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Who are the top dunkers in NBA history? Here is our top 10 countdown:
10. Nate Robinson: despite standing only 5’9″, Robinson used his 43.5″ vertical leap to become the first player in NBA history to win the Slam Dunk Contest 3x.
9. Jason Richardson: an athletic wing with elite vertical ability, Richardson was a thunderous dunker during the 2000s and the first repeat winner of the Slam Dunk Contest since Michael Jordan (2002 and 2003).
8. Kobe Bryant: known for his “Mamba Mentality”, Bryant was the youngest-ever winner of the Slam Dunk Contest (18 years old in 1997) and went on to record countless memorable in-game dunks during his two decades in the Association.
7. Darryl Dawkins: one of the NBA’s first great dunkers, Dawkins is perhaps best-known for shattering backboards in the late 1970s, which led to the adoption of breakaway rims.
6. Blake Griffin: the primary receiving end of “Lob City” while with the Los Angeles Clippers, Griffin not only posterized opponents night in and night out, but also memorably won the 2011 Slam Dunk Contest by jumping over a car.
5. LeBron James: destined for greatness since coming out of high school, LeBron has never competed in a Slam Dunk Contest, but has nevertheless wowed fans with an assortment of high-flying and ferocious in-game dunks throughout his career.
4. Dominique Wilkins: known as the “Human Highlight Reel”, Wilkins’ dunking ability was a part of his high-scoring in-game arsenal; at the same time, he had a great Slam Dunk Contest rivalry in the 1980s with Michael Jordan, winning the title in both 1985 and 1990.
3. Julius Erving: perhaps the greatest player in ABA history, Erving was an early pioneer of the slam dunk, both in-game and for contests (he won the 1976 ABA Slam Dunk Contest), with the term “posterized” being coined to describe the victims of his powerful dunks.
2. Michael Jordan: widely regarded as the GOAT, Jordan was also one of the greatest dunkers ever, both in-game and during contests; as part of his back-to-back Slam Dunk Contest titles in 1987 and 1988, his running dunk from the free throw line became the basis for the famous Jumpman logo for his eponymous brand.
1. Vince Carter: during the early 2000s, Carter elevated dunking as an art form not seen since the days of Jordan and Wilkins – in addition to winning the 2000 Slam Dunk Contest, he is immortalized for his posterization of Frenchman Frederic Weis at the 2000 Summer Olympics as part of Team USA.
Agree/Disagree? As always, debate/discuss, and leave your thoughts and comments below.
Note: All statistics as of time of publication.
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