Quote:
Originally Posted by
clubchamp 
I'm 6' and in high school and college I could dunk but my footing had to perfect plus palming the ball off the dribble was not easy for me. Women's ball or mini ball I could throw down all day but I'd probably pull something if I tried anymore
Ball size makes a huge difference*. If you're serious about learning to dunk practically, definitely practice with smaller balls so you can get used to maneuvering your body without having to worry about the ball.
Working with the ball is a separate issue. If you can't palm the ball, you can't try to take it straight up with you as if you can palm it, it'll just leave your hand too early. You kind of have to cradle it or take it up at a separate rate of acceleration so that it stays attached to your hand. Watch NBA players with small hands, when they dunk one-handed some of them tend to do it over the side of the rim so they can semi-cradle it against their hand on the way up; that's not a bad strategy. Alternatively, find a way to jump and extend your arm gradually over the entire acceleration that way you keep accelerating your hand into the ball. When I started I couldn't palm the ball, so I had to figure out all manner of creative ways to get the ball up with me and keep control of it. Once you can act and be confident that you can keep the ball in your hand, you completely change what you're willing to do in competition.
(*Interpret that as you will...)
Quote:
Originally Posted by
ohiolefty 
I'm six feet tall and I can't hit my nine iron 178, I can't dunk a basketball (only grabbed the rim a few times...and that was LONG ago). The fastest I ever threw a ball was about 85, maybe 86 or 87. I'm a lefty. God, I feel like a failure.
Hitting a 9i 178 yards is probably like a 5'10" guy dunking. It's far above and beyond what's expected of even the very athletic participant.
I don't think you're
expected to dunk until you're a reasonably athlete and 6'6".
Unless that was just sarcasm... Can't tell.