Why Can’t Female Basketball Players Dunk? The Truth!

Why Can't Female Basketball Players Dunk

Key Takeaway: Female basketball players can dunk, but the majority cannot due to biological factors, such as fewer tall women in basketball and differences in muscle structure compared to men. Despite the limited number of dunks in the WNBA, players excel in shooting skills and deserve recognition for their dedication and competence as athletes.

Before we start, I want to say to you that this is not a sexist article. I am just stating all the facts that I have read from the internet. Also, I love watching the WNBA and the NBA, and I am a big fan of those two big basketball leagues. Before you get angry with me after you read the title, please read the whole article first. I hope I don’t offend anyone, and I hope you enjoy this article! 

There are many people addicted to basketball, and this includes female players. Because basketball is so addictive, women get hooked on it too. One common question I see in Quora is why female basketball players can’t dunk. Because there are no exact and concise answers, I have decided to give you a concise and fair answer here.

Why can’t female basketball players dunk? Female players can dunk. However, there are only a few of them. In the WNBA, most of them can’t dunk. The reason why there are only a few female basketball players who can dunk is that there are only a few tall female basketball players.  

Aside from that reason, there are other reasons, which we are going to talk about later. Let’s get deeper into this topic. We are going to answer various questions related to our subject. Also, I am going to tell you the average height of WNBA players and who is the tallest player in WNBA history. If you are ready, let’s go! 

Why Can't Female Basketball Players Dunk

Can A Female Basketball Player Dunk In Basketball?

Like I have said above, yes! Female basketball players can dunk! However, there are only a few of them. WNBA players can dunk, but not all of them. Most of them can’t dunk. However, even though most of them can’t dunk, most of them are adept three-point shooters. 

One of the reasons why very few female basketball players can dunk is because tall women are rare. Most of the tall women out there are most likely to play volleyball or other sports. Also, female basketball players don’t have the same vertical explosiveness as seen in male basketball players.

I believe that women and men have the same work ethic. They both train hard because both of them want to win. However, the muscles of females are different when compared to males. Also, females have a shorter average height compared to males, which is a large factor in why most female basketball players can’t dunk. 

However, female basketball players are adept shooters. Even though most of them can’t dunk, almost all of them are good three-point shooters. I think the main reason why there are only a few females that can dunk is because of biology. 

I don’t believe those female basketball players work less hard compared to males. Both of them train hard because both of them want to win. The most logical reason why there are only a few female basketball players who can dunk compared to men is that males and females are different biologically.  

Is Dunking Allowed In The WNBA?

Yes! WNBA players are allowed to dunk on the game. However, dunking is much less common in the WNBA than in the NBA. The reason why is because the average height of WNBA players is shorter compared to the average height of NBA players. NBA players are much taller than the WNBA players, which is why you will see more dunking in NBA games. 

There are only a few WNBA players that dunk on the game. They can be counted by your fingers. Most WNBA players can’t dunk but most of them are good shooters. WNBA players are more focused on improving their shooting than trying to dunk. 

Even though most WNBA players can’t dunk, they still work hard like the NBA players. The reason why most of them can’t dunk is not that they are not working hard but because of their biology. Even though there are fewer dunks in a WNBA game, I still love watching it.

Why Can't Female Basketball Players Dunk

Why Don’t WNBA Players Dunk More Often?

Yes, it is legal to dunk in the WNBA. However, if they are allowed to destroy the rim, why don’t WNBA players dunk more often? The answer to that question is the same as the answer above, but let me give you an answer again. 

Why don’t WNBA players dunk more often? Most of the WNBA players can’t dunk. The average height of a WNBA player is shorter when compared to the average height of NBA players. Height is a huge factor in why WNBA players don’t dunk more often. 

There are only a few WNBA players that are gigantic. Most of them are already small, and it is rare to see a WNBA player have a height of seven feet and above. However, WNBA players are shooters. They spend their time practicing their shooting skills rather than trying to dunk.

How Many WNBA Players Have Dunked?

Since 1997, seven different amazing women have dunked in WNBA games. Lisa Leslie became the first player in WNBA history to dunk during a game. She is the best female basketball player I have known, and she is one of my top ten best WNBA players. I hope that there will be more WNBA players dunking to make the game more exciting! 

Check the video below of her dunk.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-TGaHknRCs

Average Height Of WNBA Player

Like I have said above, one reason why WNBA players don’t often dunk is that they have a shorter average height compared to the NBA players. What is the average height of a WNBA player? The average height of a WNBA player is 5 feet 9 inches tall. 

Tallest WNBA Player

It is rare to see a WNBA player that has a height of seven feet and up. But did you know what is the height of the tallest WNBA player? The height of the tallest WNBA player is 7’2. Malgorzata Dydek is the tallest female basketball player in WNBA history! I hope that there will be another female basketball player that will beat the height of Malgorzata Dydek.

Before we go to the final thoughts, let’s check the video compilation of WNBA players dunking!

Final Thoughts

Female basketball players can dunk, but there are only a few of them. However, this doesn’t mean that they don’t work hard or they are not good basketball players. I believe that these female basketball players do work hard, and I believe that they are good basketball players. 

We have different strengths and weaknesses. Basketball players around the world have their own skill set. Dunk is not a requirement to become a good basketball player. Dedication and competence is the requirement to become a good basketball player. 

That is why even though female basketball players don’t often dunk, I believe they are still good basketball players, and they deserve respect. 

Who is your favorite WNBA player? Comment your answers below! 

Spread the love