Aaron Ekwere: The Perfect Height for Dunking?

View from the baseline

When some players dunk, it just ‘LOOKS GOOD’ on the camera.

I’ve been lucky enough to shoot Aaron Ekwere in training and at games, and capture his dunks on video and stills.

Last night on my drive back from Finnish Men’s D1B game, a thought wondered into my mind.. ‘ Is Aaron Ekwere the perfect height for a basketball player, when it comes to dunks looking good in the photos?’

It’s all in the eye of the beholder

What looks good, is always a subjective. So these here are just my thoughts and views – and don’t mean that others have different views.

There were few dunks – in game – from Aaron last night, and they just looked good.

Category : Under 185cm

I feel that perhaps shorter players than Aaron .. their dunks can look good, but and of course impressive as their vertical leap is huge. But maybe they need to put ‘too much effort’ into it, for the action to look smooth and artistic? Can’t really come up with many Finnish players as examples for this.

And no, I am not saying that players under this height can’t make great dunks!

Category : Over 202cm

These guys are BIG – and dunking for them just looks way too easy and effortless. And often at this height, I feel the players are getting more muscular and stuff. So there is less finess in their dunks.. and more raw power.

I call players from this height range as ‘ GLIDERS or BULLDOZERS ‘ – why??

Either you are a player like Miikka Muurinen – who jumps as just glides through the air. Sort of light as a feather or a kite – drifting in your own altitude to the rim.

Or then more powerful like Lauri Markkanen – who jumps up with power and strength and just ploughs his way through anything in front of him.

These players dunks do still make nice photos – but, the players being so tall.. their dunks look so ‘everyday’ to me.. that is almost feels like for them, the effort they put in their dunks is like me walking up a stepladder.

Category : The Sweet Spot mid-190cm

This is where Aaron Ekwere comes into play, he is – depending on the source : 196cm-198cm, and that seems to be just the ‘right range’. And if you think that players like : Vince Carter, Micheal Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Zach LaVine fall into this category – you know there is something about it!

Naturally height isn’t the only thing – you need to have ‘bounce’ .. and Aaron sure has that. Not every player this height is a natural dunker.

But – and I will post few photos and videos from last night here. From last nights game – the dunks seem to have the perfect mix of power, grace, effort, skill.. to blend into something beautiful. With the player not being too tall, so he does not need to jump at all, or not too short, and using all energy for the vertical leap..

Ask AI

At 6am – I think AI is the only one I can ask about this, as any player or coach I know.. they would not appreciate a call/message at this hour to ask about Aaron Ekwere and dunking.

Here is what AI says about the ‘Sweet Spot’ for dunking :

The Sweet Spot (6’4″ – 6’7″)

This range is widely considered the peak for “cool” and highly technical dunks (windmills, 360s, between the legs). 

• Why it looks best: Players at this height are tall enough to make dunks look effortless, yet short enough that they must still generate massive vertical force.
• Examples: Vince Carter (6’6″), Michael Jordan (6’6″), Kobe Bryant (6’6″), Zach LaVine (6’5″), and Derrick Jones Jr. (6’6″). 

Players in this range possess the ideal blend of height to reach the rim easily, long arms to add flair, and sufficient vertical explosiveness to create high-flying, aesthetic, and “smooth” dunks without seeming to rely solely on height.