Being a newbie basketball enthusiast means knowing the notable players in the industry. However, you cannot recognize all of them despite trying hard to learn their names and records. Perhaps, this is the exact reason why you found yourself scanning through this article. 

You may have heard about Muggsy Bogues, an NBA player widely considered one of the unique players in history. Due to being the shortest player in the NBA, some people ask this question: could Muggsy Bogues really dunk? You can find the answer in this blog, from Muggsy Bogues dunk and everything in between, so keep reading.

Who is Muggsy Bogues? A Brief Background

Since you are here and trying to solve your confusion, you must be eager to know Muggsy Bogues’ height or dunk in practice. Before anything else, you must first get to know who Muggsy Bogues is and a brief background of this NBA career.

During his interviews, Tyrone Curtis, also known as “Muggsy” Bogues, often quoted phrases that emphasized the importance of heart over height in playing basketball. There are no apparent reasons other than him being the shortest NBA player in the history of the NBA.

As you know, the NBA is saturated with towering players who range from six to seven feet tall. Nonetheless, it did not bother any inch of Muggsy despite standing 5 feet and 3 inches—it only proves how much dedication and passion he had to be at par with overwhelmingly tall opponents.

Even though he had established himself in numerous games, people still doubted his basketball skills. However, he made a decent career record before declaring his retirement in 2021 and even managed to thrive in the NBA industry for 14 seasons.

His 14-season record is comprised of ups and downs with several teams, namely the Toronto Raptors, Washington Bullets, Golden State Warriors, and Charlotte Hornets.

Bogues had a genesis in the NBA industry when he was chosen as the 12th priority by the Washington Bullets during the 1987 NBA drafts. Although he made a personal record during his years in Hornets, his point-guard prowess made a remarkable contribution to all four teams he played for.

The last team he played for was the Toronto Raptors, where he only had the chance to play in three games of the 2000-2001 NBA season. After the season’s end, he was traded to Dallas Mavericks, but he waived his spot because he wanted to take care of his ailing mother, battling cancer.

When you think about it, his height may be a bit underwhelming for someone who competes in a national league, but he still managed to record a vibrant history and impact the industry.

On top of all, he is a legend of his own for advocating diversity and empowerment for all NBA hopefuls of all colors, races, sizes, etc. He was an ambassador of the bold and powerful saying that states your weight, height, color, and anything else has nothing to do with your inner potential.

Could Muggsy Bogues Dunk?

This question remains a hot issue on the debate table, and NBA fans are still divided on this one today. Some claim he could not reach the rim with his height, but others believe Bogues could dunk. If you are stoked and eager to learn the details about this million-dollar-worth question, read through the end.

The best way to understand this question is to separately think of Muggsy Bogues’ dunk in practice and Mugssy Bogues’ dunk in a game. Some claimed they saw him dunk on warm-up games, but never did he in actual NBA matches.

In one of his NBA.com interviews in 2000, he told the reporters that he tipped a dunk in his college years and even dunked when he was in high school, which you can find on the NBA website. His narrative is technically accepted since amateur games are not as competitive as in the professional field.

Also, some of his fans claimed that he recorded a dunk during a pregame warm-up session on the 4th of December in 1990. The bad thing is that no footage nor article can vouch for this claim, which technically is not accepted as a piece of legitimate evidence. It would be illogical to buy it without substantial support, but it discredits his hard work if true.

In other words, it is difficult to testify whether this claim is reliable or confirmed because no video can back it up. Hence, the decision of whether he is capable or not is up to your discretion.

Still, the answer to this question remains contested, but the best way to answer this question is by looking at the statistics. Keep reading until the next section to assess his skills yourself.

How High was Muggsy Bogues’ Vertical Jump?

Most basketball fans remember Bogues as the shortest NBA player of all time who claimed to be capable of dunking. However, only a few can tell his incredible vertical jump record. If you still doubt his ability, the data below may help you find the answer surrounding Muggsy Bogues dunking the ball.

Even though only a few people believe Muggsy Bogues could dunk if you base it on his vertical jump record. He reportedly made a personal record-high of reaching 44 inches vertical jump. Meanwhile, the height of the basketball ring from the ground is only 10 feet long.

It only makes sense why he claimed to be capable of dunking since his vertical jump record could say so. He can make a ball darted to the ring with the height of the vertical jump he makes.

Is Muggsy Bogues the Shortest NBA Player to Dunk?

Similar to his dunk record, it remains a debatable issue since Muggsy Bogues was not a dunk contest winner or even made a dunk record during an NBA game. Even though he constantly claimed it, people still cannot accept a claim without supporting evidence.

Suppose you accept Muggsy’s account; he is technically the shortest NBA player to ever dunk in history. However, the shortest NBA player to dunk title belongs to another player named Spud Webb.

Webb not only made a dunk record during an NBA game, but he also won a dunking contest that further bolstered his dunking skills. The short answer is that Muggsy is not the shortest NBA player to ever dunk in an actual game, but he is the shortest NBA player to dunk outside NBA, based on his claims.

3 Interesting Facts About Muggsy Bogues

Even though he is not a star player, Muggsy Bogues stole the spotlight from them simply for radiating attractive qualities in his entire career. If you are curious about him, read the bulleted points below and find out the information you may encounter for the first time.

• Shortest NBA Players in History

Bogues stands only 5 feet and 3 inches, but it did not stop him from pursuing his dreams. Despite his opponents’ height disparity, he even became one of his team’s key players.

• He Played for 14 NBA Seasons

People expected him to quit early from the industry, but he proved them wrong by surviving for 14 seasons in his entire career. It only shows how skillful and excellent he was as a player. He may have lacked centimeters, but never the skills.

• He Became a Coach for a WNBA Team

After retiring as a professional athlete, he changed his career path and became the head coach for the WNBA team, Charlotte Sting. He used his potential and found the perfect opportunity to thrive in this industry.

Wrapping Things Up: Could Muggsy Bogues Dunk?

Muggsy Bogues only proves how diverse the NBA industry is and how many opportunities you will meet when you are confident with yourself. The question is, could Muggssy Bogues really dunk? 

There is no direct answer to this, but yes, he could if we base it on his vertical jump record. He can reach 44 inches, which means he can reach the ring that only stands 10 inches from the ground. Hence, he could dunk.

Nonetheless, there is no actual footage than can support the claims. Some players may tell he is just making up stories, but his vertical jump statistics can couch for it. Therefore, the decision is all on you.

Borrowing his word, your height, weight, race, size, etc., has nothing to do with your skills. If you are as short as Bogues, there are still chances for you to join the league. Keep training, and you will reach the top.

We hope you enjoyed this post! If you did, be sure to check out our other basketball FAQ articles here.

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