Dunk calculator

Enter your standing reach and the rim height to see the vertical jump you need to touch the rim or dunk, and how close your own vertical gets you. Inches or centimetres.

Work out your jump

Dunk calculator

Enter your measured standing reach and the rim height to see how high you need to jump to touch the rim or dunk, and how close your vertical gets you.

Result

To dunk with your hand 6 in above a 120 in (10 ft) rim, you need a 30 in vertical jump.

Your hand has to reach 126 in (10 ft 6 in).
Just touching the rim takes a 24 in vertical.
With your 28 in vertical, your highest touch is 124 in (10 ft 4 in).
That's 2 in short of the dunk target.

Your numbers: standing reach 96 in (8 ft), rim 120 in (10 ft), clearance 6 in, vertical jump 28 in.

What this assumes

Your standing reach is measured, not estimated from your height.
Your vertical jump is your highest jump touch minus your standing reach, measured the same way each time.
The clearance is how far above the rim your hand must get to dunk. It depends on your hand, the ball and your technique, so the number is your assumption, not a rule.
This is geometry only. Dunking also takes timing, control and technique, and nothing here is training, health or injury advice.

How this works

The calculator adds the clearance you choose to the rim height and subtracts your standing reach: that's the vertical jump the target takes. With your measured vertical, your highest touch is your reach plus your jump. Touching the rim and dunking are worked out separately, because a dunk needs your hand above the rim. It's geometry from your own measurements: it doesn't estimate reach from height or promise a dunk.

Standing reach 24 to 144 in (61 to 365.8 cm); rim 60 to 144 in (152.4 to 365.8 cm); clearance up to 24 in (61 cm); vertical jump up to 72 in (182.9 cm)
Inches or centimetres. Switching converts what you've entered, so your measurements never change
Geometry only: dunking also takes timing, control and technique. No training, health or injury advice

Worked out in your browser. Your measurements are never sent to Ball Coach, saved, or put in the page address, and analytics never sees them.

Measure it right

The answer is only as good as your numbers. Two people and a tape measure are enough.

Standing reach: Stand flat-footed beside a wall in your shoes, reach one arm straight up, and have someone mark your highest fingertip. Measure from the floor to the mark.
Vertical jump: Jump the way you'd go up for a dunk and touch the wall as high as you can. Measure the highest touch and subtract your standing reach. Take your best of a few tries.
Rim height: A regulation rim is 10 ft (120 in, 304.8 cm) from the floor to the top of the ring. Adjustable and outdoor rims vary, so measure yours if you're not sure.
Measuring again: Measure the same way, in the same shoes, each time, so a change in the numbers is a change in you and not in the method.