the most successful basketball players have been much smaller than the average NBA height of 6’6”. Shorter players are often faster and more agile than their taller counterparts.
Spud Webb, a former NBA star, is known for being one of the shortest basketball legends. Standing at just 5’6”, Webb played Division I basketball and enjoyed a lengthy career in the NBA.
Webb played college basketball at Midland College and North Carolina State University. At Midland, a junior college program, Webb was considered the “all-star” of the team and even led the team to a JUCO national championship in 1982.
With Webb’s height, no one believed he would be able to play on a division one basketball team. In 1983, Webb transferred to North Carolina State, a division one school, where he played for two seasons.
Shortly after, Webb was drafted in the fourth round of the 1985 NBA draft by the Atlanta Hawks. Defying the odds, Webb played for the Atlanta Hawks, Sacramento Kings, Minnesota Timberwolves and Orlando Magic.
Webb was the shortest player to ever compete in a NBA Slam Dunk Contest. He ended up winning the contest in 1986.
Webb’s vertical was between 42-46 inches. Even though he was small, Webb was able to dunk in games.
Winning the contest in 1986 gave Webb many opportunities and showed the world that height does not matter. Webb retired in 1997 and is now president of basketball operations for the Texas Legends.
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About the Writer
Sam Roberts
Sam Roberts is in 11th grade and her 1st year in journalism. She is involved with volleyball here at North Central.
You'll Never Guess How High Spud Webb's Vertical Was
If someone who didn’t follow the NBA saw Spud Webb walking down the street, they would think he was an average person. An NBA player probably would not have been the first thing to cross their mind. But Webb was, in fact, an NBA player and a talented one at that.
Standing 5-foot-7, Webb is one of the shortest players to ever play in the NBA. But he didn’t let his height stop him from playing at a high level. Even though he was not the tallest player out there, he still won an NBA dunk contest. Looking back at his videos, this guy could jump.
Spud Webb’s impressive leaping abilities
Webb amazed people with his jumping abilities. Very few people with Webb’s height can dunk. While he was in the league, he took full advantage of his dunking capability. Most NBA scouts didn’t think that he would play in the NBA. But Webb proved them wrong.
Webb played 12 seasons in the NBA, playing for four different teams. He became a household name during his time playing with the Atlanta Hawks. He played in 814 games and averaged 9.9 points. He won his first Slam Dunk Contest as a member of the Hawks beating his teammate Dominque Wilkins.
1986 Slam Dunk Contest champion
When the NBA caught on to Webb’s dunking skill, they wanted him in the All-Star game festivities. Here you have a rookie and the shortest contestant in the contest going up against some of the best dunkers in the league.
Webb would go on to make it to the finals of the dunk contest and square off against his teammate Dominique Wilkins. Wilkins was known for his powerful dunks. At 6-8, he was given the nickname the Human Highlight Film. So, you had a 5-7 player going up against a much taller player. But they both put on a show for the fans and they got their money’s worth.
Webb was able to capture the trophy and beat his teammate in an electric performance filled with great dunks. It was a sight to see to watch how easy Webb got up and put the ball in the room. He was jumping like he was 6’8. How could someone at that height jump so high?
Spud Webb’s 42-inch vertical
Standing 5-7, Webb had a 42-inch vertical, which was impressive. At the time, it was one of the best verticals that the NBA has seen. He had a lot of explosiveness and power when he went up to dunk the ball. It looked as if he was floating in the air.
Just imagine if Webb was six feet or taller. Who knows what his vertical would have been? Webb was dunking in high school when he was 5-3, so he knew how to throw it down young in his career. He is currently the third shortest player to ever play in the league. Only Earl Boykins and Muggsy Bogues were shorter. Webb made a name for himself in the league, and even though he was not tallest, he was one of the best dunkers when he played.
Webb, Spud | it's... What's Webb, Spud?
Anthony Jerome Webb (eng. Anthony Jerome Webb ; born July 13, 1963 in Dallas, Texas) - also known as Spud Webb , is an American professional basketball player.
Webb - winner of the top throw competition as part of the stellar weekend (1986). At the same time, Spud's height was only 170 cm. His success opened the way to the NBA for a number of undersized (by basketball standards) players.
Career
Webb was born in Dallas, Texas. He lived in a small three-bedroom house with his parents and five brothers and sisters. Webb started playing basketball at an early age and always wanted to get into the NBA. Webb was small in stature, but he jumped much higher than his peers. Spud tried out for junior high school teams, but was rejected, saying he was too low to compete. In the end, Webb was able to persuade the coach and scored 20 points in his first game. When Spud Webb decided to try out for the Wilmer-Hutchits senior team, he was turned down again because of his short stature. Webb was so frustrated that he even thought about leaving basketball, but still overcame himself and began to train more and more. When he was given the opportunity to play, Spud took his team to the playoffs. In the blink of an eye, Webb became a high school star, averaging 26 points per game. As a teenager, he was named Player of the Year and also made the All-States Team. Despite his incredible accomplishments in high school, Spada wasn't much interested in the Colleges' IA department due to his size. He refused and decided to play at Midland Junior College, where he captained the junior college team and won the national title at 19.82 year. In 1983 at North Carolina State, assistant head coach Tom Abatemarco watched Spad play for college in Texas. Tom Abatemarco offered to visit head coach Jim Valvano to send Webb to a training camp to recruit players. The two coaches went to the airport to meet him. When the little guy went to meet them, Valvano allegedly said to Abatemarco: "If this is Spud Webb, you are destined to burn. " During the visit, Valvano was so impressed by the recession that he offered him a scholarship. Spud agreed and led the Sweet 16 team to the NCAA championship.
Once again, despite Spud's incredible accomplishments, he was not selected to the NBA due to his height. This rejection shattered his lifelong dream, but a frustrated Webb played in the United American Basketball League (USBL).
In 1985, the Detroit Pistons selected Spud Webb in the fourth round of the NBA Draft, thereby achieving a major goal for Webb. When he believed he had passed the final hurdle, Spud was kicked off the team. However, he got the opportunity to play for the Atlanta Hawks. Teaming up with Doc Rivers, Spud went on to average over 10 points, five assists per game, made several NBA playoff appearances and, of course, won an All-Star Game slam dunk contest at 1986 year.
Spud retired from basketball in 1997 and is currently involved in hosting shows, various business affairs, and playing golf.
Links
Spud Webb career statistics
NBA Profile
The tallest basketball players in the world and the NBA and the smallest
A specific sport requires athletes who are gifted in a particular field. Some run faster than the wind, others shoot accurately, others are jumping. But for basketball players, height has always been important. Of course, basketball is a dynamic game, and an athlete must run and jump well, be hardy, have good coordination, and a keen eye. But still, being tall is a great advantage for a basketball player, because it is much easier for tall guys and girls to throw the ball into the basket than short athletes. Below is the TOP 10 tallest basketball players in the world.
1. Alexander Sizonenko - height 2 m 45 cm
This is a legend of Soviet basketball, holder of several titles at once: recorded in the Guinness Book of Records as the tallest man in the world, he is also the tallest man in the Russian Federation and the tallest player in the history of basketball .
He was born in the Kherson region (now Ukraine) in 1959, at the age of 14 he had already outgrown the 2-meter mark, continued to grow until the end of his life, despite the fact that he underwent 2 operations on the pituitary gland. He found his calling in basketball - he didn’t run around the court, but crossed it with giant steps, threw the ball into the basket not in a jump, but simply with his outstretched arm, even compared to other tall team members, he looked like a giant. Coaches noted that Sasha Sizonenko had a subtle positional instinct and masterfully mastered the art of passing. At 19In 88, he starred in the children's film "The Brave Little Tailor" as a giant. This legendary player died in 2012 at the age of 52.
2. Suleiman Ali Nashnoush - 2 m 45 cm
This Libyan athlete shares the first place with Alexander Sizonenko in the ranking of "The tallest basketball player in the world". He played for the Libyan national team, but did not make a good career due to health problems. To stop abnormal growth, more than once went under the surgeon's knife, took special drugs.
In 1969 he starred in the film Satyricon directed by Federico Fellini. Ali died at 1991 years old at the age of 47.
3. Sun Mingming - 2m 36cm
This is a Chinese professional basketball player. Born in 1983, began playing basketball at the age of 15. In 2005, he tried to enter the NBA draft (National Basketball Association, USA), but was unsuccessful. In the same year, he underwent surgery to remove a brain tumor. In 2012, he became the Chinese Basketball Champion. He was repeatedly invited to television, starred in episodes of several films. Today, Mingmin plays for the Chinese club Beijing Ducks.
4. Uvais Mazhidovich Akhtaev - 2 m 36 cm
Soviet basketball player named Vasya Chechen. Born in 1930 in the village of Vashandara, Chechen-Ingush Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. In 1944 he was deported to Kazakhstan.
We advise you to read the article: The tallest women in the world
Even then, his height was 2 meters. To survive, a 14-year-old boy was stealing firewood, and for this he was caught by the police. But the policemen were so surprised by the guy's outstanding physical data - growth and enormous strength, that instead of the precinct they took Uvais to a sports club, where he was immediately assigned to the basketball section.
Played for Alma-Ata Burevestnik. The coach spoke very warmly about this amazing athlete.
Many notable incidents are connected with his professional career: his opponents tried in every possible way to put Vasya Chechen out of action. They tickled him during the game, stole his clothes, because of which Uwais went out to play in family shorts, tried to seduce him with bribery. Uwais is the first basketball player in the world to serve the ball across the court. He died in 1978 (aged 47).
5. Myong Hong Ri (pseudonym - Michael Rea) - 2 m 35 cm
North Korea's tallest basketball player, now retired as he retired. He really wanted to get into the NBA, but due to political disagreements between North Korea and the United States, Washington blocked his candidacy, demanding that Michael sign an agreement under which not a single cent of his salary would go home. But Miong Hong Ri did not sign such an agreement under the pressure of the North Korean special services.
Lives in Pyongyang, is a national hero, stories about him are often shown on television. Married, has a son.
6. Okayama Yasutaka - 2 m 34 cm
Japanese basketball player. In 1981, he was selected in the 7th round of the NBA draft, but turned down an offer to sign a professional contract and never played in the NBA. He set a personal record - he became the tallest player in the history of the NBA, who was ever chosen in the draft (this is the selection procedure for new basketball players, consists of 2 rounds).
7. Paul Sturgess - 2 m 32 cm
Professional English basketball player in the British Basketball League. Born at 1987 year. At 14, his height was the most common - only 1 m 68 cm, at 16 he grew to 2 m 10 cm, at 18 he graduated from high school and, with a height of 2 m 18 cm, became the tallest teenager in Great Britain. Paul continued to grow, but a medical examination did not reveal any developmental abnormalities, proving that Paul's gigantic growth was genetically determined. The athlete in the team is affectionately called "Kid".
8. Gheorghe Dumitru Muresan - 2 m 31 cm
Romanian basketball player. Made a professional career. He was born at 1971, started playing basketball while still at university. He was noticed by professional coaches, and he was invited to the strongest French sports club Pau-Orthez, for which he played in the 1992/93 season. In 1993, he was selected to the NBA and at the end of the season was named "the most progressive player." Mueshan's parents are ordinary people of average height. His gigantism is a consequence of disturbances in the body.
9. Manute Bol - 2 m 31 cm
Born in Sudan in 1962. His father is the leader of the South Sudanese Dinka tribe. Translated from the African name "Manute" means "special blessing." At 1985 came to the NBA, where he was the tallest athlete along with Gerge Mureshan. Bol also owns another record: he became the leader in the NBA in block shots (this is blocking an opponent's shot).
In 1994 he finished his sports career and went to work for a human rights organization, he did a lot of charity work. He died in 2010 from a serious skin disease. He was only 47 years old.
10. Slavko Vranesh - 2 m 30 cm
Montenegrin talented basketball player born in 1983 closes our ranking of the highest basketball players on the planet. He came to sports quite late, at the age of 14, with a height of 2 m 15 cm. First he played in the Serbian Zheleznik, then he left for Turkey. In 2002 he returned to play in Montenegro. In 2003, he took part in the NBA draft. But in 2004 he returned to his homeland again. From 2007 to 2010 he played in the Belgrade professional club Partizan. He considers this time the peak of his career.
Out of competition
Ulyana Semyonova with a height of 2 m 18 cm became a legend of Sotsk sports, she is the tallest basketball player in the world in the history of basketball. Lithuanian by nationality, she was born in 1952 in the provincial town of Zarasai. Already at school, Ulyana showed great abilities for sports - she was engaged in volleyball, ski walking, and athletics. A start in life was given to her by a physical education teacher, who informed the capital about the growing talent. So, Ulyana moved to Riga, where she lived in a boarding school during her studies, and then the authorities allocated her a separate apartment.
Her career has been very successful. Semenova became a two-time Olympic champion, a three-time world champion, a ten-time European champion. In 1971, she was awarded the title of Honored Master of Sports of the USSR. Today Ulyana Larionovna holds the post of Chairman of the Vice-President of the Latvian NOC.
Amazing Exceptions
Tyrone Curtis Bogz, nicknamed “Mugsy”, which means “hooligan” in English, is an amazing basketball player, whose height was only 1 m 60 cm! In the world of basketball, where the average height of an athlete is 185-190 cm, Mugsi was a real midget. But the smallest basketball player did not lose heart and devoted himself to his favorite pastime with passion.
He wasn’t afraid to go down some of the black rated hills. He was only 5”7’ then, so now it may be harder.
Standing at just 5’6”, Webb played Division I basketball and enjoyed a lengthy career in the NBA. 
Webb retired in 1997 and is now president of basketball operations for the Texas Legends.
Even though he was not the tallest player out there, he still won an NBA dunk contest. Looking back at his videos, this guy could jump.
But Webb proved them wrong.
Here you have a rookie and the shortest contestant in the contest going up against some of the best dunkers in the league.
Webb was so frustrated that he even thought about leaving basketball, but still overcame himself and began to train more and more. When he was given the opportunity to play, Spud took his team to the playoffs. In the blink of an eye, Webb became a high school star, averaging 26 points per game. As a teenager, he was named Player of the Year and also made the All-States Team. Despite his incredible accomplishments in high school, Spada wasn't much interested in the Colleges' IA department due to his size. He refused and decided to play at Midland Junior College, where he captained the junior college team and won the national title at 19.82 year. In 1983 at North Carolina State, assistant head coach Tom Abatemarco watched Spad play for college in Texas. Tom Abatemarco offered to visit head coach Jim Valvano to send Webb to a training camp to recruit players. The two coaches went to the airport to meet him. When the little guy went to meet them, Valvano allegedly said to Abatemarco: "If this is Spud Webb, you are destined to burn.
" During the visit, Valvano was so impressed by the recession that he offered him a scholarship. Spud agreed and led the Sweet 16 team to the NCAA championship. 
To stop abnormal growth, more than once went under the surgeon's knife, took special drugs. 
To survive, a 14-year-old boy was stealing firewood, and for this he was caught by the police. But the policemen were so surprised by the guy's outstanding physical data - growth and enormous strength, that instead of the precinct they took Uvais to a sports club, where he was immediately assigned to the basketball section. 
But Miong Hong Ri did not sign such an agreement under the pressure of the North Korean special services. 
The athlete in the team is affectionately called "Kid". 
Already at school, Ulyana showed great abilities for sports - she was engaged in volleyball, ski walking, and athletics. A start in life was given to her by a physical education teacher, who informed the capital about the growing talent. So, Ulyana moved to Riga, where she lived in a boarding school during her studies, and then the authorities allocated her a separate apartment. 
