Wingspan & Reach

Wingspan and standing reach matter in basketball far more than height alone — they're a big part of what makes a player effective defensively and around the rim. Standing reach is also the number your vertical jump results are measured against (jump height = touch height minus standing reach), so an accurate reading here matters for every vertical jump result too.

• A wall-mounted measuring tape or a standing-reach/vertec device
• Flat wall or open floor space with at least 3m of headroom

1. 1Wingspan: stand with your back to the wall, arms out straight at shoulder height, palms facing forward.
2. 2Staff measure fingertip to fingertip in a straight line across your back.
3. 3Standing reach: stand flat-footed facing the wall or device, no jump, no heel raise.
4. 4Reach one arm straight up as high as you can and staff mark or read the highest point your fingertips touch.

One reading each for wingspan and standing reach.

• Keep your arms level with your shoulders for wingspan — don't let them droop.
• Stay flat-footed for standing reach; rising onto your toes inflates the number and throws off every vertical jump calculated from it.

• No specific safety concerns — a static measurement, not a physical test.