The NBA Slam Dunk Contest is one of the most anticipated events in the NBA All-Star Weekend. It’s a showcase of superior athleticism, where dunkers can almost utilize anyone or anything to pull off the perfect dunk in front of millions of basketball fans around the world. Throughout the years, we’ve witnessed some of the best dunks from this event. For this piece, let’s take a look at the 10 most insane jams ever during the NBA Slam Dunk contest.
10. Dwight Howard’s Tap Dunk: 2008
Dwight Howard isn’t really known for his creativity on the hardwood. However, he surprised everyone after pulling off this dunk at the 2008 Slam Dunk contest. It takes the right amount of strength to tap the ball to yourself and then hang in the air enough to finish the dunk. Although it was the Superman dunk that became the highlight of the contest, this one was ultimately better due to it also being the first time we’ve seen a dunk like this in the annual festivities.
9. Michael Jordan’s Free Throw Line Double Clutch Dunk: 1988
In a neck-and-neck affair against Dominique Wilkins, Michael Jordan needed a perfect dunk to win the contest. And what better way to end the contest with a free throw line dunk. The timing, speed, and leaping ability required were beyond what a normal human could do. With the dunk, Jordan bagged his second straight Slam Dunk Contest trophy.
8. Nate Robinson’s Dunk Over Dwight Howard: 2009
Jumping over a regular human is already difficult for a regular basketball player. However, dunking over a 6 '10 center like Dwight Howard is different altogether. What makes this dunk even more impressive is Nate Robinson’s height at only 5’9. With the dunk, Robinson took home his second of three Slam Dunk Contest titles.
7. JaVale McGee Dunks at Two Rings While in Mid-air: 2011
Blake Griffin was the favorite of the 2011 Slam Dunk competition. However, that didn’t mean JaVale McGee gave him a run for his money. From the get-go, McGee set the tone with a perfect score of 50 after pulling off two dunks in mid-air on two different rims. The only reason that this was ranked not as high is due to the fact that McGee didn’t win the contest. Nevertheless, McGee’s timing and leaping abilities were on full display, making this dunk one of the best.
6. Aaron Gordon’s Under the Legs Dunk Over a Mascot: 2016
If there was another contestant that deserved to win the dunk contest, it was Aaron Gordon. With Zac LaVine dubbed as the favorite to become a second straight dunk champion, Gordon made sure it was a competitive contest. But among his spectacular dunks, jumping over a mascot and pulling off the under-the-leg dunk was arguably the most difficult one. But more importantly, it was a spectacular sight to see. To make matters more intense, Gordon pulled that off in just one attempt.
5. Blake Griffin’s Alley-Oop Dunk Over a Kia: 2011
While Nate Robinson pulled off a spectacular dunk over Dwight Howard, Blake Griffin took it to another level by executing an alley-oop dunk over a car. While the dunk heavily relied on props, Griffin certainly materialized the fact that it was possible for a human to dunk over a car. As a result, this was enough to win the contest.
4. Jason Richardson’s Baseline Between the Legs Dunk: 2003
When it came to dominating the Slam Dunk Contest, Jason Richardson’s name was up there. In fact, he won back-to-back titles from 2002 to 2003. In the 2003 edition, Richardson pulled off an insane baseline between-the-legs clutch reverse dunk. It required a perfect pass to give him the much-needed bounce. Afterward, Richardson simply took care of business while in mid-air.
3. Zach LaVine’s Free Throw Line Between the Legs Dunk: 2016
While a lot of people can argue that Aaron Gordon was robbed in the 2016 Slam Dunk Contest, Zach LaVine also showed why he also deserved it. In 1988, Jordan won the contest with a free throw dunk. 28 years later, LaVine took inspiration from Jordan by taking off at the free throw line but adding a much more difficult between-the-legs animation while in the air to win it all.
2. Vince Carter’s 360 Windmill Dunk: 2000
Vince Carter was half man, half amazing. Although Carter wowed crowds all night at the 2000 Slam Dunk Contest, his first one arguably set the tone. Doing 360 and windmill are already difficult dunks to execute alone. However, given Carter’s out-of-this-world athleticism, he managed to do both in one single dunk. The 2000 Slam Dunk Contest will forever be remembered as Carter’s dunk contest.
1. Zach LaVine’s Space Jam Dunk: 2015
For quite some time, the Slam Dunk contest lost relevance after underwhelming performances throughout the years. However, that all changed in the 2015 Slam Dunk Contest when Zach LaVine brought back the magic. While LaVine pulled off some acrobatic stunts in mid-air, it all started with his space jam dunk which saw him float in mid-air to pull off a between-the-legs reverse one-hand dunk. The dunk scored 50 points and ultimately laid the foundation for bringing the Slam Dunk contest back to relevancy.
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