I am the last person left on the basketball court, the parquet floor offering a peaceful stillness around me. I stand facing the rim and take a deep breath, visualizing myself throwing down a dunk in slow motion. With that image in mind, I run toward the hoop, jump as high as I possibly can, but reality betrays me and my hand reaches just short of the rim. Nevertheless, one question that I get frequently asked is whether or not I can dunk a basketball. This question is often asked to me by people who are meeting me for the first time, who are shorter than me, and who, subsequently, have never played a basketball game with me before. Despite my countless dunks on mini hoops, my short answer to the aforementioned question is no, as evidenced by my recent lackluster attempt. I cannot dunk a basketball on a 10-foot rim. Although I stand at 6’3” with an over 8′ 0” vertical reach, I simultaneously do not have a proficient vertical jump that is needed to complete the iconic slam dunk.

Continually, my physical appearance has led others to compare me to the “unicorns” of the NBA. This term, now well-known among basketball enthusiasts, rose to popularity in the early 2010s. It is used to describe a player whose skill set does not match their physical build. NBA “unicorns” are rare in that they are proficient at playmaking and shot-creating, while also being both extremely tall and lanky. Due to the latter criteria, after having a major growth spurt in high school, I am now often jokingly called Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs and Chet Holmgren of the Oklahoma City Thunder. They are both below the average amount of weight, in pounds, that would correlate with their seven foot height. Even though I tend to view these remarks as compliments, they ultimately cause me to consider my deficiencies as a basketball player. My frame does set me apart from the average person, but I am constantly reminded that I do not have the wide array of skills that NBA “unicorns” have. Even though I fully recognize that being 6’3” is not the same as standing over seven feet tall, there are times whereI feel the weight of my teammates’ disappointment, knowing that I am not yet able to maximize my physical attributes.

I find it interesting how I get asked Can you dunk? as often as I do because I did not train as a basketball player growing up. Likely, for many people, their first impression of me has to do with my aforementioned physical appearance as a male with above average height and a lean frame. They have a common misconception that I am a cross-country runner or a basketball player. However, I grew up playing tennis from the age of five, as my father played it during his childhood and wanted to introduce me to the sport. Hence, I have to explain to others that my experience on the basketball court does not span much beyond recreational games with my friends. Although the wrist motion that I use to hit a forehand or backhand in tennis has helped me learn how to proficiently shoot a jump shot, my basketball skills are not extremely flamboyant by nature. I take pride in being able to grab items from high kitchen shelves, but the rim continues to elude my reach.

Furthermore, it can be complicated to address this frequently asked question for several reasons: one of them being that I do not inherit the genetic ability to dunk. I am the only person in my family history, excluding very distant relatives and ancient ancestors, who is over six feet tall. Therefore, I cannot get advice from those closest to me about how to respond when asked if I can dunk. Other members of my family are not automatically tasked with being the “big man” on my team, who grabs rebounds and plays closer to the rim. This has presented a unique challenge for me because my relationship with basketball differs from those, including my family members, who are rarely the tallest person on the court. Additionally, I have found that this question is nuanced because it is relative to the person asking it. Very few people who have high-level basketball experience initially look at me as a dunker. Maybe that is due to the fact that they are able to dunk themselves, and do not think of dunking as a fascinating skill. Maybe that is a result of their deeper knowledge of the competitive basketball landscape, where someone who is 6’3” is considered a point guard, even though they are taller than the average American man. 

The number of times that I get asked Can you dunk? has caused me to reflect on why the question ultimately stands out to me in my mind. I think that it reminds me of something that I consider to be a failure from my youth. When I started playing in tennis tournaments in the eighth grade, my coach at the time created an exercise routine for my peers and I to follow. Although I took each practice very seriously, I did not take my off court training as seriously as I should have. I did not give maximum effort at home toward improving my strength, endurance, flexibility, and agility. This ties into not being able to dunk because I believe that my vertical jump would be higher if I had matched the work ethic of my peers. I did not work out multiple times each week, as those around me did. Thus, I know that I have not given myself the opportunity to reach my athletic potential in the past. I now use my past experiences as motivation to prioritize building my leg strength, with the goal of one day being able to say that I can dunk.

Two common follow-up questions that I often receive are Why can you not dunk? or How can you not dunk? These additional probes have placed internal pressure on me to meet the expectations of others. I feel disappointed in myself once I have to admit that I cannot reach the rim, despite my stature. As a result, I start to lack confidence during recreational basketball games at the same time when I realize that, beyond not being able to dunk, I am not as good as my teammates and opponents anticipated me to be. Ultimately, this frequently asked question has caused me to be introspective because it makes me think about how I can become a better version of myself. Looking forward to the future, I want to personally prove that I can be an impactful teammate by contributing more on the court than what initially meets the eye of a spectator. However, dunking a basketball through the net would be a testament to my optimism, persistence, and determination that will have fueled my journey toward reaching a longtime personal ambition.