Did Karl Towns shrink?

[Future Celtics Owner]

http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Karl-Towns-61831/

One thing about Kentucky is that they have a pro day that almost rivals the NBA combine.  At the event players are measured and athletically tested, Karl Towns was no exception.  But he may have been deceiving....

When you look at his measurements 2 things should stick out, well 3 things; his standing reach, height and verticals. When it comes to one's standing reach and vertical one directly affects the other and I believe it is a known secret that some players manipulate this test to improve their vertical results.

So why manipulate? Towns vertical (please correct if I am wrong) should be 25 standing and 32.5 max. That's actually not too bad imo, and given time I think he can get that standing vertical to 30 inches....which is good for a big guy with his size and length.

Another thing you may have picked up on is that he was not listed as 7 feet. Whoever measured him only decided to add 1 inch to his height with shoes.

I know some guys on the board know more about this manipulation than I do. Please chime in.

Why I think Towns manipulated his vertical.

This is just my hunch but I think because how accomplished Towns is in school, as a person, and on the court that that had something to do with him wanting to hide his no step vertical. But I could be way off.

[footey]

I see, his standing reach shrunk from 9'5" to 9'1", and you speculate he did that to improve his vertical. Maybe, or maybe it was measured incorrectly either the first time or the second time. Both were done in 2014.  I would think scouts are both savvy to any attempt to cheat on this, and, at the same time, probably more impressed with standing reach, indicated long arms, than vertical, which can be improved with training. So not so sure he would try to do this for that reason.

[Future Celtics Owner]

I see, his standing reach shrunk from 9'5" to 9'1", and you speculate he did that to improve his vertical. Maybe, or maybe it was measured incorrectly either the first time or the second time. Both were done in 2014.  I would think scouts are both savvy to any attempt to cheat on this, and, at the same time, probably more impressed with standing reach, indicated long arms, than vertical, which can be improved with training. So not so sure he would try to do this for that reason.

I agree with you I would rather standing reach and I do believe he will get stronger and jump higher in time.

[Celtics4ever]

So why manipulate? Towns vertical (please correct if I am wrong) should be 25 standing and 32.5 max. That's actually not too bad imo, and given time I think he can get that standing vertical to 30 inches....which is good for a big guy with his size and length.

It's ok for  Joe Blow off the street, for a basketball player, below 28" standing is below average.  Good leapers get over 34" standing.  But at the end of a day, he will be seven feet at the end of the game.   He is young and still developing and possibly growing  and it may improve.

[Csfan1984]

More concerned with his game right now than his height.