We’ve come a long way since Wilt “The Stilt” invented the dunk more than a half-century ago. Through the days of Julius, Michael and Dominique we’ve seen the slam dunk evolve into a spectacle seen nightly, not only by professionals but by kids in gymnasiums across the country — it’s literally become an essential and arguably the most exciting aspect of the entire sport.
It’s hard to break down the best dunks we’ve ever seen, but because of the ‘wow’ factor of props, the preparation and the ‘anything goes’ no-holds barred scenarios within the competition, many of the best dunks ever witnessed have come on national television during the All-Star weekend’s Slam Dunk Contest.
This is our Top 10:
Minnesota, Slam Dunk Contest – Between the Legs (East Bay Funk Dunk)
We’ve seen between-the-leg dunks many times since, but it was J.R. Rider who started it all back in ’94 with a dunk he coined the “East Bay Funk Dunk.”
Charlotte, Slam Dunk Contest – The No-Look Dunk
Another classic showcase of terrific originality, Brown owned the contest in ’91 without even looking — making this blind dunk look easy.
Houston, Slam Dunk Contest — Jumps Over Ball Boy, Between the Legs Slam
Ross makes the list for taking a page out of the Nate Robinson handbook by jumping over a human being while adding Rider’s ‘east bay funk dunk.’ This slam dropped jaws across the NBA landscape and won Ross the ’13 title.
