I am sure that we have all seen the movie “White Men Can’t Jump.” It instilled a fear in me at a young age that my pale complexion would result in me being defeated by gravity for the remainder of my life.
Now at the age of 25, with red hair, freckles and lacking the ability to jump over a phone book, I find myself resigned to the fact that it will never happen.
I will never be able to perform one of the most dramatic, masculine and powerful moves that can be displayed on a basketball court.
The power of the dunk should not be underestimated. It may seem like a simple act, but often a powerful slam can swing a match that looked certain for defeat or put a close match out of the reach of opposition.
If you do no believe me, watch more NBA. When a match appears in the balance and a player from the home team puts up a poster dunk, the kind where your nether regions are bouncing off the oppositions chin, the opposing coach will instantly call a time out as the crowd collectively erupts in rapturous joy.
This one act brings an overpowering sense of defeat as the crowd suddenly finds a voice of a level not previously experienced during the match; it increases the inevitability of the whole thing.
Suddenly the spectators can smell blood.
For the opposition, is such an emasculating act, a show of domination. If we remember that we are not too far removed from our animalistic instincts that have been repressed for only a short period of time, this act of dominance can be incredibly demeaning and psychologically destructive.
You often see the resulting expression of disbelief on the opposing players face, like coming home and seeing the next-door neighbour with your wife. You just did not see it coming. The player often walks around looking slightly lost trying to figure out how they could have stopped it from happening.
How can this act be negated? By performing the second most destructive move on a basketball court, the block.
I once had a dream that I blocked Lebron James while playing for the Boston Celtics. I connected with the ball so well that the ball flew into row Q. This resulted in people in the Garden ripping out their seats and throwing them onto the court in appreciation, half eaten hotdogs rained down from the upper levels. I imagine this would happen in real life if a six foot two red head blocked arguably the most explosive player to be involved in the game.
My dream aside, the block can silence a crowd while sending out an alpha dog type vibe by making the statement “do not bring that junk into my house”. It can send the message to the opposition that there is no way you are getting into the lane. If you do you are either getting blocked or beat up.
It can make previously aggressive players start to take outside jumpers and allow you to spread your defence a little bit more, slowly push the opposition into retreat.
Both of these manoeuvres require supreme athleticism and the fact that men of this size can be athletically explosive given their stature is remarkable. If you want to see the difference look at footage of Aaron Sandilands running, then watch a highlights package of Blake Griffin dunking, especially his highlights v the Knicks last year.
Seriously, check it out.
Both of these players are just short of seven foot tall. Blake Griffin is 6 foot 10 (2.08 meters) while Sandilands is 6 foot 11 (2.11 meters). The difference in athleticism could not be further apart.
This is a regular occurrence in the NBA, supremely athletic, incredibly tall players. In other sports the freakishly tall are relegated to being classified as Gumby’s, as targets at full forward or as jumpers in the lineout.
Sure taking a hanger is great, putting on a big hit will fire up your mates but having the ability to completely dominate someone psychologically through one act, being able to land and look strait into the eyes of the person you have just destroyed, must be incredibly moving and powerful.
In a big moment in a big game, these acts are true game changers. The conference finals are just firing up, watch, enjoy them and admire some of the greatest athletes in the world.
If you are like me and resemble someone who has been struck down by rigamortis while still alive, this is the closest you will ever get.
Luc
Guest
Not at all. I obviously didn't articulate my point the way I wanted. I was just trying to emphasise they are totally different sports requiring different skill sets. There is no way most NBA players could handle the physical toll or endurance of the average AFL game. No way! I guess my main point was that I feel big tall players, like Aaron Sandilands, could be better utilised in basketball. That's all I meant. To be honest, I wish he did play the game as someone like him would bring a physical edge it lacks in this country. So for the record - I think AFL is a great sport as is basketball. I'd never take a pot shot at someone like him. He's Aaron Sandilands, not Kyle Sandilands ha ha
The Cattery
Roar Guru
By the way Luc, I said straight out from the start that Blake Griffin's athleticism was exceptional, especially for his size, and it warrants a look, no question about it, but I simply wondered why a comparison had to be made to Aaron Sandilands, with a completely different role, different game, different build, carrying 8 kilos more, taking some physical punishment and having to run out far greater distances that Griffin needs to run in a game - what was the point of the comparison, trying to belittle Sandilands who does very well for himself in his specific role.
Luc
Guest
Yeah AFL is bloody dangerous. It takes guts galore to get up there when you know someone can hit you from any angle. That said, taking off to dunk in basketball can also be a risky proposition, more for the way you may land or get hit in the air. I guess this whole Mark v Dunk debate just comes down to personal preference, which is what makes sport so interesting
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Yeh, one minute he's sitting down watching the ball game, the next he's invited down to have a crack. Who knows when he last tried one: a year ago, two years ago, three years ago? Who knows. Geez, someone who doesn't play the game didn't do it faultlessly - call the police! Meh. 650+k AFL members will take a speccy over a dunk any day of the week - where the ball is contested and you have others leaping for the same ball, and where plenty of physical contact is legal. The rest can go please themselves.
mushi
Roar Guru
What about a no look dish to the dunk something for everyone?
Milz
Guest
Dunks are boring. Would rather see a no look dish or three pointer in a defender's face.
Lucan
I think the "game-changer" status given to dunks in this article is a dramtic overstatement. Following basketball for 25+ years I can't recall many games where I'd consider a monster jam as a turning point or contest finisher. Streaks/rallies fit this bill much better, and force coaches to take momentum stopping time-outs.
Luc
Guest
Important to note that most AFL marks are taken with a run up and while leaping off one foot, which is much easier than the two-foot plant usually required in basketball. And I agree, Naitinui's athleticism, while far superior to us mere mortals, is barely a shadow of what is required in the NBA. Andrew Bogut, one of the great centres of the NBA, would not be considered one of the better athletes in his position. But compared to AFL players of similar, or even less, size, he is way, way above them. I guess it is just particular athletes that are attracted to particular sports.
mushi
Roar Guru
Yep 45 thousand people have never been wrong before....
AIS
Guest
So True.
Seriously, Who says Oi?
Guest
To be honest, that naitanui guy doesn't have the leaping ability of Blake Griffin or any other quality Basketball player. 201cm is more than tall enough for him have dunked much better than he did. He struggled just to get up there and when he put it down softly, he could barely land without stumbling all over the place. Don`t compare your afl to the Basketball played in the NBL because the standard of the NBL sucks. Put the afl guy up against Nate Robinson`s 175cm height and you`ll see the real difference. This may hurt your feelings, but afl is one of the smallest sports in the world if not the smallest. You`re trying to compare a sport with a tiny fan & player base to a sport played and loved all around the world. Stick to comparing afl with nrl. The two were made for each other.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
AFL fans find Nic Naitanui very exciting. 45k Eagles members can't be wrong.
Luc
Guest
I'm sure some of the tall AFL players could show some impressive athleticism if given the chance. To my admittedly NSW eyes, it seems like AFL has evolved in such a way that the high flying "screamer" just doesn't happen that much. As I see it, the big tall athletes don't appear to be that utilised. To be totally honest, when I see that amazing footage of Nic Naitanui my immediate thought is "what a waste". Why isn't he playing basketball where those gifts can be used consistently and to good effect, rather than just the occasional mark and tip-out which, lets face it, is not exactly exciting to watch? I wish Basketball Australia had made a bigger play for him when he was young as we need a good small forward.
John Smith
Guest
Forgot to say - red hair is no excuse. Blake Griffin is a ginger!
The Cattery
Roar Guru
The footage of Blake Griffin is terrific, and there's no doubt that he shows great athleticism for someone of that height, but what's the point of compariing to Sandilands, who is heavier, has a completely different role, takes a heap of physical punishment in the ruck and has to run out triple the distance that Griffin has to run out in any single game. It seems a silly comparison to be honest. In the NBL I"ve seen plenty of 7 footers who could barely get a foot off the ground. Nic Naitanui is only 201 cm tall, but his leap is not that far off Blake Griffin's http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-290caMHoU
Luc
Guest
I guess both sports have different skill requirements. I do remember Dean Brogan playing for the SIxers. A solid, rather than dominant player. But then again, there are probably not many NBL players who could handle the physicality and sheer endurance required of AFL. Perhaps his key attributes were better suited to AFL. Either way, an amazing achievement. On the question of why there are so few players over 6'6 in the AFL, I think it may have something to do with the greater opportunities for a 6"10 plus athlete to have an impact in basketball. A player of that size with good post skills and court awareness, can become the focus of a team's offence and can really cause problems on defence. Based on my admittedly limited knowledge of AFL, it appears like the ruckman's main role in AFL is to win the centre bounce and those gain possession in those weird arrangements where the umpire throws the ball backwards over his head. They don't seem to have major impacts in terms of scoring and directing play. The big, tall basketballer just seems to have more scope and opportunities. I could be wrong though.
mushi
Roar Guru
Ouch you really don’t know much about basketball.
Pope Paul VII
Guest
your knowlege on the subject far exceeds mine, so fair enough
Internal Fixation
Guest
Dean Brogan always struck me as an above average athlete in the ruck, but he was a sub par athlete in the NBL, albeit with good basic skills including a decent shot. This may well explain his relative success in AFL football, compared to his slightly underwhelming basketball career although he did win an NBL title from the bench with the Sixers. I think he is one of only a few athletes to win a premiership in the top professional competitions of 2 different sports in Australia. I digress slightly but in a population of 25 million, guys who are near 7 foot and athletic will be rare.
Pope Paul VII
Guest
All right boys I'll take the bait. Admirable and spectacular athletes they may be but I don't think you can compare running flat chat, with the ball, a lovely round ball, already in your hand, and jumping up, largely unimpeded and shoving the ball through a conveniently sized hole to leaping onto or over one or several opponents in an insane attempt to catch a rapidly descending, oddly shaped ball with no regard as to how one might get down. As the taker of the greatest mark never seen in a long forgotten under 19s match I can tell you it is the best feeling in any sport. On the absence of 6ft 10 high flyers in the AFL, I have got no idea why that is. Maybe they are all playing basketball because they can dunk. 6 ft 6 in seems to be about the limit for the athletic high flyers.