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| NBA Slam Dunk Contest Legends |
Top Ten Best Dunks from NBA's annual Slam Dunk Contest — compiled by USA Today:
10. Cedric Ceballos, 1992: "The Blindfold"
We don't know how thick that blindfold was. But the creativity wins Ceballos some points. This is the greatest moment in Ceballos' career, which is saying something because he was a pretty good NBA player for years.
9. Dwight Howard, 2008: "The Superman"
It may not be a dunk, technically speaking. But it also may be more impressive than a dunk, visually speaking. Howard gets up high enough for long enough that he can throw the ball through the hoop with the velocity of a decent fastball. The dunk contest, when push comes to shove, is all about the spectacle of the event. What better embodies that than a Superman cape?
8. Vince Carter, 2000: "The Elbow"
This dunk is so vicious, even if it unfairly gets forgotten because of the more memorable Carter dunk in his 2000 title. It seems insane Carter only participated in one dunk contest because he goes down as one of the greatest in the event's history.
7. Dominique Wilkins, 1988: "The Backboard"
On one hand, the off-the-backboard dunk isn't really anything special. It wasn't, even back then. Then you watch this dunk. Wilkins gets high enough that he could rest his chin on the rim, and he throws the ball down with such authority that it looked as though he might tear the rim down. Wilkins is the greatest dunker in NBA history, and this was his finest contest moment.
6. Jason Richardson, 2004: "The Up-and-Under"
The between-the-legs dunk is a staple these days, but two-time champion Richardson put unique spins on it. This one is particularly impressive, as he kissed the ball off the backboard, grabbed it and put it between his legs for the dunk. Richardson probably deserves to go down as the greatest dunk contest champion ever, and this won't be his last entry on this list.
5. Andre Iguodala, 2006: "The Answer"
Iguodala got robbed because Nate Robinson is short. Let's just get that out of the way now. Because this dunk is one of the best ever. Allen Iverson puts up a perfect pass off the back of the backboard, and Iguodala finishes with grace and authority. The combination of AI to AI was awesome, but the degree of difficulty really wins the points here. Just look how close he comes to hitting his head on the backboard.
4. Vince Carter, 2000: "The In-Betweener"
This was the dunk that made every kid dream of doing a between-the-legs dunk. Though Kobe Bryant and J.R. Rider executed the dunk in previous contests, Carter did it with an effortlessness that can't be topped. He soars and throws down. It's tragic that the 1998-99 lockout eliminated the All-Star Game in Carter's rookie year because it's easy to imagine him winning back-to-back contests.
3. Spud Webb, 1986: "The Bounce"
Even the beginning of this dunk brings a smile to any old-school NBA fan's face. The 5-7 guard entered the dunk contest against heavily favored Wilkins, his Atlanta Hawks teammate, and told Wilkins he hadn't even prepared. Lies. Webb threw down a series of impressive slams to make the final round against Wilkins, then finished him off with this fatality, slamming the ball against the ground with all his might, catching it mid-jump and spinning around for the reverse slam. We repeat: This guy is 5-7.
2. Michael Jordan, 1988: "The Free Throw"
Before Jordan was the game's greatest player, he won the game's greatest dunk contest. The 1988 event already features a Wilkins dunk on this list, but this was the one that sealed it for Jordan in the final round. He needed a 48 to tie. It suffices to say he received a 50 for one of the sport's most iconic moments, when he took off from the free throw line and buckled his knees just right and gave everyone who hadn't experienced his greatness an understanding of where things were headed.
1. Jason Richardson, 2003: "The Everything"
It'd be easy to say any of these dunks could be No. 1, but we aren't so sure. This dunk, after all, was every other dunk combined. Richardson does the lob off the court, grabs the ball midair, puts it between his legs then does a one-handed reverse dunk. It's perfect. It's absurdly perfect. It's the best dunk we've seen.
All GIFs by USA TODAY Sports' Tim McGarry, using YouTube videos.
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