"What is the highest vertical jump ever?" sounds simple, but the answer depends on how the jump was measured. A standing jump, a jump with a run-up and a jump onto a box are three different tests, and mixing them is how most of the confusing record claims online come about. This guide sets out the best-documented marks and what each one actually measures.
Standing versus running-start verticals
A standing vertical, also called a no-step vertical, is a jump straight up from a standing start. A max vertical, as used at the NBA combine, allows a run-up or step before take-off, which adds speed and produces a bigger number. Both are measured as the difference between standing reach and the highest point touched, so a taller reach does not inflate either one. If you want to measure yours, use the Vertical Jump Calculator.
NBA Draft Combine records
At the 2021 NBA Draft Combine, Keon Johnson of Tennessee recorded a 48.0 inch max vertical, the highest in the combine's published history, beating Kenny Gregory's 45.5 inch mark from 2001. His no-step vertical that year was 41.5 inches, which is the best standing result on the combine's published lists.
The next-highest max verticals on the NBA's own list of combine leaders are Kenny Gregory (45.5 inches, 2001), Jericho Sims and Hamidou Diallo (both 44.5 inches, in 2021 and 2017), and then several players at 44 inches including Cassius Stanley, Kay Felder, Pat Connaughton and Shane Larkin. Not every combine result is released, so lists like this can be incomplete.
NFL Combine records
Gerald Sensabaugh jumped 46 inches in 2005, which is the NFL Combine record according to the sources below. Josh Imatorbhebhe is reported to have jumped 46.5 inches at a 2021 college pro day, but pro days are separate events run by individual schools, so that mark is not counted as a combine record.
What about the world record?
There is no single verified world record for a standardised vertical leap. Online lists quote figures in the mid-50-inch range and beyond, but they often come with unclear methods or no independent verification, so they should not be treated as established facts.
The Guinness World Record that most people find is a different test. Evan Ungar of Canada set the record for the highest standing jump at 1.616 metres in 2016, beating Justin Bethel's 1.52 metres from 2012. That is a jump onto a platform with no run-up, so it measures the height of what you land on, not how far your body rises. It is impressive, but it cannot be compared with a vertical leap measured by reach.
Why numbers from different sources do not match
- Test type: standing, run-up and box jumps measure different things.
- Equipment: a reach-and-touch board, a jump mat and video each have their own error. Flight-time methods overstate results if the jumper lands with bent legs.
- Arms: jumping with an arm swing gives a higher number than jumping without one.
- Who was tested: professional athletes at a combine are a very selected group, and their numbers are not a realistic target for most people.
For a general reference, the vertical jump calculator rates your result on a rule-of-thumb scale for adults, and the how to increase your vertical jump guide covers what training the research supports. The ape index guide explains why a long reach helps you touch a rim but does not change your measured vertical.
Sources
- NBA.com. NBA Draft Combine highest max vertical leaps.
- Sports Illustrated. Tennessee's Keon Johnson shatters vertical jump record at NBA Draft Combine (June 24, 2021).
- Topend Sports. Vertical jump records and NBA Draft Combine testing results (standing and run-up marks, NFL combine record).
- NBC New York. NFL Scouting Combine records (vertical jump: Gerald Sensabaugh, 46 inches, 2005).
- Guinness World Records. Canadian personal trainer smashes highest standing jump record (June 16, 2016).