All-Metro boys track athlete of the year: James White

Garvey Scott | The Kansas City Star

Grandview’s James White hopes to get better in the high jump and do well in basketball during his senior year.

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So how does the nation’s top high school high jumper spend his summer? Touring basketball gymnasiums, of course, and doing so in anonymity — as the kid no one believes can dunk.

After Grandview junior James White set a national high school record with a leap of 7 feet, 5 3/4 inches earlier this season, his life changed. White went on and won the Missouri Class 4 state championship with a modest height of 7-2 and, for that, is The Star’s All-Metro boys track athlete of the year.

But as he pursues his hoop dreams, the 5-foot-10 White shrinks into the shadows as just another basketball player.

“Not many people know,” White said, recounting a recent AAU basketball game: “In the first game, I got a steal and a fast break. I dunked it, and I guess no one thought I could jump because I’m not tall.”

“After the game, they’re all (saying), ‘I didn’t know you jumped so high.’ ”

White catapulted into the spotlight with a Kansas Relays-record leap of 7-3 1/4 in April. Just days later, White made his historic leap during a meet at Staley, breaking a 25-year-old national record.

Now, White hopes to cement his spot as a starter for Grandview in the coming basketball season. But he hasn’t abandoned training for the high jump.

“I have new goals. It’s always to jump higher,” White said. “I want to break the world (record for the high jump in high school). That’s what I really want and (I’m) pushing myself.”

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