They said white men can’t jump. Billy Hoyle and Brent Barry both dispelled that myth.
They said that seven-footers can’t handle the ball. Say hello to Nikola Jokic.
They said that big men shouldn’t shoot threes. Someone forgot to tell Dirk Nowitzki and Karl-Anthony Towns.
They said that short guys can’t throw down. Phone call for Spudd Webb, Nate Robinson, and Jacob Tucker.
One of the names mentioned above stands out more than the others.
In 2011, during the Final Four weekend in Houston, the NCAA held its version of the Slam Dunk Contest.
Competing were some of the most athletic collegiate players in the game, a mix of forwards and guards with NBA-ready bodies.
But standing among them was a guy who looked like he should be calling “NEXT” at the YMCA.
After finishing his high school career at Waltonville High, a small school in Southern Illinois, Jacob Tucker received little interest from any significant post-secondary schools.
Playing ball at Illinois College, a Division III school, the 5’10” guard played for the love of the game – not so much for an athletic scholarship, which isn’t offered at that level.
He was more than capable of holding his own on the court – averaging 14.8 points, an astonishing 7.1 rebounds, and 1.8 steals during his senior season and scoring more than 1,000 points during his four years with the Blueboys.
But what makes Tucker’s basketball story so interesting is his path to entering and winning the NCAA Slam Dunk title.
With the spotlight saved for Division I players, especially those who are set to play at the professional level – ones with sky-high verticals, unlimited shooting range, and pedigrees that have followed them since they first dribbled a ball – Tucker knew that the deck was stacked against him.
Especially when trying to convince judges and hosts that he was a worthy competitor for an event that favors taller, more athletic individuals.
Thankfully, YouTube existed in 2011.
So Tucker did what any savvy underdog would do. In a 2-minute clip, accompanied by the epic pump-up music track 300 Violin Orchestra by Jorge Quintero, Tucker showcased his dunking repertoire.
Performing a variety of high-flying throwdowns, including lobs, reverse dunks, double pumps, and leaping over teammates, his audition tape went viral.
Yet, despite the number of clicks and likes, Tucker still had to win a runoff vote against another competitor from an NAIA school before ultimately impressing the committee enough to earn an invitation to the competition.
“It was a weight lifted off my shoulder,” Tucker said of the invitation.
“They weren’t showing the number of votes, so I didn’t know what it was. To get 88 percent (of the vote), that’s crazy. That’s unbelievable. I’ve gotten so much support”.
While not blessed with natural height, Tucker possessed something that few others, including elite-level athletes, have:
An estimated 50-inch vertical.
The average Division 1 college basketball player has a vertical leap of anywhere from 27” to 33”.
And just for comparison, Michael Jordan (48”), Spud Webb (46”), Dee Brown (44”), Vince Carter (43”), and Dominique Wilkins (42”). These are men who not only won the NBA Dunk Contest, but also come with legendary nicknames such as “Air”, “Half Man / Half Amazing”, and “The Human Highlight Film”.
When Tucker eventually stepped onto the court at Hofheinz Pavilion in Houston, Texas, for the Denny’s Slam Dunk Championship, the odds were stacked against him.
Not only was he the shortest competitor, but he was also the only Division III player, and he had to take to social media just to get there.
Knowing he had to make an immediate impression to avoid being all but laughed out of the gym, Tucker came up short (pun intended) on his first attempt at completing a self-toss, between the leg jam. But he quickly gathered himself to bring the crowd to their feet and card a 50 on his mulligan attempt.
Any doubters were quickly silenced.
“I thought I’d end up being the underdog, but once I got here, I kind of realized I wasn’t the underdog because of everything I’d done in the video already,” Tucker said.
Whereas other competitors relied on power and athleticism, Tucker combined his impressive bounce with creativity and showmanship to keep the crowd on his side.
Of his four dunks, Tucker only hit his first attempt one time, but that didn’t stop the judges (which included NBA Hall of Fame forward Karl Malone), crowd, and peers from giving him his well-deserved props.
After missing two attempts at his final dunk, Tucker quickly scrapped his game plan and set up a friend just inside the key while holding the ball above his head.
Taking a couple of strides along the baseline, Tucker leapt over top of the outstretched hand, grabbed the ball, contorting his body, and threw down a thunderous reverse two-handed dunk.
While it would fall short of matching his two 50-point dunks, Tucker finished the night with a 49, and more importantly, became the first Division III player to win the NCAA Slam Dunk Contest since Horace Jenkins captured the title in 2001.
The victory turned Tucker into a bit of a celebrity, participating in numerous other dunk contests, making guest appearances at basketball camps, and throwing out first pitches at MLB games.
“I’m very busy, but it’s a good busy. It’s been a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Tucker said of his newfound fame.
Although he may have been the David that conquered Goliath when it came to the dunk contest, playing in the NBA wasn’t in the cards for Tucker after his college basketball career came to an end.
But that didn’t mean he couldn’t turn his talents into a professional career of a different sort.
His highlight reel caught the attention of the world-famous Harlem Globetrotters, a team known for their amazing basketball talents and showmanship.
Despite his dunk contest fame, many people still didn’t know who Tucker was.
“I kind of look like the ball boy when I walk into places, and I understand that because not only am I short, but I’m pretty young-looking still. Whenever I walk into a place with all my teammates that are 6’5”, 6’6”, I look like the ball boy. But my goal is, whenever all those people leave the arena, they know I’m not.”
Combining his underdog story and gravity-defying dunks made him an instant crowd favorite with the simple, but fitting nickname “Hops”.
From 2011 to 2013, Tucker traveled with the Globetrotters, who also featured 7’7” Paul Sturgess, entertaining millions with the same high-flying artistry that made his YouTube video and appearance in the NCAA Dunk Contest famous.
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