Kelly McKee Triple Jump Dunk
@kellylmckee / Instagram
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Kelly McKee is officially back on the court to continue her viral quest to dunk a basketball at only 5-foot-7 after a brief hiatus from track and field due to injury. The former Team USA triple jumper refuses to settle for anything less than an NBA-worthy slam.
She is not going to take partial credit like some “short guys” who get close.
There have been a number of different setbacks along the way, like injuries and professional obligations, but the goal does not change. McKee is going to dunk a basketball.
Who is Kelly McKee?
The 28-year-old triple jumper is currently five years removed from a well-decorated track and field career at the University of Virginia. McKee placed fifth at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in 2019, which was the highest-ever finish in program history.
The impressive performance led her to All-ACC status in both indoor and outdoor competition seven different times in three years. She was also named as an All-American as a junior and senior.
Kelly McKee triple jump virginia dunk
University of Virginia Athletics
McKee also competed for the United States at the Pan American Games while still in school. Her ultimate goal is to make the Olympics and the focus right now is on Los Angeles in 2028.
There is still some time before training really ramps up with the L.A. Games still a few years away. With that in mind, Kelly McKee embarked on her viral quest to dunk at the beginning of the year.
She keeps getting close but she has yet to get one down.
Most people who can dunk (including NBA players) typically jump off of two feet before they go to the rim. McKee, who spent her entire learning how to jump off of one foot, prefers her approach.
However, because things were not going as well as she had hoped off of one foot, the 28-year-old decided to try the recommended two-footed approach at the start of April.
That did not work either and then she got hurt. Kelly McKee ended the spring with some time off to rehab a gnarly ankle injury. No jumping. No running. Nothing.
She made her return to the court in June and started back with a tennis ball.
The viral quest to dunk was briefly put on pause again in July because of work. McKee got back to it in August.
Her last two attempts, which are posted as the top two videos on her Instagram profile, were some of her closest yet. However, even though “a lot of short guys would count” the latest effort, she will not settle.
Pow pow! Shots fired out of nowhere.
Kelly McKee keeps getting closer to dunking at only 5-foot-7. Perhaps we will finally see her do it in the next few weeks. Work comes first but she so badly wants to get it done. It has been a long time coming!
Grayson Weir BroBible editor avatar