See link about "drywall stilts". For this Idea we probably need SMALLER versions of those stilts.

Basically, measure the tallest basketball player in the game, and then give everyone else whatever magnitude of extra height (from elevator shoes to stilts) that makes all the players the same height. Then start the game.

The taller players will still have an advantage, because their arms will usually be longer. But the stilts won't add much weight to the shorter players; they will end up with less total weight for the same height, as taller players. That gives them an advantage, in terms of endurance. How will it all play out? Buy a ticket and see!
-- Vernon, Sep 24 2015

Drywall Stilts http://www.homedepo...ts-DS1830/100645164
As mentioned in the main text. [Vernon, Sep 24 2015]

Height-Irrelevant_20Basketball [hippo, Sep 25 2015]

Lightweight frame plus.. http://www.cycleexi...orlds-lightest-bike
As mentioned in an annotation. [Vernon, Sep 25 2015]

Harrison Bergeron http://www.tnellen....ereng/harrison.html
One of my favorites. [bungston, Sep 26 2015]

You don't want drywall stilts for this. What you want are bocks, which are lighter and more manoeuvrable. The weight advantage is doubtful, though - even bocks shift the centre of mass of the lower leg downward quite a lot.

I've tried running in bocks, and even an 18" leg extension leaves you running at the same speed as a non-stilt-wearing person, because of the greater rotational inertia of the lower leg.
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Sep 24 2015


I said nothing about running faster, but if the stilts don't give that particular advantage, it is OK. Because that aspect of the game (players moving around) doesn't change.

Also, while I specified drywall stilts, I'm sure you are aware that most basketball players are only a foot or so taller than the average person, and those particular stilts would make an ordinary dude too tall. So I have been aware that something shorter is needed, for this Idea. I had not heard about "bocks" before.
-- Vernon, Sep 24 2015


That is what bocks are, [bigs].

[Vernon], it's not that we're looking for a running advantage, but the fact that you can't run faster reflects the general problem of having too much mass at the bottom of the leg.
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Sep 25 2015


[MaxwellBuchanan], a point I was trying to make in the main text was that tall basketball players are not so skinny that they don't weigh significantly more than short players. If the short player adds mass below the foot to gain height, the short player's overall mass will still be less than the tall player. Partly because the tall player has an overall larger body; his extra weight is not only in his legs. AND we can make stilts or other height-tool out of rather light/strong substances these days (carbon fiber comes to mind --and you know that pro sports teams can afford such things).
-- Vernon, Sep 25 2015


Yes, but putting the extra mass below the knee (and, especially, below the normal foot) has a huge impact on agility. If you don't believe me, either buy a pair of bocks (which are already made pretty light), or duct-tape a bag of sugar to each foot. The effect is much, much worse than just having four pounds of extra bodyweight.
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Sep 25 2015


ah yes [normzone]...my thoughts exactly!
-- xandram, Sep 25 2015


[normzone], oops, sorry, hit delete instead of annotate. Title fixed. Thanks!

[MaxwellBuchanan], did you ignore what I wrote about lightwelght stilts? See link! More framework in that thing than stilts would have, and only 2.7kg.
-- Vernon, Sep 25 2015


[Vernon], did you ignore what I wrote about putting mass below the knee? Seriously, duct-tape a bag of sugar (1kg) to each foot and try playing basketball.
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Sep 26 2015


I've always thought that basketball would be much more fun if played with a rugby ball. It's a silly game, easily won by any team that can find enough players over 7 feet tall.
-- xenzag, Sep 26 2015


[MaxwellBuchanan] on what basis are you assuming that smallish lightweight stilts are going to weigh nearly as much as a whole bicycle? But I DO know something about what you wrote, since I have happened to have worn roller- skates with old-fashioned steel wheels on occasion.
-- Vernon, Sep 26 2015


//on what basis are you assuming that smallish lightweight stilts are going to weigh nearly as much as a whole bicycle//

On the basis:
(a) An aluminium-framed bicycle weighs about the same as a single bock. Weight-saving through carbon fibre should be about the same in either case.

(b) A bicycle has to support only vertical loads (even when turning). The lightest carbon-fibre bikes will not withstand things like jumping. A single bock has to support a greater vertical load (by a considerable factor) if the wearer jumps or even runs on it.

I'll gladly grant you that a carbon-fibre stilt capable of supporting a man jumping and running on it can be 1/2 the weight of a carbon-fibre bike frame designed for racing on tracks or smooth roads. But you are wrong to assume it can be a lot less than that.
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Sep 26 2015


Something about the title makes me want to think of jilted, stunted basketball, which just sounds like a very sad game.
-- RayfordSteele, Sep 28 2015



random, halfbakery