nba best dunks ever
Dunking is an art. Generally, we favor well-rounded players over guys known solely as dunkers. Drexler was given the nickname The Glide while at the University of Houston, and somehow, it always seemed appropriate. MORE: Ranking the best Vince and MJ dunks. Hoop heads from the 80s that like to cut against the grain will swear that Wilkins was the better dunker than Michael Jordan. 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. Some more truth serum? When Richardson dunked, he dunked. Quincy Acy, Baylor NCAA best dunk 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 NCAA Tournament… Critics of Shaq, both during his heyday and in hindsight, point to his lackadaisical attitude as a reason to downplay his achievements. During his first stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron was arguably the greatest athlete in NBA history. New week and new plays in the NBA. The most influential dunker of all-time and it's not even close. The dunking montage towards the start of Episode 3 that shows Jordan in the late 80s just swooping in and dunking everything in sight. Look at that dunk above. Look, the Slam Dunk Contest is cute but do yourself a favour and. Epic SLAM DUNKS in contest. Basket; Comments User. 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. Dr. J then brought those ideals to the NBA after the leagues merged in 1976, and the sport was never the same. However, that only makes his portfolio of dunks even more impressive. Two of his most famous slams came against the 7'6" Shawn Bradley and on a reverse baseline jam on defensive legend Ben Wallace. Unfortunately for Stoudemire, like many others before him, the NBA didn't exactly work out as it was supposed to for a budding superstar. In the 1970s, the dunk held a strange place in competitive basketball. 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. 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. Long before his son dunked on Brook Lopez for the LA Lakers, Larry Sr. put on the original dunk show. While His Airness' throwdowns weren't as vicious as Russell Westbrook's, and he wasn't as jaw-droppingly athletic as Vince Carter, Jordan understood a dunk's psychological impact—and made sure his slams delivered a message. 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. Good! If you can impress LeBron James with a dunk, you're doing something right. However, the degree of difficulty multiplies exponentially when comparing an open gym to the intensity of a live NBA game. 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. Additionally, much like O'Neal before him and Stephen Curry after, Howard used a singular skill set to define an era of basketball. Purists and cynics will look at the slam above, one of the most famous plays in history, and call a travel on Dr. J. 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. But with the omnipresence of YouTube and Twitter, Francis' resume as an electric dunker should be common knowledge among fans young and old. I defy anyone to present a more perfect nickname that encapsulates the entirety of a player's persona. Carlon Brown, Colorado NCAA best dunk 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 NCAA Tournament 2012: BEST DUNKS 3. It's about putting on a show and so yes... emotion, tenacity, anticipation... all of that matters! Implemented because of Dawkins. 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. When he rose up, the game would momentarily turn into streetball, especially in Miami. 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. LaVine looks unbothered in the face of a 7-footer and never even seems to consider the possibility he might get stuffed. History matters. 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. Who is YOUR favorite NBA player? Critics of Shaq, both during his heyday and in hindsight, point to his lackadaisical attitude as a reason to downplay his achievements. He should be way higher than he is, but for now the rook can be happy to simply crack the list. 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. But say that in front of most Seattle SuperSonics fans, and they'll set you straight. Of course, the dunks themselves were always spectacular too. Russell Westbrook but no Derrick Rose? Early-career T-Mac was a titanic force. 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. Griffin became famous by jumping over a Kia in the Slam Dunk Contest, but he was an absolutely vicious in-game dunker as well. . While Russ and Kevin Durant may not have had the best working relationship, watching the two of them together, especially in their younger days, was mind-blowing. 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. Here's 10 minutes of him dunking. He made the playoffs only once, lost in the first round and didn't even play 10 seasons in the league. In a game in November of 1979, Dawkins literally brought down the basket and shattered the backboard which caused a 90 minute delay. 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. Want to get lost in a sea on 'Nique highlights? 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. 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). His assaults on rims continue to impact the game today. But that doesn't appear imminent. 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. In large part, it was because of his explosive slams. He's averaging over 25 points per game this season yet is not considered a star. But the way he's so casual about these breathtaking feats of athleticism is chilling. 0 of 6. Slamming on someone and then shaking their hand is straight out of an AAU playbook and would probably never happen today. 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. And to be clear... this is no exhibition. So yeah... if you want to move him higher, by all means be my guest. If you're going to complain about why someone should be in, you have to take someone out. 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. Oh, Orlando is starting Pat Garrity at center? Many … 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. We'd be remiss if we didn't mention Griffin's partnership with Chris Paul. 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. Terrence Jones, Kentucky NCAA best dunk 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 4. Vince Carter is the greatest dunker ever and honestly... it's not close. What did Chocolate Thunder name that dunk after the fact? The dunks spoke for themselves, and the lack of response from the GOAT signaled that he was laser-focused on destruction. At age 35, he is nearly as bouncy as he was at 18. He's averaging over 25 points per game this season yet is not considered a star. But standing out in a crowd and shepherding in a new wave as a pioneer matters even if in today's game it wouldn't come close to resonating as much. The dunk is one of the most impressive plays in sports. Even today, there are very few players who can run a, from coast to coast on one possession and dunk opponents. He has won two dunk contests, but one is widely considered fraudulent. There are 10-minute reels of his best in-game dunks with the Raptors and Nets. When not fluttering like a helicopter, Jones Jr. just kind of … 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. In the ensuing near decade, LeBron's dealt with minor injuries and major minutes, yet he remains one of the league's premiere dunkers. His head regularly went above the rim on dunks, and he threw down consistently violent slams both in space and in traffic. For these NBA players, dunking is an art form. 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. From here on out, there are legitimate cases to be made for each to be number one. 10 dunk on this clip might be No. Unlike many players on this list or otherwise, The Glide remained both productive and limber. NBA plays of the night | 7-1-2021. 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. You always knew he was just having fun playing the game he loved and wanted others to share in that love. 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. Here, we've put together the definitive list of the top 20 in-game dunkers of all time, which is sure to cause no debate at all. Of course, it's silly to say that Bryant, who won the Slam Dunk Contest in his rookie year, was an unheralded dunker. But make no mistake, when it comes to power dunking, Kemp reigns as one of the best to ever do it. Doesn't matter; T-Mac's on a mission to score 35 every night and drain the life from his opponents. 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 aforementioned windmills in traffic. 1 for the vast majority of power forwards in NBA history. It's there! While Howard's appropriation of Shaquille O'Neal's Superman nickname has always rubbed some the wrong way (including Shaq himself), the comparisons between the two were earned. More than any other player on this list, Jordan understood dunks as an act of malice. 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). 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. Wilkins always added in a little extra flair even when entirely unnecessary. When Shawn Kemp threw down on Alton Lister, it was just as much about the emphatic point afterwards as it was the dunk itself. In addition, the Bulls and Pippen understood their greatness. Subscribe to our new sports channe The WaterBoys Podcastl! And yes, Shaq's stats support the fact that he is likely a top-10 or top-15 player in NBA history. 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. In fact, he won the first NBA Dunk Contest. 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. Drew Gordon, New Mexico NCAA best dunk 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 NCAA Tournament 2012: BEST DUNKS 2. McGrady famously had trouble achieving playoff success with the Magic, but every time he'd fight through three defenders and posterize a big man or brilliantly speed past a wing en route to a breakaway dunk, everything seemed possible. While he was a blistering, furious scorer on terra firma, Drexler was always much more graceful when flying through space. At his peak, Howard's deity-esque physique combined with guard-like explosiveness made him virtually unstoppable. If Darryl Dawkins made people fear the dunk, then Julius Erving made people gape at it. Let's hope Westbrook continues to snarl his way to the hole for years to come. 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. Inexact sciences are equal parts entertaining and maddening to … He fully deserves a top-10 slot. 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. Some of the best dunking power forwards are all about power and tenacity. 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. Dominique was one of the most revolutionary dunkers the NBA has seen, but most of his best dunks came in games, not in contests. "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. I belong to the Church of Dunking Showmanship. Afterward, he shrugs and says, "It was just all instinct that took over.". Whenever Kemp got a rebound and started leading the fast break, opponents knew they were likely in big trouble. In recent years, there's been a groundswell of support for the idea that Shaquille O'Neal is underrated. Only gluttons for punishment would endeavor to rank the NBA's best dunks of the 2019-20 season (so far)(we hope). 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. Perhaps more than anyone, Wilkins served as the precursor for Vinsanity. There's nothing more exciting in sports than the poster dunk. Nance gets in out of respect. 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. 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. 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. If you don't think Francis is an all-time dunker, watch the slam on Jahidi White or his off-balance jam on Quentin Richardson, and you will then. Vince Carter is the greatest dunker ever and honestly... it's not close. , Drexler was always much more graceful when flying through space. 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. Hawkins could probably be higher and honestly if you wanted to place him inside the top 10, I wouldn't begrudge you for it. 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. Ultimately, I placed him third among this group because he didn't quite jump as high as Griffin nor as powerfully as Dawkins. 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. 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. A collection of injuries sapped McGrady's explosiveness, and he was past his prime before the age of 30. You always knew he was just having fun playing the game he loved and wanted others to share in that love. It doesn't seem impressive at game speed, but slow motion reveals Drexler starts jumping before the hoop is even in the frame. One of the most underrated players of the 21st century, Jason Richardson burst onto the scene as a dynamic athlete, becoming the first player since Michael Jordan to win back-to-back dunk contests. And while Griffin made the All-NBA third team last year and remains a star when healthy, he was a phenomenon in his younger years. Example Dunk: The Baptism of Dwight Howard. There's something about Wade's particular flair when finishing a dunk that got people even more excited. "And I always dunked on somebody.". There are mixtapes about his days dunking in college at UNC. 360s with ease on fastbreaks. For constantly balancing the joyful with the ferocious, Wade lands on this illustrious list.