#25 - John Wall (2014, Champion)
(Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/Getty Images) |
In a year where the NBA decided to switch things up for the Dunk Contest by introducing Eastern and Western conference "teams," John Wall emerged from the pack. Following a few impressive dunks in the team round, John Wall threw down one of the best dunks in recent memory. To the tune of French Montana's "Pop That" and with the help of Washington Wizards' mascot G. Man positioned underneath the basket, Wall leaped over his mascot, pumping the ball below his waist and finishing with a two-handed reverse slam. Following the dunk, Wall and Eastern conference teammate Paul George hit the nae nae, as Wall danced his way into a dunk contest championship.
#24 - Tracy McGrady (2000, 3rd Place)
(Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE) |
#23 - JaVale McGee (2011, 2nd Place)
(Photo by Getty Images) |
#22 - Steve Francis (2000, 2nd Place / 2002, 4th Place)
(Photo by D. Ross Cameron/D. Ross Cameron Photography) |
#21 - Cedric Ceballos (1992, Champion / 1993, 3rd Place)
(Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/Getty Images) |
#20 - Larry Nance (1984, Champion / 1985, 5th Place)
(Photo by Rich Clarkson/Getty Images) |
In Denver, Colorado, the site of the first and only ABA Dunk Contest in 1976, Larry Nance made his mark in history by winning the first ever NBA Dunk Contest. With a number of dunks incorporating the "Rock The Cradle" move, Nance took down legendary dunkers like Julius Erving and Dominique Wilkins. He was able to do this all without a single perfect score of 50. In fact, the first dunk contest saw only one perfect score handed out, going to Dr. J in the finals against Nance. It should be noted, however, that each dunker had to perform nine dunks (that's right, NINE) in order to win. Nance was consistent throughout, combining finesse with power and claiming victory of the first ever event in NBA history.
#19 - Clyde Drexler (1984, 8th Place / 1985, 8th Place / 1987, 4th Place / 1988, 3rd Place / 1989, 2nd Place)
(Photo via Albanyword.com) |
The man known as Clyde the Glide never won a dunk contest but he did have some memorable throw-downs. His dunk contest career first began his rookie year in 1984. He then competed in 1985, 1987, 1988 and 1989, getting progressively better each year. By 1989, Clyde had mastered the swooping windmills and against-the-grain 360's but seemingly ran out of ideas by the final round, losing to Kenny "Sky" Walker by nearly 100 points in one of the more lopsided finals in dunk contest history. Still, Clyde certainly made himself known throughout the 1980's as the league saw him blossom into a superstar. To this day, Drexler remains the only player to participate in five contests.
#18 - Josh Smith (2005, Champion / 2006, 3rd Place)
(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) |
Donning a Dominique Wilkins jersey and performing a Dominique-esque windmill flush was certainly one of the memorable moments for Josh Smith in the 2005 competition. What was more impressive was that Smith did not miss a single attempt. Every dunk was fluid with an aspect of power for the 6' 9" rookie. These weren't easy attempts either. As mentioned, he pulled off a powerful windmill dunk as well as another windmill throw-down over Kenyon Martin. To finish things off, Smith took his own take on Vince Carter's reverse 360 windmill, throwing it down with strength and ease.
#17 - Desmond Mason (2001, Champion / 2002, 2nd Place / 2003, 3rd Place)
(Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/Getty Images) |
For three years straight, Seattle Super Sonics guard Desmond Mason made the final round of the competition, winning it all in 2001. Despite struggling through a few of his dunks, his best finish came in the final round of the 2003 championship. Mason, on his first attempt, drove down the middle of the lane, going between the legs and finishing with his left hand. The silky transition from his right to left hand and ability to finish with so much strength makes this jam an instant classic and one of the best we've seen in the 32 year history of the NBA slam dunk contest.
#16 - Shawn Kemp (1990, 4th Place / 1991, 2nd Place / 1992, 6th Place / 1994, 2nd Place)
(Photo by Getty Images) |
Kemp's four stints in the dunk competition contained a little bit of flash, a lot of power, and a whole lot of swagger. The Reign Man loved his two-handed windmills as well as his behind-the-back tosses that were capped with a forceful finish. When I think of what was impressive, though, was how efficient Kemp was, especially in 1991 and 1994. He rarely missed an attempt and was able to think quickly on the court if he knew a dunk wasn't going to work. While Kemp's most impressive career dunk came in the 1992 NBA Playoffs when he obliterated Golden State Warriors center Alton Lister, his finishes in the dunk contests' aren't far behind.
#15 - Isaiah Rider (1994, Champion / 1995, 2nd Place)
(Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/Getty Images) |
Rider pulled off a number of entertaining dunks in his nine year NBA career. However, none was more popular and revolutionary than his "East Bay Funk Dunk" in the 1994 slam dunk competition. Rider, setting up from the left side out of bounds corner, took off towards the hoop parallel with the baseline, swinging the ball from the left to right side of his body through his legs and ending with an exhilarating right handed punctuation that had the crowd in Minnesota on the feet. Charles Barkley, who had joined the TNT broadcast team for the night, exclaimed moments after that Rider's dunk might have been the best dunk he'd ever seen. When looking back through the years at the history of the slam dunk, JR Rider's "East Bay Funk Dunk" still glistens.
#14 - Dee Brown (1991, Champion)
(Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/Getty Images) |
#13 - Blake Griffin (2011, Champion)
(Photo by AP) |
Griffin's rookie season was special. He was named to the All-Star team, won the NBA Slam Dunk Contest, and was named NBA Rookie of the Year. On All-Star Saturday night, Griffin brought the showtime to Los Angeles. From the start, people knew this kid was serious. He missed his first two attempts at a one-handed turned to two-handed twisting 360 but eventually nailed it on his third attempt, garnering a score of 49. In the final round, he paid homage to Vince Carter by executing the "Honey Dip" dunk made famous by Carter in 2000. The lasting image many have of Griffin's lone dunk contest appearance was his leap over the Kia Optima. With Los Angeles Clippers teammate Baron Davis poking out of the sun-roof to deliver the pass and the Crenshaw Elite Choir performing R. Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly," Griffin took to the air, leaping over the hood of the car and flushing down the two-handed slam.
#12 - Harold Miner (1993, Champion / 1995, Champion)
(Photo by Manny Millan/Getty Images) |
The success of Harold Miner as a two-time NBA slam dunk contest winner earned him the nickname "Baby Jordan", obviously in reference in Michael Jordan. Many thought that Miner's dunk contest championship during his rookie season in 1993 would catapult him to NBA stardom. This had been seen in the past from guys like Jordan, Dominique, and Drexler. Although Baby Jordan did not experience the same career success that those greats did, he still goes down as one of the greatest dunkers of all time. At only 6' 5", Miner viciously threw down each and every dunk attempted. His power and hype in the slam dunk competition is unmatched.
#11 - Dwight Howard (2007, 3rd Place / 2008, Champion / 2009, 2nd Place)
(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/Getty Images) |
Superman is in the building! The 6' 11" Dwight Howard thrilled fans for three straight years in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest, giving himself the nickname Superman after bringing out the cape in the 2008 contest. First though, 2007 saw an impressive slam that may have been overlooked by the judges, who only scored him a 42. Howard leaped with a sticker in his left hand, catching an alley-oop pass from Orlando Magic teammate Jameer Nelson with his right hand and slapping the sticker on the backboard some 12 and a half feet off the ground. By the time everyone had seen what had happened, the judges scores were already given. This didn't stop Howard from returning in 2008, which is when he lifted off, performing the signature Superman dunk where he literally threw the ball in. An array of monstrous dunks followed, leading to his first and only dunk championship. In 2009, returning to defend his title, Superman ran into his kryptonite, Nate Robinson. He lost in the final round by an internet voting result of 52%-48% after Nate jumped over Howard to secure the win.
#10 - Gerald Green (2007, Champion / 2008, 2nd Place / 2013, 5th Place)
(Photo by Gary Dineen/Getty Images) |
#9 - Spud Webb (1986, Champion / 1988, 7th Place / 1989, 3rd Place)
(Photo via NBA.com) |
Standing at just 5' 6" and weighing 132 pounds, Anthony "Spud" Webb dazzled the crowd in Dallas, Texas when he rose not once, not twice, but EIGHT times, converting an exciting slam each time. Webb was certainly the first of his kind in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest. No player under six feet tall had won the competition. Spud was phenomenal in 1986, converting on multiple attempts and performing a myriad of different finishes. Despite two more attempts in 1988 and 1989 where Webb failed to win, his show in Dallas still stands as one of the single greatest dunk performances in the history of the event.
#8 - Aaron Gordon (2016, 2nd Place)
(Photo via Thescore.com) |
#7 - Julius Erving (1976, ABA Champion / 1984, 2nd Place / 1985, 4th Place)
(Photo via SI.com) |
#6 - Nate Robinson (2006, Champion / 2007, 2nd Place / 2009, Champion / 2010, Champion)
(Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/Getty Images) |
When considering number of NBA Slam Dunk Championships won, Nate Robinson is the greatest. He has won three times, the most of any contestant, and for good reason too. The nation loved the 5' 9" bouncy point guard from the New York Knicks. In 2006, Robinson brought out Spud Webb, who at the time, was the only athlete under six feet tall to win the contest. Robinson proceeded to jump over Webb, clearing him and hammering home the slam. In 2009, Nate the Great raised the stakes, bringing out fellow contestant, Dwight Howard. Howard, dressed as Superman, and Robinson, dressed in all green signifying kryptonite, made for an entertaining scene as Robinson jumped over the 6' 11" Howard this time, taking back his title he had claimed in 2006. His motto "Heart Over Height" continues to serve as motivation to many today and the legend of Nate Robinson as a dunker grows every day.
#5 - Zach LaVine (2015, Champion / 2016, Champion)
(Photo by Mark Blinch/The Canadian Press via AP) |
#4 - Jason Richardson (2002, Champion / 2003, Champion / 2004, 2nd Place)
(Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/Getty Images) |
Jason Richardson was just a rookie on the morning of February 9, 2002, but by the evening, his standing elevated. Richardson had a knack for making it look effortless. He took a little bit of Dominique and a little bit of Vince and added it with a little bit of J-Rich. It was rare for him to miss, converting on nearly every dunk attempt and performing the dunk at the highest possibility. His windmills were ferocious, his leg kicks were exuberant, and his demeanor was confident. While his catalog is filled, one dunk that sticks out above the rest is the one he used to clinch the 2003 title. Doing something no one had ever done or possibility even though was possible, Richardson began in the right corner of the baseline. After a toss in the air, Richardson caught the ball off the bounce, clutching the ball with two hands. He quickly turned his back on the rim and brought the ball behind his leg and back through to the front of his body, finishing the dunk with a reverse left handed jam. It was something people had to see to believe. This dunk by Richardson will live on, in some minds, as the greatest single dunk ever.
#3 - Dominique Wilkins (1985, Champion / 1986, 2nd Place / 1988, 2nd Place / 1990, Champion)
(Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/Getty Images) |
Nicknamed “The Human Highlight Reel,” Dominique Wilkins was dominant throughout the 1980’s, competing in four dunk contest finals and winning two championships. If there was a guy who had the windmill slam perfected, it was Nique. He did it all with the windmill incorporated: one-handed, two-handed, reverse, underneath the basket. Some say that he lacked creativity, only performing windmills, but the way in which he did the windmill, with the power and strength exhibited, had people waiting to see what he could do next. 1985 gave us the first of two meetings between Wilkins and Michael Jordan, with Dominique proving victorious. However, three years later, in front of a full Chicago crowd, Wilkins and Jordan went into yet another dunk-off. This time, with some scoring controversy, Wilkins fell to Jordan. His last dunk, a thunderous two-handed windmill, garnered a score of only 45. Jordan, needing a 49 to win, went back to his signature free throw line slam that he had performed in the first round for his final dunk. Despite a miss on his first attempt, Jordan converted on the dunk from the charity stripe, giving him a 50 and the victory.
#2 - Michael Jordan (1985, 2nd Place / 1987, Champion / 1988, Champion)
(Photo by Walter Iooss/Getty Images) |
#1 - Vince Carter (2000, Champion)
(Photo via Bleacherreport.com) |
In my opinion, Vince’s performance at the 2000 NBA Slam Dunk Contest was the single greatest performance in the history of the contest. To set the scene about this specific year and contest, the NBA was just coming off a lockout shortened season. Because of that, this was the first contest since 1997. An electric atmosphere inside the Arena in Oakland with anticipation mounting set the stage for Vince Carter to show off. He did just that, throwing down the most ferocious dunk ever seen in dunk contest history. His 360 windmill against the grain with the power on the swing of the windmill signified that the Vinsanity was for real. Carter continued his dominant night with a windmill coming from the baseline as well as his signature “Honey Dip” slam. Perhaps his defining moment of his dunk contest career was following his second dunk. After receiving a pass from fellow Raptor Tracy McGrady and going between the legs with a fierce finish, Carter, looking into the TNT camera, boldly proclaiming “It’s over.” It was over, and Vince Carter will forever remain the face of the NBA Slam Dunk Contest.
Enjoy tonight's 2017 NBA Slam Dunk Contest!