Introducing Jason JaySmoove McCoy
In Episode 24 of the Dunk Talk Podcast, I (Dylan Haugen) sat down with co-host Hunter Castona and one of the most powerful dunkers in the world, Jason McCoy, better known as JaySmoove. Jason is a 6 foot 1 power dunker from Detroit, Michigan, and from the moment he introduced himself it was clear we were going to get an incredible conversation. Hunter set the tone by calling him a pretty powerful dunker, which is honestly an understatement once you learn about his background and what he brings to the rim.
From Swimming to Dunking
Jason’s athletic journey did not start on the basketball court. He was a swimmer growing up, which gave him a naturally lean and toned build. He talked about how swimming gave him a solid athletic foundation but did not translate directly into the kind of explosive power he would eventually develop for dunking. The transition into the weight room and eventually into dedicated dunk training was where things really started to click for him.
His first dunk was a milestone he still remembers clearly. Like a lot of dunkers, it started with basic one-handers and two-handers before he began exploring more advanced dunks. What sets Jason apart from many dunkers though is the sheer power he brings to every single dunk. When JaySmoove throws down a windmill or a tomahawk, the rim shakes in a way that very few dunkers in the world can replicate. That power is a direct product of years of serious strength training combined with natural explosiveness.
The Strength Behind the Power
One of the most eye-opening parts of this episode was learning about Jason’s lifting numbers. His max bench press is 315 pounds, and he has done 120-pound dumbbell presses. Those are serious numbers for anyone, let alone a dunker who also needs to maintain explosiveness and agility. When he first started lifting as a 17-year-old freshman in college about ten years before this episode, he could barely bench 135 pounds. The progression from struggling with 135 to pressing 315 is a testament to his work ethic and consistency in the gym.
Jason’s training split at the time of the episode was well structured. He does one overload day on Friday, and Monday is more of a plyometric and athleticism-based leg day. Tuesday and Thursday are upper body. He always jumps on Wednesday and Sunday. That balance between heavy strength work and explosive plyometric work is what allows him to maintain both the raw power that makes his dunks so devastating and the vertical leap needed to get up there in the first place.
Getting Proper Form and Building a Base
We spent time talking about how important proper form was in Jason’s development, both in the weight room and in his approach to dunking. The episode had chapters covering this topic specifically, and Jason was very transparent about the fact that his early lifting was not technically sound. He had to learn proper form over time, and once he did, his numbers and his dunking took off. The lesson here for younger dunkers is that it is not just about how much weight you can move but how well you move it. Bad form in the weight room leads to injuries and stalled progress, while good form leads to the kind of gains Jason has made.
Signature Dunks and Future Goals
Jason’s dunk repertoire is impressive, but what was interesting was hearing about the dunks he was still chasing. He mentioned only hitting a behind-the-back dunk twice in his life, and both times were during sessions with Corale. He said Corale always gets mad when he does that dunk because Jason does not practice it and still manages to hit it. His main goal was to work toward a black man dunk, which requires both the scorpion and a high level of hand speed. He had been low-rimming the scorpion to build muscle memory and said the transition from low to regulation rim did not feel as hard as he expected.
We also discussed 360 variations. The idea of Jason doing a 360 eastbay or 360 behind-the-back came up, and he acknowledged those would require a lot of dedicated low-rim practice. At the time of recording he was in a strength phase, which meant his body was more fatigued than usual and he was not jumping at his peak. He was honest about the fact that trying to hit new dunks during a strength block is tough because your vertical is temporarily suppressed while your body adapts to the heavier loads.
Dunk Shows and Touring
Jason has experience performing in dunk shows and touring, which added another dimension to the conversation. He mentioned that he would love to tour again but that the money has to be right for him to leave his job and commit to five months on the road. That is a reality that a lot of professional dunkers face. Unlike mainstream sports where athletes have guaranteed contracts, professional dunking requires balancing a regular career with the opportunities to travel and perform. Jason was pragmatic about this, acknowledging that while he loves dunking and performing, the financial side has to make sense.
Reflections on the Community
One of the lighter moments came when Jason and Hunter were talking about dunk camp and the reactions people had to my age. Jason mentioned that at Wisconsin dunk camp, Jordan Southerland kept yelling out that I was only 12, which became a running joke. Jason’s point was that you just do not expect a 16-year-old to be doing things like hide-and-seeks and eastbays at that level. It was a funny but also flattering moment in the conversation that showed how tight the dunking community is and how much we genuinely support each other.
This episode gave a deep look into what it takes to be one of the most powerful dunkers in the world. Jason is not just naturally gifted, he has put in a decade of serious strength training, refined his technique, and continues to push himself toward new dunks even while managing the demands of a day job and a structured training program. Make sure to check out JaySmoove’s content and watch the full episode above for all the details on his journey and training approach.