Standing at 5’8″, Dom Gonzales is one of the most explosive short dunkers in the game. In this episode of Dunk Talk, I (Dylan Haugen) and my co-host Hunter Castona had Dom on as a guest — and this was actually an in-person episode filmed at Hunter’s place in Wisconsin. Getting to sit down with Dom face-to-face and hear about his journey from being an undersized athlete to a recognized professional dunker was an awesome experience.
Who Is Dom Gonzales?
Dom Gonzales is a professional dunker who goes by @DomDunks on YouTube and @dom.dunks on Instagram. At 5’8″, every dunk he does carries an extra level of impressiveness because the margin for error is so much smaller than it is for taller athletes. What sets Dom apart is his combination of explosiveness, consistency, and the creativity he brings to his dunks. He doesn’t just get up there — he throws down with style and power that you wouldn’t expect from someone his height. He’s earned genuine respect across the dunk community, and this episode was one of our most popular with over 500 views and 31 likes.
Getting Into Dunking as a Short Athlete
Dom talked about what it was like to first realize he had the potential to dunk at his height. That initial moment of getting above the rim when everyone around you thinks it’s impossible is something that every shorter dunker can relate to. For Dom, that moment became the fuel that drove everything that came after. He committed to chasing dunking not just as a hobby but as something he wanted to be genuinely elite at, which is a mindset shift that separates casual dunkers from guys who make it to the professional level.
Training for Maximum Vertical at 5’8″
We spent a good chunk of the conversation talking about how Dom trains. At his height, the approach to training is a little different — relative strength matters way more than absolute strength, meaning how strong you are compared to your bodyweight is the key metric. Dom emphasized keeping his bodyweight lean while maximizing his power output, because at 5’8″ there’s zero room for extra weight that isn’t contributing to his jump. Every detail of his approach, plant, and takeoff has been optimized over years of practice to extract maximum height from every single jump. That level of precision is what makes the difference between a 5’8″ guy who can rim-graze and a 5’8″ guy who’s throwing down windmills.
The Path to Going Pro
Dom shared the story of how he went from a passionate amateur to a professional dunker. The path wasn’t easy — opportunities for shorter dunkers are more limited, and he had to work harder than taller competitors to earn the same recognition. But his persistence paid off, and he’s now competed in professional events and established himself as a legitimate force in the dunking world. His journey is proof that the dunk community values performance and determination over physical attributes. If you can get up and throw it down, your height becomes secondary to what you’re actually doing above the rim.
Advice for Shorter Dunkers
The conversation closed with Dom offering advice for other shorter athletes who dream of dunking. His core message is that height is a factor, not a fate. With the right training, technique, and mindset, athletes well under six feet can achieve things that most people assume are impossible for someone their size. As a 5’10” dunker myself, I relate to this — I’m not the tallest guy out there, and hearing Dom talk about overcoming the height barrier at two inches shorter than me was genuinely inspiring. It reinforced that the ceiling for short dunkers is way higher than most people think.
Watch the full interview with Dom Gonzales above. Follow him on YouTube @DomDunks and Instagram @dom.dunks. Subscribe to the Dunk Talk Podcast on YouTube so you never miss an episode.