Carlon Brown, Colorado NCAA best dunk 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 NCAA Tournament 2012: BEST DUNKS 3. It's there! Zach LaVine's reputation is in a strangely negative place. "When you can dunk on somebody, on somebody's head, those are the ones you like.". When not fluttering like a helicopter, Jones Jr. just kind of … His head regularly went above the rim on dunks, and he threw down consistently violent slams both in space and in traffic. His assaults on rims continue to impact the game today. It's about putting on a show and so yes... emotion, tenacity, anticipation... all of that matters! Hoop heads from the 80s that like to cut against the grain will swear that Wilkins was the better dunker than Michael Jordan. The dunks spoke for themselves, and the lack of response from the GOAT signaled that he was laser-focused on destruction. Kemp was not only an extremely powerful dunker both in space and in traffic, but he boasted handles to match in an era where that was highly unusual for big men. But there's no question he was one of the best dunkers in history. Drexler was given the nickname The Glide while at the University of Houston, and somehow, it always seemed appropriate. It seemed like dunking was no big feat for him, even though it's probably one of the hardest athletic achievements. They solidified in opponents' minds that not only was Michael Jordan ready and willing to beat them, as he was every night, but Scottie and the rest of the squad was also there to back him up. In addition, the dunk was called the "stuff shot" and was almost never performed with any sort of flash or ceremony. If you're going to complain about why someone should be in, you have to take someone out. But make no mistake, when it comes to power dunking, Kemp reigns as one of the best to ever do it. There were players as big as Shaq, and there were players as quick as Shaq, but nobody was as big and as quick as Superman. Of course, the dunks themselves were always spectacular too. The views expressed here do not represent those of the NBA or its clubs. There's a case to be made that Carter's impact as a dunker supersede his actual ability as a dunker, which is and of itself a ridiculous notion. So without further ado, here is a definitive list of the 23 greatest dunks in NBA history. After Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's overwhelming dominance at UCLA, the NCAA. 1. The possibility and thrill of watching a dunk that seems to defy the laws of physics is ever present. 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". When he rose up, the game would momentarily turn into streetball, especially in Miami. In addition to being a versatile offensive player and one of the best perimeter defenders ever, Scottie Pippen had another particularly special talent: dunking. Early-career T-Mac was a titanic force. Capitalizing off of the slam dunk’s ascension and popularity, the NBA hosts an annual Slam-Dunk Contest to celebrate the league’s best dunkers. There's a reason why the Dallas Mavericks shut him down in the 2011 NBA Finals: They tried everything to prevent him from reaching the paint. Is the 2020 Slam Dunk champion Derrick Jones Jr. might be the most unassuming great in-game dunker in NBA history. At the team's peak, Kemp was arguably as important to its success as Gary Payton. When Richardson dunked, he dunked. Including the one man ahead of him, Jordan is the most artistic and graceful of dunkers on this list. 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. Attempt to talk it through with someone else who likewise worked themselves into a tizzy and you might come to blows. 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. Vince Carter is the greatest dunker ever and honestly... it's not close. LaVine looks unbothered in the face of a 7-footer and never even seems to consider the possibility he might get stuffed. Want more sports? Because of that leaping ability, Francis was a consistently excellent dunker. Dominique Wilkins had an unfulfilled NBA career. He's not the best in-game dunker ever, but he's the most important one. Jones' placement here is a nod to those dunk-first players—because he's so darn good at it. During his first stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron was arguably the greatest athlete in NBA history. Given that he was undrafted and doesn't have much of a skill set to speak of beyond his phenomenal aerial talent (though he is shooting 51.4 percent from the floor this season and averaging a career-best 8.9 points per game), it's unclear how much longer Jones will stick in the league. You always knew he was just having fun playing the game he loved and wanted others to share in that love. 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. One of the best parts of 'The Last Dance'? over Jonas Valanciunas, casual as it may seem, started way closer to the free-throw line than it seemed on first viewing. There's not much to say about Michael Jordan that either hasn't already been said or presumably won't be covered in the upcoming 10-part ESPN documentary. Wilkins always added in a little extra flair even when entirely unnecessary. 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. Shawn Kemp has become a figure of ignominy in the eyes of many since he retired. He never made the conference finals and was eclipsed by the Holy Trinity of Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. When Francis jumped to dunk, it seemed like he was always attempting an impossible task. Many … 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. Some more truth serum? The dunk linked above? 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. And none of that even includes his performance in the 2000 Slam Dunk contest, which - again - we're not even considering for the purposes of this exercise. His head regularly went above the rim on dunks, and he threw down consistently violent slams both in space and in traffic. "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. 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. "The If-You-Ain't-Groovin', Best-Get-Movin', Chocolate-Thunder-Flyin', Robinzine-Cryin', Teeth-Shakin', Glass-Breakin', Rump-Roastin', Bun-Toastin', Glass-Still Flyin', Wham-Bam-I-Am-Jam.". 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 a shame that Michael Jordan neutralized Clyde Drexler's career as a star with the. You always knew he was just having fun playing the game he loved and wanted others to share in that love. 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 you started following the NBA in the back half of the 2010s, you likely know, We'd be remiss if we didn't mention Griffin's partnership with, Erving was almost born to be the Father of the Dunk. Jordan's reputation as a dunker is understandably propped up by his dunk contest exploits. Nearly every single one of them is delivered with a unique intensity, and it's a wonder he's never been seriously injured during a throwdown given that wicked combination of explosiveness and passion. Game-winning putbacks at the buzzer. There are 10-minute reels of his best in-game dunks with the Raptors and Nets. Even this. 360s on fastbreaks. MORE: Ranking the best Vince and MJ dunks. In a game in November of 1979, Dawkins literally brought down the basket and shattered the backboard which caused a 90 minute delay. 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. 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. This may seem biased toward more recent players, but we tried to make it as balanced as possible given that the dunk only achieved its popularity in the last 40 years. Hawkins could probably be higher and honestly if you wanted to place him inside the top 10, I wouldn't begrudge you for it. 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. Example Dunk: The Most Disrespectful Dunk in NBA History. Translating your skills as a dunker in space, where mistakes are allowed, to a dunker in a team context, where those mistakes can add up, is difficult, and only the best of the best can be elite in-game dunkers. His dunk over Michael Olow0kandi in 2003 is one the nastiest dunks ever seen. I defy anyone to present a more perfect nickname that encapsulates the entirety of a player's persona. While he was a blistering, furious scorer on terra firma, Drexler was always much more graceful when flying through space. Before Magic Johnson and Shaquille O'Neal and Charles Barkley and any of the other supersized personalities, there was the booming centre who smashed backboards and gave nicknames to each of his dunks. That's why, on his most famous dunk, Pippen tried to shove Ewing and stood over him for a moment. Shaq locked in when necessary, and when he did, there was no tougher cover. But beyond anything he did in any dunk contest, Wilkins was known for his high-flying in-game acrobatics. Doesn't matter; T-Mac's on a mission to score 35 every night and drain the life from his opponents. He fully deserves a top-10 slot. Dominique was one of the most revolutionary dunkers the NBA has seen, but most of his best dunks came in games, not in contests. 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. A collection of injuries sapped McGrady's explosiveness, and he was past his prime before the age of 30. Dr. J then brought those ideals to the NBA after the leagues merged in 1976, and the sport was never the same. Good! As you can tell, a lot of big names were also incredible dunkers. 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. Look, the Slam Dunk Contest is cute but do yourself a favour and. 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. 10 dunk on this clip might be No. Critics of Shaq, both during his heyday and in hindsight, point to his lackadaisical attitude as a reason to downplay his achievements. At least there is something to remember, right? 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. Josh Smith is an all-time NBA athlete and on my short list for "players who I would most want to see travel to 1960 in a time machine.". 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. At one point, Carter says he didn't know where Jason Kidd would throw the ball on a particular play but that he'd figure it out mid-air. Dr. J then brought those ideals to the NBA after the leagues merged in 1976, and the sport was never the same. 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 started following the NBA in the back half of the 2010s, you likely know Blake Griffin primarily as a floor-spacing, ball-handling big man. The linked dunk on Gatling is perhaps the shining example of that in recent NBA history. As we prepare for the latest iteration of the Slam Dunk Contest, let's take a look back in the annals at some of the best dunks we've ever seen during … He's averaging over 25 points per game this season yet is not considered a star. 223 talking about this. Share. He had a reported 43-inch vertical, which is among the best ever recorded, but in the air, it often looked like he was jumping even higher, almost resembling Calvin Cambridge from Like Mike. Here was a guy who could make a complicated layup look as easy as breathing, and now he's going to dunk, too? He did it all. After Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's overwhelming dominance at UCLA, the NCAA banned dunks for 10 years. The Reign Man was picked 17th overall in the 1989 draft, but not for any on-court reasons. Unfortunately for Stoudemire, like many others before him, the NBA didn't exactly work out as it was supposed to for a budding superstar. Dawkins is clearly one of the least accomplished players named, but this list wouldn't exist without his contributions. 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. Nobody would just casually bust out windmills in traffic like Carter, who at his peak would simply turn regular NBA games into his own miniature slam dunk contests. And when the Chicago Bulls were locked in, no other team stood a chance. Kobe posterized everybody from the aforementioned Howard to Yao Ming to Steve Nash, and the vicious nature of his dunks often surprised teammates and opponents alike. Two of his most famous slams came against the 7'6" Shawn Bradley and on a reverse baseline jam on defensive legend Ben Wallace. 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.