Pacers’ Gerald Green jumps so high his entire head is above the rim

Indiana Pacers guard Gerald Green gets his head above the rim. (David West’s Twitter/@DWest30)

By Ben Golliver

Behold the glory. Yes, you’re seeing that correctly: Indiana Pacers guard Gerald Green is jumping so high that his entire head is above the rim and he’s literally looking down through a hoop at the team’s practice facility.

Pacers blog Indy Cornrows writes that the image, courtesy of Pacers forward David West’s Twitter account, is from a video shown during Friday night’s broadcast of a preseason game against the Chicago Bulls. Apparently, Green was showing off his springs during a post-practice dunk contest.

“Greatest jumper in the world… Somebody prove me wrong,” West tweeted.

Pacers wing Paul George, a 2012 Slam Dunk contest participant, added: “My bro Gerald Green by far the best leaper… With GAME!”

Green, 26, has always been known as a leaper. DraftExpress.com lists his pre-draft maximum vertical leap at 39.0 inches (although estimates have put it higher) and he was named the 2007 Slam Dunk Contest champion. Green enjoyed a breakout season with the New Jersey Nets in 2011-12, averaging 12.9 points and 3.5 rebounds, both career-highs. That was enough to earn him a 3-year, $10.5 million deal with the Pacers this summer.