Did Ja Morant Exaggerate His Vertical? the Truth Behind the Viral Ishowspeed Stream
By James H. Sterling
Why do observers look at Morant and see a 50-inch jumper? The answer lies in body structure, deceleration, and kinetic transfer rather than raw upward displacement.
Morant stands roughly 6 feet 2 inches in shoes with a lean 175-pound frame and an expansive 6-foot-7 wingspan. Because his torso is relatively light, he reaches top sprint speed in very few strides. During fast breaks, he executes an explosive penultimate step, the final plant step before takeoff, converting horizontal velocity into vertical lift with minimal loss of kinetic energy.
He frequently takes off off two feet when loading for power dunks in traffic, tucking his legs beneath his hips mid-air. This hip retraction creates an optical illusion known in gymnastics and diving as rotational hangtime: the torso and head remain near their apex while the limbs shift upward, creating the visual impression that the jumper is levitating higher than stationary measurements suggest. His head frequently levels with the bottom of the rim, putting his vertical displacement around 42 to 44 inches. That is world-class performance, even without adding a fictional six inches to the box score.
James Sterling reports on renewable energy developments, climate policy, ecological conservation, and green tech innovations around the globe.
