The Mystery of Jerry West's Gorilla Wingspan

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[IMG]https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-atJDaarULkc/T1F_MgiIbyI/AAAAAAAADIk/uuCcrBNRGYk/s640/Jerry%2520West%252081%2520inch%2520wingspan.jpg[/IMG]
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[B]6'3 Jerry West - 81" wingspan (6'9)[/B]
[IMG]https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-yDuWLOTlJdc/T1QMv7RUPcI/AAAAAAAADLM/BYy-5c5I-Fg/s400/West%2520bloc2ks.jpg[/IMG]

[B]Same wingspan as 6'7 Joe Johnson[/B]
[IMG]http://pinerider.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/joe-johnson.jpg[/IMG]
[url]http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Joe-Johnson-3013/[/url]

[B]And 6'7 Matt Barnes[/B]
[IMG]http://www.nba.com/media/warriors/BarnesFeature07_Action.jpg[/IMG]
[url]http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Matt-Barnes-1592/[/url]

[B]And 6'9 Mike Dunleavy[/B]
[IMG]http://www.fbasketballblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/mikedunleavy-e1290043832103.jpg[/IMG]
[url]http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Mike-Dunleavy-2294/[/url]

:cheers:

[QUOTE=bwink23]:cheers:[/QUOTE]

I found Kareem's and Bill Russell's too

Too bad West had poor form with his jump shot, and couldn't dribble with his left hand (or go left), or maybe he could have had seasons of 30 ppg, and post-seasons in the high 30's (and even a series of 46 ppg.)

Jerry West is one of the guys who you could take and drop in the NBA today and still be successful. He really had a "modern" game.

[QUOTE=Collie]Jerry West is one of the guys who you could take and drop in the NBA today and still be successful. He really had a "modern" game.[/QUOTE]

True. West, Bird, and Ray Allen have the fastest - purest shot release I can think of in NBA history. That's def gotta be good for something haha - and West had many other facets to his game that fans today probably don't even realize. Like excellent rebounding and chase-down blocks... LBJ actually copies that page out of little Jerry West's game :oldlol:

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvMq-eX_pNw&t=2m42s[/url]

:eek: Those chase-downs... and he actually keeps the plays in bounds!

[QUOTE=CavaliersFTW]I found Kareem's and Bill Russell's too[/QUOTE]

I believe Russell's was 7-4.

derrick rose is 6'2.5 and has a 6'8 wingspan


:confusedshrug: :confusedshrug:

[QUOTE=jlauber]I believe Russell's was 7-4.[/QUOTE]

I've heard that too but that's been word of mouth - That isn't the # from the 1961 source I found though - I won't reveal Kareem's and Russell's wingspan measurement yet - because I'm saving them for another topic. If you actually have a source for the 7'4 # I would really like to see it because it is different and I always like to cross reference conflicting information and get to the bottom.

[QUOTE=dbk123]derrick rose is 6'2.5 and has a 6'8 wingspan


:confusedshrug: :confusedshrug:[/QUOTE]

Good for Derrick Rose, really. :cheers:. However, I wasn't attempting to start a competition on who's got a more impressive wingspan, this post is just shedding light on a topic that vintage NBA fans have speculated but never had a concrete number for.

Does anyone know the numbers for Phil Jackson? He and Kevin McHale had the longest arms I think I've ever seen.

[QUOTE=Scoooter]Does anyone know the numbers for Phil Jackson? He and Kevin McHale had the longest arms I think I've ever seen.[/QUOTE]

I can try to search for them for you later tonight - They may have never been measured though. I keep looking for Nate Thurmond's too, who was allegedly as long as if not longer than Wilt. At 7'8", Wilt has the widest confirmed wingspan measurement of any NBA player at this moment - based on [url]www.draftexpress.com/measurements[/url] and other independent measurements for various current and historical NBA players.

Keep in mind wingspan is shoulder breadth + arm length + hand length. So just because somebody has long arms doesn't necessarily translate to epic wingspan. But I'm pretty sure those two guys did have good wingspan. I think the "8 foot wingspan" claims on McHale are a myth personally, but I still think he had a reaaaally wide reach. Some guys on [url]www.basketballforum.com[/url] claimed 90" which is the most grounded, solid looking number I've seen for McHale so far but they didn't cite it and I haven't found jack that supports it yet.

[QUOTE=CavaliersFTW]I can try to search for them for you later tonight - They may have never been measured though. I keep looking for Nate Thurmond's too, who was allegedly as long as if not longer than Wilt. At 7'8", Wilt has the widest confirmed wingspan measurement of any NBA player at this moment - based on [url]www.draftexpress.com[/url] and other independent measurements for various current and historical NBA players.

Keep in mind wingspan is shoulder breadth + arm length + hand length. So just because somebody has long arms doesn't necessarily translate to epic wingspan. But I'm pretty sure those two guys did have good wingspan. I think the "8 foot wingspan" claims on McHale are a myth personally, but I still think he had a reaaaally wide reach[/QUOTE]

I can't recall where I came across Russell's wingspan, but I do recall it being 7-4 where ever I found it. I also recall reading somewhere, that in their college matchup, that Russell actually placed his hand over the ball in the outstretched reach of 7-3 Swede Halbrook.

As for the Thurmond wingspan, again, I came across it somewhere, and I would like to think it was in a YouTube interview or documentary. Supposedly he had an inch reach advantage on Chamberlain. Of course, Wilt was a high-jump champ, so it didn't make much of a difference to Chamberlain.

I still maintain that no other legitimate NBA player ever reached the absolute heights that Wilt did.

[QUOTE=jlauber]I can't recall where I came across Russell's wingspan, but I do recall it being 7-4 where ever I found it. I also recall reading somewhere, that in their college matchup, that Russell actually placed his hand over the ball in the outstretched reach of 7-3 Swede Halbrook.

As for the Thurmond wingspan, again, I came across it somewhere, and I would like to think it was in a YouTube interview or documentary. Supposedly he had an inch reach advantage on Chamberlain. Of course, Wilt was a high-jump champ, so it didn't make much of a difference to Chamberlain.

I still maintain that no other legitimate NBA player ever reached the absolute heights that Wilt did.[/QUOTE]

I've seen all that too, I have the article about Russell and Swede - but 7'4 just seems to be something speculated in the past decade that spread by word of mouth and became fact by virtue of "common knowledge" - just like how daddy long legs are the most poisonous spiders in the world despite not being spiders and despite not having potent venom at all... If something is repeated enough times people just assume it to be true. I could be wrong but so far the 7'4 claim boiled down to zero citations from anyone. I actually found a source from 1961 - from his active playing years. It differs from 7'4 but I'm thinking it's likelier to be a real measurement.

[QUOTE=CavaliersFTW]I've seen all that too, I have the article about Russell and Swede - but 7'4 just seems to be something speculated in the past decade that spread by word of mouth and became fact by virtue of "common knowledge" - just like how daddy long legs are the most poisonous spiders in the world despite not being spiders and despite not having potent venom at all... If something is repeated enough times people just assume it to be true. I could be wrong but so far the 7'4 claim boiled down to zero citations from anyone. I actually found a source from 1961 - from his active playing years. It differs from 7'4 but I'm thinking it's likelier to be a real measurement.[/QUOTE]

What do you have?

[IMG]http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_jb1Dlgjyj1c/SoueaWFXFOI/AAAAAAAAAQw/zN9B7DGBr48/s320/case-solved.png[/IMG]

:roll:

[QUOTE=jlauber]What do you have?[/QUOTE]

Was gonna save it for another topic where I reveal his, Kareem's, and Wilt's measurements to compare to modern centers - but Russell is stated as having an 85" wingspan in a NY Times article dated December 30th 1961

[QUOTE=CavaliersFTW]Was gonna save it for another topic where I reveal his, Kareem's, and Wilt's measurements to compare to modern centers - but Russell is stated as having an 85" wingspan in a NY Times article dated December 30th 1961[/QUOTE]

Not quite 88" then.

OP would be a great detective in real life.

[QUOTE=CavaliersFTW]Was gonna save it for another topic where I reveal his, Kareem's, and Wilt's measurements to compare to modern centers - but Russell is stated as having an 85" wingspan in a NY Times article dated December 30th 1961[/QUOTE]

BTW, Sonny Hill claims that Kareem, himself, said, that his highest reach was 12' 6", which would equal Dwight Howard's. Of course, Hill claims that he witnessed Chamberlain touching the top of the backboard (as did longtime Sixer trainer, Al Domenico.)

Watching west shoot is ridiculous. If you see it from behind it looks like 2 giant arms materialize out of nowhere. So fast. You can't barely contest it

[QUOTE=ralph_i_el]Watching west shoot is ridiculous. If you see it from behind it looks like 2 giant arms materialize out of nowhere. So fast. You can't barely contest it[/QUOTE]

He was one of those mis-match players to guard. Short legs and quick feet meant he was as mobile as a point guard but his wingspan meant he'd just shoot right over top of them. And inversely, he was quicker than the big guys that could reach him so he'd just use a quick fake or a jab to get them off balance and his shot was released before they could even recover.

[QUOTE=Eric Cartman]OP would be a great detective in real life.[/QUOTE]

[IMG]http://www.healthyhuman.net/sh_profile7.gif[/IMG]

[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2VZqY8YWHg&t=14s[/url]

Jerry West picks a guys pocket... then he throws the hammer down :rockon:

Didn't Marshon Brooks and Iman Shumpert each have ridiculous wingspan's too....
[url]http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Iman-Shumpert-5156/[/url]
[url]http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Marshon-Brooks-6347/[/url]

Brooks is 6'5" with a 7'1" wingspan....

EDIT: Biyombo also has a ridiculous wing span.
[url]http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Bismack-Biyombo-5902/[/url]
he's 6'9" with a 7'6" wing span

[QUOTE=MeLO MvP 15]Didn't Marshon Brooks and Iman Shumpert each have ridiculous wingspan's too....
[url]http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Iman-Shumpert-5156/[/url]
[url]http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Marshon-Brooks-6347/[/url]

Brooks is 6'5" with a 7'1" wingspan....[/QUOTE]

:eek: @ Marshon Brooks!

[B]NBA Knuckle Draggers:[/B]

Rajon Rondo
~6'1 with a 6'9 wingspan

Derrick Rose
6'1.5" with a 6'8 Wingspan

Jerry West
~6'2.5" with a 6'9 wingspan

Iman Shumpert
6'4.25" with a 6'9.5" wingspan

Marshon Brooks
6'4.25" with a 7'1" wingspan

(west and rondo's specific heights are speculative)
Rondo's wingspan was measured on sport science.

[QUOTE=CavaliersFTW]:eek: @ Marshon Brooks!

[B]NBA Knuckle Draggers:[/B]

Rajon Rondo
~6'1 with a 6'9 wingspan

Derrick Rose
6'1.5" with a 6'8 Wingspan

Jerry West
~6'2.5" with a 6'9 wingspan

Iman Shumpert
6'4.25" with a 6'9.5" wingspan

Marshon Brooks
6'4.25" with a 7'1" wingspan

(west and rondo's specific heights are speculative)
Rondo's wingspan was measured on sport science.[/QUOTE]

Any idea on Connie Hawkins' wingspan. He not only had long arms, he had HUGE hands.

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[QUOTE=Scoooter]Does anyone know the numbers for Phil Jackson? He and Kevin McHale had the longest arms I think I've ever seen.[/QUOTE]

Scottie Pippen also real long, for his body...... prolly no coincidence in each case we are finding true greatness - ability to use physical advantages to maximum potential

[QUOTE=ralph_i_el]Watching west shoot is ridiculous. If you see it from behind it looks like 2 giant arms materialize out of nowhere. So fast. You can't barely contest it[/QUOTE]

Yeah. I get a lot of grief from ISH people about it but I got Logo as the starting PG on my All-Time Starting 5

The only argument I can find for his spot is Magic which to me is true horns of the dilemma........ happily I find I can solve the conundrum perfectly by the fact, Magic is my 6th Man........ thus he plays the same minutes as everybody else, by floating for MJ, Logo, Larry Legend, and Kareem.

My center famously never came out of a game in 1962......... 48.5mpg for the season.
****************
edit: forgot.... other thing about that quick shot? Jerry had a really unique trick, which as far as I know, he invented this.... he would dribble around the perimeter, like anybody (although amazingly fast) but at some point on the arc, known only to himself, he had a single hard dribble.

I mean he would slam that ball down [B]hard[/B]... and he would go into his jumpshot [I]without the ball[/I]. To the defender, it was another dribble...... but for Jerry, that hard bounce would fling the ball up to about his shoulder height... into his hands as they floated up..... and with those long arms he had a high release combined with the fact he was already IN THE AIR, WITH THE BALL... before the defender could react.
Result: another uncontested shot for the Logo

Kobe Bryant, [I]Master of All That Has Come Before[/I] has copied that move to an exact perfection that has given him a lot of buckets... over the years as his athleticism has declined he has honed his skills to a very fine sharpness indeed

[QUOTE=La Frescobaldi]Scottie Pippen also real long, for his body...... prolly no coincidence in each case we are finding true greatness - ability to use physical advantages to maximum potential[/QUOTE]

[IMG]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-U7-jFtGLnEg/T1RIJ2TG-DI/AAAAAAAADMA/WgLN1r0WWg4/s400/Kobe%2520Bryant%2520spreads%2520his%2520arms%2520during%2520Lakers%2520Media%2520Day%25202010.JPG[/IMG]

Yeah but also nobody [I]needs[/I] a wide wingspan in the NBA to be great. It's not just what you got, it's how you use it. Kobe's probably got shorter arms than little Jerry West but Kobe does okay too :lol

[QUOTE=CavaliersFTW][IMG]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-U7-jFtGLnEg/T1RIJ2TG-DI/AAAAAAAADMA/WgLN1r0WWg4/s400/Kobe%2520Bryant%2520spreads%2520his%2520arms%2520during%2520Lakers%2520Media%2520Day%25202010.JPG[/IMG]

Yeah but also nobody [I]needs[/I] a wide wingspan in the NBA to be great. It's not just what you got, it's how you use it. Kobe's probably got shorter arms than little Jerry West but Kobe does okay too :lol[/QUOTE]

true on the [I]armspan[/I]........ Kobe's attribute, which sets him apart from all other players is his study of the game.

I can see guys from every era in Bryant's game, from Oscar, Logo, to Pearl & Frazier and JoJo to the great forwards of the 80s, right through Jordan.

Kobe's [I]mindspan[/I] has no rival in his era, and very few in the history of the game

[IMG]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-GZGW3hPlALc/T1RK-uTYiiI/AAAAAAAADMI/iyViIaKHQ5c/s800/wilt%2520sca33le.jpg[/IMG]

1:1 scale... Wilt not fully grown...

(Scaled by lining up the basketball diameters - then used draftexpress barefoot height to place players at their true height)

Used the blur just to create the illusion of depth but the scaling is still 1:1

Check out the size of Wilt's hands.... :eek:

[QUOTE=jlauber][QUOTE=CavaliersFTW]I found Kareem's and Bill Russell's too[/QUOTE]

I believe Russell's was 7-4.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, it was.


[QUOTE=CavaliersFTW]I've heard that too but that's been word of mouth - That isn't the # from the 1961 source I found though[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE=CavaliersFTW]I've seen all that too, I have the article about Russell and Swede - but 7'4 just seems to be something speculated in the past decade that spread by word of mouth and became fact by virtue of "common knowledge" - just like how daddy long legs are the most poisonous spiders in the world despite not being spiders and despite not having potent venom at all... If something is repeated enough times people just assume it to be true. I could be wrong but so far the 7'4 claim boiled down to zero citations from anyone. I actually found a source from 1961 - from his active playing years. It differs from 7'4 but I'm thinking it's likelier to be a real measurement.[/QUOTE]

False. I've read with my own eyes at least two occasions in print in the paper Russell's wingspan listed as 7-4, once prior to his NBA career, and again during it. At least one of them

[QUOTE=ThaRegul8r]Yeah, it was.






False. I've read with my own eyes at least two occasions in print in the paper Russell's wingspan listed as 7-4, once prior to his NBA career, and again during it. At least one of them—maybe both, but I know for a fact one was—from the [i]New York Times[/i].[/QUOTE]

Would you mind finding these sources? I finally find a printed source dating from his time period and your saying it's false - I've looked high and low for anything else and found nothing so far. It's not that I don't believe you - I just like to cite data that I use

Try Kevin Mchale wingspan before you go into the Wilt worship mode again.

[QUOTE=Vienceslav]Try Kevin Mchale wingspan before you go into the Wilt worship mode again.[/QUOTE]

I've been looking - no luck -

[QUOTE=jlauber]BTW, Sonny Hill claims that Kareem, himself, said, that his highest reach was 12' 6", which would equal Dwight Howard's. Of course, Hill claims that he witnessed Chamberlain touching the top of the backboard (as did longtime Sixer trainer, Al Domenico.)[/QUOTE]

John Ecker, who played with Kareem at UCLA and was my high school coach, told me that Kareem was able to grab money off the top of the backboard too.

Dwyane wade-
6'4 - 10.75"

I believe Alonzo mourning and jason maxiell also have some ridiculous wingspans. Ike diogu and joel anthony too.

[QUOTE=Scoooter]Does anyone know the numbers for Phil Jackson? He and Kevin McHale had the longest arms I think I've ever seen.[/QUOTE]

Jackson talks briefly about his long arms in his book [I]Sacred Hoops[/I], recalling that he could sit in the back seat of a car and close both front doors simultaneously. I can't remember if he states his wingspan or arm length numbers. I just checked my copy but the book has no index and I'm too lazy to read it all again just for that one paragraph. :D Maybe I'll skim it later.