Improving VJ of 7'2, 285 lb. NBA player?

[Guest guest]

Hello,

I am an Intern Strength and Conditioning coach for an NBA team, and

have a question regarding one of our athletes. We have a 7'2,

285

lb. player who has great agility and strength, but his vertical jump

leaves much to be desired. I do not have his exact vertical

measurement with me, but let's just say he barely gets off the

ground.

This is a problem, because I feel that his ability to generate power

is what is keeping him from being a better player. My boss is

fairly adamant that nothing can be done about this player's

leaping

ability, but I am having difficulty in giving up this easily.

His height and weight are a matter of concern in terms of doing

plyometric exercise, and the Olympic lifts are also questionable for

these same reasons. He had back surgery in the past, but this does

not bother him at all anymore and he can do front squats with no

pain. This athlete also hardly ever plays, so that is not really a

huge factor in his training.

If any of you have ever dealt with something like this, or have any

suggestions at all, I would greatly appreciate your advice.

Jake Winn

Memphis, TN