Anthony Webb, aka Spud Webb, is a retired NBA point guard and the third shortest player to ever play in the NBA. Although Spud only measured in at 5′7″ in 1986, that did not stop him from competing in the slam dunk competition that year. One of Spud’s fellow participants was teammate and former slam dunk champion Dominique Wilkins. Dominique Wilkins measured in at 6′8″, a full 1 foot and 1 inch taller than Spud. Another aspect of this story is the rim height. In the NBA the rim height is 10 feet, just short of double Spud Webb’s height. All of these factors did not deter Spud and his reported 42″ vertical leap from doing the unthinkable and going on to become the slam dunk champion of 1986.

If that were not impressive enough, in 2006 Spud Webb went on to train Nate Robinson, who measures 5′9″ (just 2 inches taller than Spud) for the slam dunk competition that year. Under Spud Webb’s tutelage, Nate Robinson went on to win the slam dunk competition in 2006. One of Nate’s highest scoring dunks came when Spud Webb, standing on the court in the paint, served up the ball to Nate. Nate proceeded to jump over and clear Spud just before completing the dunk.

This certainly proves that if one man (woman too!) can do it, so can another. Especially if the first man to do it teaches the second!