So yeah... if you want to move him higher, by all means be my guest. Who is YOUR favorite NBA player? Example Dunk: Messing Around and Ending Alex Len's Whole Career. In previous seasons, bench players such as Harold Miner, Desmond Mason and Brent Barry had won the Slam Dunk Contest, and while Kobe Bryant was making his mark both as an elite flier and elite player, Richardson revitalized interest in both the dunk contest and the art of the dunk itself. Let us know in the comments! Perhaps more than anyone, Wilkins served as the precursor for Vinsanity. I can relate because, well... let's just say that almost happened when attempting to hold a similar civil discussion with co-workers, which quickly devolved into an absolute madhouse. Long before his son dunked on Brook Lopez for the LA Lakers, Larry Sr. put on the original dunk show. And Pippen's slams, while obviously disrespectful on their face, made for even deeper embarrassment too. Vince Carter is the greatest dunker ever and honestly... it's not close. While he was a blistering, furious scorer on. Here's the best of the rest. 1. Nance gets in out of respect. Regardless, all of these dunks are perfect examples of the best parts of basketball. Oh, Orlando is starting Pat Garrity at center? If you can impress LeBron James with a dunk, you're doing something right. We'd be remiss if we didn't mention Griffin's partnership with Chris Paul. Example Dunk: Playoff And-1 on Shawn Bradley. In that vein, Wade earned extra points for the now-iconic, Messing Around and Ending Alex Len's Whole Career, Zach LaVine's reputation is in a strangely negative place. While he was a blistering, furious scorer on terra firma, Drexler was always much more graceful when flying through space. There's a reason why the Dallas Mavericks shut him down in the 2011 NBA Finals: They, In the ensuing near decade, LeBron's dealt with minor injuries and major minutes, yet he remains one of the league's premiere dunkers. Wilkins burst onto the dunking scene with a shocking win at the stacked 1985 Slam Dunk Contest, defeating Jordan, Julius Erving, Larry Nance, Clyde Drexler and Darrell Griffith. At age 35, he is nearly as bouncy as he was at 18. Did MJ, Vinsanity, Nique or Dr. J take the top spot? Hawkins could probably be higher and honestly if you wanted to place him inside the top 10, I wouldn't begrudge you for it. In November, he threw down a dunk of the year candidate on Nemanja Bjelica, and he put home a similarly awe-inspiring finish on Jusuf Nurkic in 2018. Isaiah Rider, Steve Francis, DeMar DeRozan, Nate Robinson, Desmond Mason, Gerald Green, Dwight Howard, Derrick Jones Jr, Cedric Ceballos, Kenny Walker, Terrence Ross, J.R. Smith, George Gervin and Wilt Chamberlain. Just because we don't typically think of LeBron James as an all-time dunker - in part because he's famously never done the dunk contest - doesn't mean he isn't one of the best to ever do it. Afterward, he shrugs and says, "It was just all instinct that took over.". The man nicknamed Airplane Mode is either actively trying to make dunks more difficult or doesn't even realize how far and high he's jumping. If I'm being completely honest, after watching scores of YouTube videos in an effort to finalize this list, there were several snubs from recent years that are unequivocally better dunkers than many who made the cut from past generations. Unlike many players on this list or otherwise, The Glide remained both productive and limber until his retirement, winning that elusive title in 1994-95 with the Rockets. Put Derrick Jones Jr. in the 1970s and your 70-year-old Grandfather would still be raving about his otherworldly dunking ability. No one could ever stop a Vince Carter dunk. Generally, we favor well-rounded players over guys known solely as dunkers. Subscribe to our new sports channe The WaterBoys Podcastl! There are no advanced stats for dunking, but it's reasonable to guess no current player starts their dunks farther away from the basket than Jones. But again... we're not here to talk about dunk contests! Richardson achieved prominence after a dunking dark age. In the inaugural competition in 1984, Nance went toe-to-toe with legend Erving, one of the top five greatest dunkers to ever grace the game. The most influential dunker of all-time and it's not even close. Good! Questions about his skill level aside, we can at least agree that LaVine is a master dunker. However, while Shaq was childish at times (warning: language NSFW), the main reason his behavior stood out was because of Kobe Bryant's ultra-serious approach to the game. If we celebrate LeBron James and Russell Westbrook for continuing to remain superathletes as they age, we owe Drexler the same retroactive appreciation. The Reign Man was picked 17th overall in the 1989 draft, but not for any on-court reasons. Basketball Reference says Steve Francis is 6'3", but you can really tell how tall somebody is when you see them in the air, and there is no way Stevie Franchise is any bigger than 6'1". At his peak, Howard's deity-esque physique combined with guard-like explosiveness made him virtually unstoppable. The team failed to reach its championship potential, but those Lob City highlights are a sufficient consolation prize. But with the omnipresence of YouTube and Twitter, Francis' resume as an electric dunker should be common knowledge among fans young and old. Above all else, the 6'4" Thompson loved nothing more than to posterize any and all challengers. "Everybody says a dunk is only two points, but it gets your team hyped, gets the crowd all excited and takes the starch out of other teams, especially when you dunk on somebody," Dawkins said in an interview with The New York Times in 2004. Carlon Brown, Colorado NCAA best dunk 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 NCAA Tournament 2012: BEST DUNKS 3. Want to get lost in a sea on 'Nique highlights? Basket; Comments User. Who are the best dunkers in NBA history? But the way he's so casual about these breathtaking feats of athleticism is chilling. Top 10 Greatest NBA Dunks Ever – Watch Mojo. As the Atlanta Hawks weren't very prominent in the 1980s (and without League Pass, he couldn't be seen by most people outside of Georgia), Wilkins' dunk contest victories (won again in 1990) solidified his status as one of the premier aerial athletes alive, and he began approaching Holy Trinity status as a must-see player when his team came to town. The linked dunk on Gatling is perhaps the shining example of that in recent NBA history. Ultimately, I placed him third among this group because he didn't quite jump as high as Griffin nor as powerfully as Dawkins. Even this in-traffic slam over Jonas Valanciunas, casual as it may seem, started way closer to the free-throw line than it seemed on first viewing. For this list, we’re looking at the greatest NBA dunks of all-time! There's a reason All-Star Weekend's Slam Dunk Contest has been the last and most-hyped competition on Saturday night for as long as it's existed. In that vein, Wade earned extra points for the now-iconic photo of his celebrating one of teammate LeBron James' many above-the-rim finishes. Hoop heads from the 80s that like to cut against the grain will swear that Wilkins was the better dunker than Michael Jordan. It's there! "When you can dunk on somebody, on somebody's head, those are the ones you like.". Blake Griffin won the dunk competition in 2011 and is one of the best dunkers in the NBA today One of the few modern-day NBA stars who relishes a good ol’ dunk, Blake Griffin was one of the most dynamic players of his generation when he burst onto the scene. When Francis jumped to dunk, it seemed like he was always attempting an impossible task. Tokyvideo Trends 6.1k 25:00. He's averaging over 25 points per game this season yet is not considered a star. The No. In comparison to some of the other illustrious names on this list, Darryl Dawkins' career averages of 12.0 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game seem small. Kobe wouldn't forgive, though. View later. NCAA Tournament 2012: BEST DUNKS 1. He has won two dunk contests, but one is widely considered, Look at that dunk above. I defy anyone to present a more perfect nickname that encapsulates the entirety of a player's persona. It's a memento of a superteam that knew it was super, but it's also a picture of a young man being excited as his friend made an awesome play. Based solely on reliving the best of the best through YouTube, it's hard to fathom five better in-game dunkers than Griffin, who at times appeared as if his entire existence was for the sole purpose of dunking anything and everything. Here was a guy who could make a complicated layup look as easy as breathing, and now he's going to dunk, too? Dwyane Wade will rightly be remembered for incredible clutch moments and a mastery of mid-range and at-rim finishing, but it would be wrong to discuss his play without talking about the dunks. Fact of the matter is that he sometimes makes it look so effortless that we take for granted just how high he jumps and how hard he throws it down. In the 1970s, the dunk held a strange place in competitive basketball. Additionally, much like O'Neal before him and, Of course, that window closed quickly for myriad reasons, but Howard's peak remains among the most exciting and groundbreaking periods for a star in recent history. After Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's overwhelming dominance at UCLA, the NCAA. As you can see in the above clip, Dawkins threw down his dunks with an unprecedented level of force, breaking two backboards and making many others shake throughout his tenure in the NBA. Today, a good slam dunk will energize an arena full of people, and it may be one of the closest things to magic that sports fans will ever see. It's impossible to separate Aaron Gordon and Zach LaVine who are the peanut butter and jelly of the dunking conversation. Baron Davis and Harold Miner are my two favourite "little" dunkers ever. Is the 2020 Slam Dunk champion Derrick Jones Jr. might be the most unassuming great in-game dunker in NBA history. He, along with David Thompson and Julius Erving, helped fans and other players realize that the dunk is one of the most exciting ways to score two points, though only Shaquille O'Neal would ever come close to breaking a backboard again. You could argue that given Jordan's competitiveness, his general approach to basketball was malicious, but it especially extends to his aerial activities. While players like Zion Williamson might someday give him a run for his money, there's no player with more dunking inventory online than Carter. We review the best dunks we have seen throughout week 7 in the best basketball league in the world. He's averaging over 25 points per game this season yet is not considered a star. If anybody else did these three dunks in one game, it would be talked about for weeks, but for Griffin, it was just another day at the office. "When you throw one down, especially over a bigger man, you get a psychological advantage," Thompson recalled in an old story for ESPN's Page 2. Purists and cynics will look at the slam above, one of the most famous plays in history, and call a travel on Dr. J. Only gluttons for punishment would endeavor to rank the NBA's best dunks of the 2019-20 season (so far)(we hope). He fully deserves a top-10 slot. Example Dunk: Chris Gatling Shows Respect. The dunks spoke for themselves, and the lack of response from the GOAT signaled that he was laser-focused on destruction. His head regularly went above the rim on dunks, and he threw down consistently violent slams both in space and in traffic. Carter played an integral role in reinjecting excitement back into the NBA in the immediate aftermath of Michael Jordan's second retirement with the Chicago Bulls. ! Alton Lister is still laying on the baseline in Seattle. Thankfully for LaVine's longevity as an NBA player, he returned to the court in a year and has since improved as a scorer and ball-handler, and thankfully for fans, he has also regained his effortless bounce. Several minutes later, he says he improvised a windmill slam on 7-footer Michael Olowokandi. OK so I know what you're thinking: I was born yesterday. ), the comparisons between the two were earned. The rule about no hanging on rims? Erving - like Wilt Chamberlain or Stephen Curry - simply played unlike anyone that came before him and it's impossible to overstate what his dunking represented for the evolution of the league. Nowadays, Russell Westbrook is often criticized for his erratic style of play, but when he came on the scene in 2008, his athleticism was a sight to behold. But Vince Carter is the best in-game dunker ever, and it's not close. While D-Rose has some A+ dunks, he never came close to regularly inviting and attacking like Westbrook. He got his start in the fun-loving ABA, which showed basketball could be looser and more aesthetically interesting than the staid Knicks or Boston Celtics would have you think. Look at that dunk above. Dawkins is clearly one of the least accomplished players named, but this list wouldn't exist without his contributions. 10 dunk on this clip might be No. The dunking montage towards the start of Episode 3 that shows Jordan in the late 80s just swooping in and dunking everything in sight. The man was one of the NBA's greats and recorded all the necessary accolades to support his Springfield case (including a Slam Dunk Contest title). Rushmore of perimeter dunkers. The aforementioned windmills in traffic. However, the degree of difficulty multiplies exponentially when comparing an open gym to the intensity of a live NBA game. Share. However, the degree of difficulty multiplies exponentially when comparing an open gym to the intensity of a live, There are no advanced stats for dunking, but it's reasonable to guess no current player starts their dunks farther away from the basket than Jones. Kemp consistently dunked with a ferocity rarely matched by anyone. Interestingly enough, there's not much footage of Jordan showboating after a dunk, something that would make sense given his uber-sensitivity to even the smallest slights. Even at 34, Dwight Howard is an elite athlete, so in case you've forgotten or didn't follow the NBA in his younger years, you can only imagine what those were like. Though there were certainly others, Erving represented a shift in the explosiveness of the game with an above the rim flair that captured imaginations and elevated the NBA's entertainment factor to another stratosphere. It's impossible to mention the first generation of high flyers without mentioning Thompson, who would have gone down as perhaps the greatest dunker in college basketball history had he not played during the time when dunking was outlawed. Shaq locked in when necessary, and when he did, there was no tougher cover. He never made the conference finals and was eclipsed by the Holy Trinity of Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. It's a shame that Michael Jordan neutralized Clyde Drexler's career as a star with the Shrug Game. In addition to being a versatile offensive player and one of the best perimeter defenders ever, Scottie Pippen had another particularly special talent: dunking. He may not only have performed arguably one of the best NBA Slam Dunk Contests in nba history, but he is also known to be one of the greatest in-game dunkers in the NBA. It's about putting on a show and so yes... emotion, tenacity, anticipation... all of that matters! In large part, it was because of his explosive slams. Wilkins always added in a little extra flair even when entirely unnecessary. Example Dunk: Giving Larry Bird an Existential Crisis. Dr. J then brought those ideals to the NBA after the leagues merged in 1976, and the sport was never the same. You always knew he was just having fun playing the game he loved and wanted others to share in that love. All rights reserved. Look, the Slam Dunk Contest is cute but do yourself a favour and. He remembers each dunk and breaks down his thought process, revealing a player who's supremely confident in his game-breaking athleticism, almost to the point of fearing it. He got his start in the fun-loving ABA, which showed basketball could be looser and more aesthetically interesting than the staid Knicks or Boston Celtics would have you think. If you're going to complain about why someone should be in, you have to take someone out. For the record, that play was within the rules, but quibbling over it also obscures the point. So without further ado, here is a definitive list of the 23 greatest dunks in NBA history. While he, of course, was not even close to Jordan on a talent basis, Drexler was nevertheless spectacular, especially in the air. When Shawn Kemp threw down on Alton Lister, it was just as much about the emphatic point afterwards as it was the dunk itself. During his first stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron was arguably the greatest athlete in NBA history. It also seems ludicrous to leave out Chamberlain, though for as powerful and athletic as he was - especially compared to his contemporaries - he was actually more well known for his deft touch and endless array of flip shots, lay ins and floaters. He's a sneaky candidate for the Mt. Vince Carter is the greatest dunker ever and honestly... it's not close. The four hardest for me here were Rider, Francis, Green and Howard who all did it differently. Drexler was given the nickname The Glide while at the University of Houston, and somehow, it always seemed appropriate. New week and new plays in the NBA. No player of his era enjoyed putting people on posters as much as Kemp, who seemingly enjoyed contact and would routinely partake in above the rim demolition derbies with wannabe shot blockers. Although he didn't quite reach the same level of power dunking as either Carter or Wilkins, MJ seemed to hang in a manner that made time stand still and might be the best double clutch dunker ever for his ability to move the ball in the air and around defenders. He'd just quietly prepare for the next poster jam. Dunking on someone in traffic > dunking on fastbreaks. NBA plays of the night | 7-1-2021. Example Dunk: The Baptism of Dwight Howard. Here's a look back back through the years at some of his best dunks from every year up until joining the Los Angeles Lakers. However, that only makes his portfolio of dunks even more impressive. It's impossible to separate Aaron Gordon and Zach LaVine who are the peanut butter and jelly of the dunking conversation. Richardson brought an element of excitement to two of his era's most exciting teams, first as a member of the 'We Believe' Warriors and then alongside Steve Nash and Amar'e Stoudemire with the Phoenix Suns. Advertising. Without question the most famous play of Kemp's career is the vicious dunk and point over Lister during a 1992 playoff game between the Seattle SuperSonics and Golden State Warriors. At the team's peak, Kemp was arguably as important to its success as Gary Payton. I'll wait. Epic SLAM DUNKS in contest. Facials on centres. You can't do this list without him, but go watch some of his in-game dunking and you'll walk away underwhelmed. You always knew he was just having fun playing the game he loved and wanted others to share in that love. Rider in particular dunked with a degree of tenacity that would have made him a cult favourite in today's age of YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. Moreso than anyone else with the possible exception of Kemp, Griffin's "near dunks" are almost better than his actual dunks if only because they speak to the extent he'd go in an effort to throw down. But count me among the minority of the crowd more impressed with this yam on Kendrick Perkins. The first-ever dunk contest in the ABA featured Thompson and Julius Erving (along with George Gervin, Artis Gilmore and Larry Kenon). 360s on fastbreaks. Click through this slideshow for a look at the 70 greatest dunkers in NBA history. How do you compare the vicious power dunkers with the acrobatic aerial wizards? Pippen consistently humiliated opponents at the rim, and he posterized an unparalleled collection of stars, including Patrick Ewing, Karl Malone, Charles Barkley, Alonzo Mourning and Manute Bol. Critics of Shaq, both during his heyday and in hindsight, point to his lackadaisical attitude as a reason to downplay his achievements. Nique never cared who was in his way—just that if you stood between him and the basket, you'd be hurting in the morning (physically or psychologically). At 6'8”, 210 pounds and boasting a versatile skill set, McGrady was widely considered a future MVP candidate, and every time he deposited an emphatic slam, it offered a glimpse into the extent of his powers. The dunk is one of the most impressive plays in sports. This all changed when Dawkins achieved prominence. More than any other player on this list, Jordan understood dunks as an act of malice. But what made him so special was his unique physique. Some more truth serum? Resume: Dunk Contest Champion (2011) Nothing about Blake Griffin's game is subtle. But say that in front of most Seattle SuperSonics fans, and they'll set you straight. History matters. And yes, Shaq's stats support the fact that he is likely a top-10 or top-15 player in NBA history. There are 10-minute reels of his best in-game dunks with the Raptors and Nets. You can probably guess who's No. There are entire documentaries about him jumping over Frederic Weis at the Olympics. But you know the rules. Hayward exits with foot sprain in Hornets win, Landmark moments from Princepal's season, On This Date: Westbrook's historic 20-20-20 game in 2019, New-look Nuggets' win in LA creates West logjam, Your default site has been set for 7 days, https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/NBA_Global_CMS_image_storage/20/88/adams_13myma1tsl12y1ce69ftmtl2ed.png?t=1378242313&w=500, https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/NBA_Global_CMS_image_storage/a2/73/david-thompson-dunks-during-a-game-in-1978_1xox7fe8b742t1ubx2mabeo7oq.png?t=610869979&w=500, https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/NBA_Global_CMS_image_storage/cf/82/three-angles-from-the-same-dunk-by-shawn-kemp-in-the-96-finals_c0mda5vj2ygg15cxy53ivzmga.jpeg?t=615520979&w=500, https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/NBA_Global_CMS_image_storage/d3/92/julius-erving-dunks-during-a-1981-playoff-game-against-the-boston-celtics_1xqgyg8z250941gud16ufon7w3.png?t=618950491&w=500, https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/NBA_Global_CMS_image_storage/6b/21/lebron-james-dunk_13i5oif852sps1hq9j1fwte5ba.jpg?t=575233344&w=500, https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/NBA_Global_CMS_image_storage/c6/96/hayward_qt22mrkdbdeo137jaxatb294o.jpg?t=-1777310216&w=500, https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/NBA_Global_CMS_image_storage/6/0/giannis_gsae8d4hgd7l1nweuimq2jnpm.jpg?t=-1761610280&w=500, https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/NBA_Global_CMS_image_storage/4/ff/giannis-damejpeg_1h3yuvue7f3jz1rh256lkbpc4o.jpeg?t=-1992138280&w=500, https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/NBA_Global_CMS_image_storage/d7/1d/princepal_1eapleo87laob1hxccxrcq41pv.jpeg?t=-1799804888&w=500, https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/NBA_Global_CMS_image_storage/c7/b7/russell-westbrook-vs-los-angeles-lakers-in-2019_178t38kek8ayv1gbsofmsnlp43.jpeg?t=940593921&w=500, https://images.daznservices.com/di/library/NBA_Global_CMS_image_storage/c8/19/nuggetsclippers_87ixwvoehqco1pc8qwdzc0spo.jpeg?t=-1844194408&w=500, Thompson recalled in an old story for ESPN's Page 2, In-game dunking only. View later. And by "might" I mean you 100% will unless your spirited debate takes place over Zoom in which case you might accidentally launch your computer into a wall or out of the window in disgust. For constantly balancing the joyful with the ferocious, Wade lands on this illustrious list. In November, he threw down a. over a million dollars yearly on his body, but at a certain point, he's also a little lucky. Even today, there are very few players who can run a fast break from coast to coast on one possession and dunk opponents into the next century on the next one, and none of them, from LeBron James to Zion Williamson to Giannis Antetokounmpo, are as big as Shaq. 360s with ease on fastbreaks. If Dr. J brought dunking into the NBA mainstream, Vinsanity brought it into the digital age as the first star to truly make his mark on the YouTube generation. Copyright © 2018 NBA. Much of the narrative surrounding Kobe Bryant's career has to do with esoterica such as mid-range footwork and the geometry of certain spots on the court in relation to the basket. And I'll admit, the only reason he's not two spots higher is out of respect for two legends from the 70s and 80s that simply mean more to the art of the dunk.