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. But Vince Carter is the best in-game dunker ever, and it's not close. But perhaps that was all part of his grander plan too. Additionally, much like O'Neal before him and Stephen Curry after, Howard used a singular skill set to define an era of basketball. In 2018, the NBA posted a YouTube video of Carter ranking his 10 best dunks, and it is a fascinating five minutes. 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. Implemented because of Dawkins. Dr. J brought dunking into the mainstream and ushered in a new era of basketball both in terms of style and substance. Look at that dunk above. LaVine looks unbothered in the face of a 7-footer and never even seems to consider the possibility he might get stuffed. 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. 360s with ease on fastbreaks. Two of his most famous slams came against the 7'6" Shawn Bradley and on a reverse baseline jam on defensive legend Ben Wallace. 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". We'd be remiss if we didn't mention Griffin's partnership with Chris Paul. A collection of injuries sapped McGrady's explosiveness, and he was past his prime before the age of 30. Here's 10 minutes of him dunking. In large part, it was because of his, There's something about Wade's particular flair when finishing a dunk that got people even more excited. His opponents had lost before they even knew it. 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. 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. It's a shame that Michael Jordan neutralized Clyde Drexler's career as a star with the. He's averaging over 25 points per game this season yet is not considered a star. 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. The man was a master of nearly every facet of basketball, and that includes the dunk. His talent was obvious from day one, and it remained so in the NBA. It's impossible to separate Aaron Gordon and Zach LaVine who are the peanut butter and jelly of the dunking conversation. For these NBA players, dunking is an art form. History matters. "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. Critics of Shaq, both during his heyday and in hindsight, point to his lackadaisical attitude as a reason to downplay his achievements. Dr. J then brought those ideals to the NBA after the leagues merged in 1976, and the sport was never the same. Doesn't matter; T-Mac's on a mission to score 35 every night and drain the life from his opponents. He'd lull opponents into a (relatively) calm state by staying in his comfortable mid-range spots or slicing his way to the rim. 1 for the vast majority of power forwards in NBA history. Drew Gordon, New Mexico NCAA best dunk 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 NCAA Tournament 2012: BEST DUNKS 2. For this list, we’re looking at the greatest NBA dunks of all-time! 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. At least there is something to remember, right? Slamming on someone and then shaking their hand is straight out of an AAU playbook and would probably never happen today. Look I know he's played 19 games and only just turned 20 but there aren't 25 better dunkers than him. In addition, if you watch even a few minutes of any Westbrook dunk compilation video, you'll notice a pattern with his dunks. Richardson achieved prominence after a dunking dark age. There are mixtapes about his days dunking in college at UNC. The Magic made the Finals in his age-23 season and were perfectly constructed around him, so their title window seemed open for the foreseeable future. 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. Hoop heads from the 80s that like to cut against the grain will swear that Wilkins was the better dunker than Michael Jordan. Did MJ, Vinsanity, Nique or Dr. J take the top spot? If Darryl Dawkins made people fear the dunk, then Julius Erving made people gape at it. A dunk contest rematch between LaVine and Aaron Gordon in February in Chicago would have been exciting, but we'll settle for his gravity-defying in-game slams. 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. 4. Example Dunk: Playoff And-1 on Shawn Bradley. Generally, we favor well-rounded players over guys known solely as dunkers. Long before his son dunked on Brook Lopez for the LA Lakers, Larry Sr. put on the original dunk show. 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. It seemed like dunking was no big feat for him, even though it's probably one of the hardest athletic achievements. 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 the 1970s, the dunk held a strange place in competitive basketball. So yeah... if you want to move him higher, by all means be my guest. In addition, the Bulls and Pippen understood their greatness. 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. Example Dunk: The Most Disrespectful Dunk in NBA History. 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. He fully deserves a top-10 slot. 1. The views expressed here do not represent those of the NBA or its clubs. Copyright © 2018 NBA. Oh, Orlando is starting Pat Garrity at center? However, that only makes his portfolio of dunks even more impressive. You always knew he was just having fun playing the game he loved and wanted others to share in that love. He's a sneaky candidate for the Mt. The first preps to pros player, Dawkins was truly ahead of his time as a showman of the highest order. For my money, the single most underappreciated dunker ever. When Richardson dunked, he dunked. 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. The Timofey Mozgov dunk above is the most famous from Griffin's early-career collection, but there are so many others that would be most players' defining moment in the league. You can probably guess who's No. But again... we're not here to talk about dunk contests! When not fluttering like a helicopter, Jones Jr. just kind of … Spend even five minutes racking your brain and suddenly you'll start to feel dizzy. The linked dunk on Gatling is perhaps the shining example of that in recent NBA history. Subscribe to our new sports channe The WaterBoys Podcastl! over Jonas Valanciunas, casual as it may seem, started way closer to the free-throw line than it seemed on first viewing. Kemp is part of a trio of power dunkers. He did it all. In addition, the dunk was called the "stuff shot" and was almost never performed with any sort of flash or ceremony. 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. There are 10-minute reels of his best in-game dunks with the Raptors and Nets. Shaq locked in when necessary, and when he did, there was no tougher cover. Baron Davis and Harold Miner are my two favourite "little" dunkers ever. His dunk over Michael Olow0kandi in 2003 is one the nastiest dunks ever seen. Let's hope Westbrook continues to snarl his way to the hole for years to come. Perhaps more than anyone, Wilkins served as the precursor for Vinsanity. Terrence Jones, Kentucky NCAA best dunk 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 4. The four hardest for me here were Rider, Francis, Green and Howard who all did it differently. Above all else, the 6'4" Thompson loved nothing more than to posterize any and all challengers. There's nothing more exciting in sports than the poster dunk. I'll wait. Let us know in the comments! Fans can hope he has a few more years of gravity defiance in him. It would be annoying if Carter bragged or was wide-eyed about his dunking prowess, though nobody would blame him—we're all in awe too. Here was a guy who could make a, Interestingly enough, there's not much footage of Jordan showboating after a dunk, something that would make sense given his uber-sensitivity to. , Drexler was always much more graceful when flying through space. View more comments. He's averaging over 25 points per game this season yet is not considered a star. The most exciting play in basketball, barring buzzer-beaters, is a dunk. Dunking is an art. But there's no question he was one of the best dunkers in history. View later. It's a simple question yet one fraught with complexity. 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. And while J-Rich was a nearly elite shooting guard for 10 seasons, we'll remember him for his dunking. That madhouse of a unproductive Zoom call didn't really get us anywhere so I just decided to roll solo and make this a one-man job. Drexler was given the nickname The Glide while at the University of Houston, and somehow, it always seemed appropriate. The dunk is one of the most impressive plays in sports. 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. Game-winning putbacks at the buzzer. Dawkins is clearly one of the least accomplished players named, but this list wouldn't exist without his contributions. Zion. Some more truth serum? Vince Carter is the greatest dunker ever and honestly... it's not close. 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. After the UCLA alum tore his ACL, one of the main concerns was whether he'd recover his athleticism. During his first stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron was arguably the greatest athlete in NBA history. But perhaps that was all part of his grander plan too. For the record, that play was within the rules, but quibbling over it also obscures the point. 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 … THEREBOUNDKING 430 View later. We've also attached a video of each player's most exemplary in-game dunk to illustrate their prowess in the art of the slam. In addition to being a versatile offensive player and one of the best perimeter defenders ever, Scottie Pippen had another particularly special talent: dunking. Dr. J then brought those ideals to the NBA after the leagues merged in 1976, and the sport was never the same. 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. In fact, he won the first NBA Dunk Contest. But you know the rules. 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. Dominique was one of the most revolutionary dunkers the NBA has seen, but most of his best dunks came in games, not in contests. You could argue that given Jordan's competitiveness, his general approach to basketball was malicious, but it especially extends to his aerial activities. In large part, it was because of his explosive slams. Who is YOUR favorite NBA player? Example Dunk: Giving Larry Bird an Existential Crisis. Erving was one of the league's first above-the-rim stars, and he paved the way for Michael, Dominique, LeBron and so many others to feel comfortable showcasing their hops in live action. 223 talking about this. Kemp consistently dunked with a ferocity rarely matched by anyone. 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. 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. But for years, he seemed perpetually on the verge of conquering the league—one dunk at a time. MORE: Ranking the best Vince and MJ dunks. You want a specific type of Vince dunk? The New York Knicks were at the mercy of the Bulls, and though that particular matchup carried significant animosity, Pippen and the Bulls also metaphorically dunked on every one of the other 28 teams. "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. You can pooh-pooh Bradley's lack of athleticism or Wallace's not directly blocking Richardson's path on that particular play, but the fact is, plays such as those are incredibly difficult to pull off. NCAA Tournament 2012: BEST DUNKS 1. 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. 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. Tokyvideo Trends 6.1k 25:00. When Francis jumped to dunk, it seemed like he was always attempting an impossible task. Basket; Comments User. Questions about his skill level aside, we can at least agree that LaVine is a master dunker. So without further ado, here is a definitive list of the 23 greatest dunks in NBA history. The dunk linked above? Though he didn't say it outright, it seems he's still somewhat mystified by his gifts, too. The possibility and thrill of watching a dunk that seems to defy the laws of physics is ever present. The aforementioned windmills in traffic. Several minutes later, he says he improvised a windmill slam on 7-footer Michael Olowokandi. He had a reported, , 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, If you don't think Francis is an all-time dunker, watch the slam on Jahidi White or his off-balance jam on, Kobe posterized everybody from the aforementioned Howard to, The Most Disrespectful Dunk in NBA History, The New York Knicks were at the mercy of the Bulls, and though that particular matchup carried significant animosity, Pippen and the Bulls also. The most influential dunker of all-time and it's not even close. With the pandemic ending the season prematurely for the bottom eight NBA teams, including the Atlanta Hawks, that means Carter won’t be […] Vince Carter's best dunks ever, ranked from seven to one 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. However, the well-earned celebration of Kobe's IQ and work ethic comes at the expense of remembering just how explosive a dunker he was in his prime. Inexact sciences are equal parts entertaining and maddening to … Want to get lost in a sea on 'Nique highlights? 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. In a game in November of 1979, Dawkins literally brought down the basket and shattered the backboard which caused a 90 minute delay. For constantly balancing the joyful with the ferocious, Wade lands on this illustrious list. His head regularly went above the rim on dunks, and he threw down consistently violent slams both in space and in traffic. 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. Vince Carter is the single best dunk contest participant in the event’s history. Shawn Kemp has become a figure of ignominy in the eyes of many since he retired. 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. 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. 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. The dunking montage towards the start of Episode 3 that shows Jordan in the late 80s just swooping in and dunking everything in sight. Unless you're literally dunking OVER someone on said fastbreak. That dunk went down as the first to earn a perfect score in the NBA, though it wasn't enough to propel Dr. J past Larry Nance for the title. Griffin became famous by jumping over a Kia in the Slam Dunk Contest, but he was an absolutely vicious in-game dunker as well. In the 1970s, the dunk held a strange place in competitive basketball. Sadly, Stevie Franchise is not really discussed anymore, though the reasons why make sense. until his retirement, winning that elusive title in 1994-95 with the Rockets. The more cavalier his attitude, the more vicious the dunk, and the greater the humiliation. Here's the best of the rest. But he won that prize before emerging as one of the best players in history, so we can forgive opponents for forgetting about his above-the-rim dominance in the ensuing seasons. Unfortunately for Stoudemire, like many others before him, the NBA didn't exactly work out as it was supposed to for a budding superstar. If you ever saw Vince Carter running towards you in an attempt to dunk on you, just don’t even try to stop it, honestly just run away.