I know he was able to dunk from the line but did he really do it in a real game while shooting freethrows? As in go to the line take two or three steps back, ran forward, jumped and dunked the ball as a freethrow. Therefore dunking the ball as his free throw. Me and my friend are having a debate about this and I think he actually did dunk ias freethrows and he doesnt. Please give me your opinions, facts that uve heard, or sources.
I would greatly appreciate a link or video or 2 so I can show him.
2007-03-03 16:25:28 · 6 answers · asked by Mitch H 1 in Sports ➔ Basketball
You are 100% correct.
It has been widely reported:
At the University of Kansas, Wilt Chamberlain was able to dunk from the free throw line while starting his movement from within the free throw circle; this led to a rule change prohibiting shooting free throws by dunking the basketball (The Leaping Legends of Basketball, The Los Angeles Times; Feb 12, 1989; Scott Ostler).
Unfortunately there is no video of it because it was the 1950's but there are videos of Wilt on the NBA.com website which show him dunking the ball, grabbing rebounds and blocking shots.
He had a vertical leap of 50 inches which is more than most of todays best jumbers.
2007-03-03 19:48:26 · answer #1 · answered by naj1_1 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wilt Chamberlain Free Throw
2016-11-10 07:33:30 · answer #2 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, he actually did that while in his college days at Kansas and during his entire high school career. He brought about a number of rule changes. The principle of the free throw shooter not "breaking the plane" of the line was one. The other was to make the lane 12 feet wide. When he was in high school and his first two years of college, the lane was only 6 feet wide and looked like a large keyhole (thus the phrase "top of the key"). Also, before Wilt there was no such thing as offensive goaltending.
Swifferkramer and xSoVa, saying Wilt wasn't athletic enough to dunk is like saying that LeBron James has no game.
Wilt was a track star at Kansas as well as an All-American basketball player. He ran the 100 yard dash in 10.9, put the shot over 56 feet and triple jumped over 50 feet; he also won the Big 7 (later Big 8 and now Big 12) high jump three consecutive years. He left Kansas after his junior year, but did not get drafted into the NBA as they had a rule at the time that ONLY college seniors could be drafted. So, at 7'1" and 275 pounds, he became the tallest point guard ever by playing point guard for the Harlem Globetrotters.
2007-03-03 17:19:31 · answer #3 · answered by BillH 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
so far nobody can dunk from the line..look at the dunks of dr. j, mj, barry and others their foot is over the line when they jump and go for the dunk.. so i think it's not true that chamberlain dunk from the free throw line..
2007-03-03 16:33:27 · answer #4 · answered by AE31 1 · 0⤊ 2⤋
yes
" he would stand at the top of the key, throw the ball up toward the basket, take two steps, jump toward the rim and jam the ball through the net."
this caused a rule change in the way free throws are attempted.
2007-03-03 16:44:42 · answer #5 · answered by thumper_in_disguise 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I personally dont even think he could dunk from the dotted line. Not many centers .. even with serious athleticism can. Rare exception maybe. I def dont think he dunked from the foul line.
2007-03-03 16:43:17 · answer #6 · answered by xSoVa 2 · 1⤊ 3⤋
you really think someone can dunk from the freethrow line i don't think so but if you do than good for you
2007-03-03 18:24:24 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Nobody will ever know. Back in his time, nobody dunked the ball. If I had to guess, I would say no. He just wasn't althetic enough.
2007-03-03 16:51:52 · answer #8 · answered by smelliot 3 · 1⤊ 4⤋
he was an olympic caliber high jumper while at kansas, so i wouldn't hold it past him
2007-03-03 23:43:11 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
of course not
2007-03-04 01:46:57 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋