Yao: Rejected!

In this clip, we watch in open-mouthed wonder as 7-foot-6-inch leviathan Yao Ming becomes the property of 5-foot-9-inch Nate Robinson. Yao, whose defender had left him to guard the ball, receives a pass and leaves his feet for what should have been an easy one-foot jumper. But Robinson flies in from the weak side, takes a strong two-footed leap, and smacks the shot out of Yao’s hands (and back into his face) just as he shoots. Yao doubles over and brings his hands to his face, covering not only his injury but his deep sense of shame.

Before analyzing the physics of this maneuver, it’s tempting to assume the following things: Robinson, who gives up 21 inches to Yao, seems to be an immeasurably more talented athlete who plays with more energy and shows more heart. He certainly has a superior vertical leap (measure the height of Robinson’s shoes relative to Yao’s leg in this clip). But Robinson is not just 21 inches shorter than Yao. At 180 pounds, he’s 130 pounds lighter than Yao’s 310. Every time Robinson jumps, he’s moving less weight, and less weight takes less energy.

Just how much less energy? Let’s figure out how Yao’s and Robinson’s vertical leaps would compare if each expended the same amount of energy. The energy of a jump—and hence the work that must go into jumping—is proportional to both the jumper’s weight and how high he gets off the ground. Since we know that Yao weighs 58.1 percent more than Robinson does (180 divided by 310 equals 0.581), we can calculate that Yao’s vertical leap should be only 58.1 percent of Robinson’s.

Although updated numbers are hard to come by, Robinson’s vertical was measured to be 42 inches when he was drafted, and Yao’s as around two feet (a note to the viewer: two-foot vertical not on display in this video). Robinson can jump twice as high as Yao, so we can conclude that Yao would have to work twice as hard to reach the same height.

The lesson: Apply the same amount of energy to a smaller body and that body will jump higher every time. That, and Yao should dunk when he’s a foot away from the basket. —Michael Moyer

Related:

Flight of the Pole Dancer
Shake, Shake Chinook
Crane Overboard!
Goodbye, Moto
Stick That Landing

Comments

[UrAFatCunt]

Your theroy does not work in this situation, because if you watch the video you can clearly see that Robinson jumped before Yao even started. By the time Yao left the ground (about 2") Robinson was pretty much at his max vertical leep.

[ChannelFlix.com]

well, yao's really slow :-)

[Danny Ball]

In the case of that magnificent block on my idol Yao, it proves that timing is everything.

[Tanner]

"Since we know that Yao weighs 58.1 percent more than Robinson does (180 divided by 310 equals 0.581), we can calculate that Yao’s vertical leap should be only 58.1 percent of Robinson’s."

Your calculations are WRONG! In order to determine the percent deffierence between Yao and Robinson you would have to divide 180 by 310 and MINUS the product of that from 100. So in other words Yao is 41.9 percent bigger than Robinson. . . How did you get a PopSci blog when simple math escapes you?

[Kobe Bryant]

This block is totally ill advised! I gotta give props to ma boy Nate for this nastyness. But just one thing. Your blocking a 7 foot white man. Lets see this on someone like Shaq! And he did win the slam dunk contest, so the guys got hops. This ain't got nothing to do with science.

[Kobe Bryant]

This block is totally ill advised! I gotta give props to ma boy Nate for this nastyness. But just one thing. Your blocking a 7 foot white man. Lets see this on someone like Shaq! And he did win the slam dunk contest, so the guys got hops. This ain't got nothing to do with science.

[kobe bryant]

This block is totally ill advised! I gotta give props to ma boy Nate for this nastyness. But just one thing. Your blocking a 7 foot white man. Lets see this on someone like Shaq! And he did win the slam dunk contest, so the guys got hops. This ain't got nothing to do with science.

[Cody Gill]

I believe that you are all nerds, nate robinson is amazing and it was an amazing block. You wknow what else is amazing, sean bradley! What a dreamboat. A tall vanilla glass of ice cream. MMMM Kobe's cool too! He dropped 81 MFin' points lets see nate robinson or yao ming do that. What doesnt make sense to me is why you're discussing a block, one simple play, when you could be analyzing KObe scorin 81 on the Raps. You should all be using your egg herad brains for that. Theres some food for thought. Holla back!
P.S Mind Olympics!!!!!!!

[Randy]

Actually, Yao Ming weighs 72% more than Nate Robinson. 72% of Nate Robinson's 180 lbs is 130 lbs (I am rounding). 180 plus 130 is Yao Ming's 310 lbs.

Or, Nate Robinson weighs 58.1% of Yao Ming. 310 lbs multiplied by 58.1% is 180 lbs.

Or, Nate Robinson weighs 41.9% less than Yao Ming as 310-180=130. Do the math and 130 lbs is equal to 41.9% of Yao Ming's weight. Therefore, the 130 lbs difference is equal to 41.9% of Yao Ming's weight.

The math is not wrong, just how the reference is used in explaining how much Nate Robinson weighs in relation to Yao Ming.

[Bok Gatus]

hi.. im bok.. uhmm, as we all know, 7'5 is still 7'5 and 5'9 is too small. its just a matter or the keyword.. TIMING

[Win Chung]

Man, I'd give anything to have obscene hops like that. Under 6 feet and a NBA slam dunk champion? Come on! Gimme a break! =)

Well, I just started a training regime that I found at this article site. You could check it out at the URL below to double your hops.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Increase-Vertical-Leap---Be-A-Monster-On-The-Court&id=426431

Well, at least I'm trying.

Cheers!
WinChung

[Increase Vertical Jump]

wow, 42 inches is a big vertical jump. Nate is a great player with more technical ability than Yao who can improve.

-Darren

[Crunkjuice23]

Men YAO is just slow but now he's dunkin pretty hard a gotta admit but he can't jump everybody has dunked on him man that can't be possible why nobody dunks like that on SHAQ or D HOWARD MAN he's a bad playa he aint no all star

[Niko Sports Blog]

this was a lucky block by Nate Robinson. miscalculation by Yao.

[Jacob]

This is hilarious stuff. In my opinion both these guys are freaks. Yao is pretty articulate for such an enormous man...