Kobe Bryant Wingspan and Vertical Leap: The Real Numbers
Kobe Bryant’s wingspan was 6 feet 11 inches (83 inches, about 211 cm), five inches longer than his height of 6 feet 6 inches, and his vertical leap is usually put at 38 inches. Neither number was ever officially measured: Kobe went from Lower Merion High School straight to the NBA in 1996 and never went through the draft combine, where those measurements are taken today.
Below are Kobe’s measurements compared with players who were measured, what his length did for his game, and what is actually known about how high he could jump.
Kobe Bryant wingspan and vertical at a glance
| Wingspan | 6’11” (83 in, about 211 cm), commonly cited |
|---|---|
| Height and weight | 6’6″ (198 cm), 212 lb, listed |
| Wingspan minus height | +5 inches |
| Vertical leap | 38 inches, estimated, never measured |
| Draft combine | Did not attend; drafted 13th overall in 1996 out of high school |
| Same measurements as | Michael Jordan (6’6″, 6’11” wingspan, also unmeasured) |
What was Kobe Bryant’s wingspan?
Kobe’s wingspan is listed at 6’11”, or 83 inches, in every source we checked, which works out to about 211 cm. There are no competing numbers, which is unusual for an old-era player. There is also no measurement behind it. Kobe was drafted 13th overall by the Charlotte Hornets in 1996 and traded to the Lakers, straight out of high school, so he never went through the NBA’s pre-draft testing.
A +5 inch wingspan on a 6’6″ shooting guard is long. For most adults, wingspan and height are within a couple of inches of each other.
Kobe Bryant’s wingspan vs other NBA wings
Against players who were measured at the combine, Kobe’s length sits in the middle of the pack. Klay Thompson, almost exactly Kobe’s height, measured a 6’9″ wingspan, two inches shorter. Kawhi Leonard, also 6’6″ barefoot, measured 7’3″.
Kobe Bryant's wingspan vs other NBA wings
Height (open dot) and wingspan (filled dot), in inches; the label is wingspan minus height
HeightWingspan
Show the data behind this chart
Player
Height
Wingspan
Difference
Status
Kobe Bryant
6'6"
6'11"
+5 in
claimed
Michael Jordan
6'6"
6'11"
+5 in
claimed
Klay Thompson
6'5.75"
6'9"
+3.25 in
combine
Kawhi Leonard
6'6"
7'3"
+9 in
combine
James Harden
6'4"
6'10.75"
+6.75 in
combine
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
6'4.5"
6'11.5"
+7 in
combine
Donovan Mitchell
6'1.25"
6'10"
+8.75 in
combine
Anthony Edwards
6'4"
6'9"
+5 in
reported
| Player | Height | Wingspan | Difference | Measured? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kobe Bryant | 6’6″ | 6’11” | +5″ | No (claimed) |
| Michael Jordan | 6’6″ | 6’11” | +5″ | No (claimed) |
| Klay Thompson | 6’5.75″ barefoot | 6’9″ | +3.25″ | Yes, 2011 combine |
| Kawhi Leonard | 6’6″ barefoot | 7’3″ | +9″ | Yes, 2011 combine |
| Donovan Mitchell | 6’1.25″ barefoot | 6’10” | +8.75″ | Yes, 2017 combine |
| Anthony Edwards | 6’4″ | 6’9″ | +5″ | Reported pre-draft |
How Kobe’s wingspan helped his game
- Defense. Kobe made 12 NBA All-Defensive teams. His length let him contest jump shots from a step away and reach into passing lanes.
- Shooting over defenders. The high release on his fadeaway, the shot he copied from Jordan and made his own, was hard to block even for taller defenders.
- Finishing. Long arms gave him room to change hands and extend around shot blockers at the rim.
Kobe Bryant’s vertical leap
Kobe’s vertical is usually quoted at 38 inches. It is an estimate. Like his wingspan, it was never measured at a combine, and Kobe never gave a number himself. What he did say, in 2014 at age 35, was: “I don’t jump as high as I used to. That’s okay. I’m not as fast as I used to be. That’s okay, too. I’ll figure out another way to do it.”
Kobe Bryant's vertical leap compared
Max vertical leap in inches. Kobe's number is a claim; unstarred bars were measured at the NBA Draft Combine
Show the data behind this chart
Player
Max vertical
Status
Kobe Bryant
38"
claimed, never measured
Michael Jordan
48"
claimed, never measured
LeBron James
44"
claimed
Keon Johnson (2021)
48"
combine record
Donovan Mitchell (2017)
40.5"
combine
Russell Westbrook (2008)
36.5"
combine
Stephen Curry (2009)
35.5"
combine
Kevin Durant (2007)
33.5"
combine
The young Kobe clearly jumped very high. He won the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest at 18 years and 169 days old, scoring 49 out of 50 on a between-the-legs dunk. According to Roland Lazenby’s biography, Michael Jordan watched the young Kobe in a 1997 Bulls-Lakers game and asked Scottie Pippen, “Did we used to jump like that? I don’t remember that.”
As he aged, Kobe leaned on footwork, pump fakes and the post game instead, which is the version of his game young players still study.
Kobe vs Jordan: wingspan, height and vertical
| Kobe Bryant | Michael Jordan | |
|---|---|---|
| Height | 6’6″ | 6’6″ |
| Wingspan | 6’11” (claimed) | 6’11” (claimed) |
| Vertical | 38″ (estimated) | 48″ (claimed) |
| Slam Dunk Contest titles | 1 (1997) | 2 (1987, 1988) |
| All-Defensive selections | 12 | 9 |
On paper the two are almost the same body. The difference in the vertical numbers is real only as far as the claims go; neither was tested.
More measurements: Michael Jordan’s wingspan, Ja Morant’s wingspan and vertical, how tall you have to be to dunk and the tallest NBA players in 2026-27.
Frequently asked questions
What was Kobe Bryant’s wingspan?
Kobe Bryant’s wingspan is usually given as 6 feet 11 inches (83 inches, about 211 cm), five inches longer than his 6’6″ height. It was never officially measured, because Kobe went straight from high school to the NBA in 1996 and did not attend the draft combine.
What was Kobe Bryant’s wingspan in inches?
83 inches, using the commonly cited 6’11”.
What was Kobe Bryant’s vertical leap?
The figure usually quoted is 38 inches. It is an estimate, not a measurement. Kobe himself never gave a number; in 2014 he said, “I don’t jump as high as I used to.”
Did Kobe or Jordan have a longer wingspan?
On the usual numbers they are identical: both 6’6″ with a 6’11” wingspan, and neither was measured at a combine.
Who could jump higher, Kobe or Jordan?
Jordan, if you trust the claims: Jordan’s vertical is usually quoted at 48 inches and Kobe’s at 38. Neither was ever measured, and Jordan said he had never had his vertical tested.
How tall was Kobe Bryant?
Kobe Bryant was listed at 6 feet 6 inches (198 cm) and 212 pounds.
Sources
- Basketball-Reference: Kobe Bryant
- Sportskeeda: Kobe Bryant's wingspan
- The SportsRush: Kobe Bryant's wingspan compared to Michael Jordan (Mar 2023)
- The SportsRush: Jordan on Kobe's leaping, via Roland Lazenby
- FanSided: Kobe Bryant on losing athleticism (Sep 2014)
- NBA.com: Lakers, this day in history, 8 February 1997
- NBA.com: highest max vertical leaps in NBA Draft Combine history (2026)
- NBADraft.net: 2011 combine measurements (Leonard, Thompson)
- Tankathon: Donovan Mitchell combine measurements
Last checked 19 October 2026.
