Caeleb Dressel is known for his achievements in the pool, but could the five-time Olympic champion have made it in the NBA?
Well, if his vertical jump is any indication, he has more than enough athleticism to make it into the league. According to Golf Digest, Dressel has a registered vertical jump of 43 inches; and in this video it is breathtaking to see how high he can stand up from the floor.
MORE: When does Caeleb Dressel swim?
Undoubtedly, his ability to toss his 6-3 frame nearly 4 feet in the air gave him a quick start in the blocks when he took a dip, but how much would that help him in the NBA?
According to Top End Sports, the average vertical jump of an NBA player is 28 inches, which means Dressel would be roughly a foot and a half in the jumping ability of the average player.
The guys in the same conversation as Dressel – and even some who aren’t – are impressive. According to EPOK Performance, LeBron James can reach 44 inches, Andrew Wiggins can reach 44, Shannon Brown can reach 44.5, Zion Williamson can reach 45, Spud Webb can reach 46, Darrell Griffith reach 48 and Michael Jordan reach 48.
The same report lists some of the NBA stars under Dressel’s 43-inch jump: Dwyane Wade, 36, Russell Westbrook (36.5) and Kobe Bryant, 38, all check in under Dressel’s 43-inch jump.
Star swimmer Nathan Adrian told The Athletic that Dressel’s ability to jump is a “God given gift” and that “if anyone could find a way to instill a 40-inch vertical in athletes, they would become a billionaire.”
With the success he’s had in the pool – he already won three Olympic gold medals before the last day of racing on Saturday – don’t expect to see the 24-year-old Dressel on an NBA court anytime soon.
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