Can Mark Sears dunk? What is Alabama star's vertical?
Alabama Crimson Tide’s senior point guard Mark Sears is among the most talented returning veterans in college basketball this season. The All-SEC first-team inductee led Alabama to its first-ever Final Four appearance last season, defeating top-seeded North Carolina and Clemson Tigers before losing to eventual champions, the UConn Huskies.
Sears is a crafty guard, known for his quick first step and ability to complement it with shifty handles and acrobatic play. He is also a dependable three-point shooter and high IQ playmaker, which have been his biggest assets in making the leap to the NBA.
With that, let's see whether Sears, a 5-foot-10 point guard, can dunk the basketball:
Can Mark Sears dunk?
Mark Sears is a talented hooper with natural leadership qualities but has yet to record a dunk in a live college basketball game. As per the NBA, Sears is listed at 5-foot-10 without shoes and a standing reach of 7-foot-8. He has a standing vertical jump of 32 inches and a max vertical leap of 39 inches.
With that, the maximum height Mark Sears can cover through his leaps is 9-feet or 109 inches, which restricts him from dunking the basketball.
Nevertheless, Sears is still a walking threat on the court. Behind his experience and shifty mechanics, the guard can exploit open lanes to finish around bigger players and through contact. He also has a developing floater in his bag.
Mark Sears withdrew from the 2024 draft to become a better defender
Unlike other standout players, Mark Sears' stint at the 2024 NBA Draft Combine was purely to understand if his stock and potential fit into the big league. He withdrew from the draft early and opted into his last year of college eligibility to condition his body, improve his defense and showcase his leadership by lifting the NCAA championship title.
"I got good feedback from the NBA, but I can still get better in a few areas," Sears said, as per ESPN. "I want to show I am a dog on defense next season, continue to bring vocal leadership and work on my body and get into better shape."
"NIL has changed basketball and NBA teams told me that age isn't a factor in today's game, so I was comfortable coming back to try and bring home a national championship to Alabama."
Sears is averaging 16.4 points, 4.0 assists, 3.1 rebounds and 1.1 steals across his first nine games this season, leading the Crimson Tide to a 7-2 record. He is leading Alabama in scoring and assists.