Nate Robinson G, 5'9"- Washington Huskies

TheNewsTribune.com | Tacoma, WA | Sports “It was during gym class at McClure Middle School,” Robinson recently recalled from a courtside seat at Hec Edmundson Pavilion, flipping through the pages of a sports magazine while waiting for the Washington basketball team to conduct a midweek practice. “Some kids wondered if I could dunk a volleyball. So I jumped high as I could and slammed the ball down – and then I had to hang on the rim with one hand.”

He looked toward the hoop in front of him and his eyes came alive. After doing his best to feign interest in all the usual interview subjects – basketball, football, evidence of life beyond Montlake – here was a topic that finally engaged Seattle’s most telegenic smile since the young Ken Griffey Jr. was roaming center field in the Kingdome.

“When I was 11, I could reach the middle of the net,” said Robinson, whose vertical leap has been measured at 431/2 inches. (Translation: From a standing position, he can hop onto the top of an office desk).

“First time I touched a backboard, I was 12,” he went on. “I touched the rim when I was 13, and when I was 14, I finally could dunk.”