SI's Top 10 Dunk Contest Dunks

[Rake2204]

This is not going to go over well...

http://nba.si.com/2013/02/14/michael...wight-howard/#

10. J.R. Rider's Between-the-Legs
9. Dwight Howard's Backboard Tap Pass
8. Dee Brown's No Look
7. Jason Richardson's Bounce Between-the-legs Reverse
6. Michael Jordan Sideways Windmill
5. Vince Carter's cuff clockwise 360 windmill
4. Gerald Green's Cupcake
3. Dwight Howard's Superman
2. Vince Carter's Elbow
1. Michael Jordan's Free Throw

Also, SI's Five Worst NBA Dunk Contests: http://nba.si.com/2013/02/12/nba-sla...ate-robinson/#

5. 2005 (Winner: Josh Smith)
4. 1996 (Brent Barry)
3. 2004 (Fred Jones)
2. 2010 (Nate Robinson)
1. 1997 (Kobe Bryant)

And SI's Top Ten Best NBA Dunk Contests: http://nba.si.com/2013/02/13/nba-sla...dwight-howard/

[RoboticWang]

1. MJ

[Rake2204]

I personally have a strong disagreement with Vince Carter's cuffed, clockwise 360 windmill being anywhere outside of the top 2 NBA contest dunks of all-time, let alone falling behind Gerald Green's Cupcake dunk and Dwight Howard's Superman.

I'd also select Jason Richardson's off-the-backboard between-the-legs dunk over his awesome-but-kinda-ulgy bounch reverse between-the-legs. I might even prefer his windmill and two-hand, reverse bounce windmill from the 2002 contest.

I also feel as if there had to have been at least one of Dominique Wilkins' dunks that'd register on this list. He wasn't even in the honorable mentions (though Blake Griffin's Car Dunk is present).

[CeltsGarlic]

Not a fan of cupcake but dho superman is in the top 10.
I really like this 360 by Jomario.
j.moon 360 alley

Iggy and Iverson off the backboard is also underrated.

[gasolina]

I personally have a strong disagreement with Vince Carter's cuffed, clockwise 360 windmill being anywhere outside of the top 2 NBA contest dunks of all-time, let alone falling behind Gerald Green's Cupcake dunk and Dwight Howard's Superman.

I'd also select Jason Richardson's off-the-backboard between-the-legs dunk over his awesome-but-kinda-ulgy bounch reverse between-the-legs. I might even prefer his windmill and two-hand, reverse bounce windmill from the 2002 contest.

I also feel as if there had to have been at least one of Dominique Wilkins' dunks that'd register on this list. He wasn't even in the honorable mentions (though Blake Griffin's Car Dunk is present).

Agreed. VC's clockwise 360 windmill and MJ's sideways windmill should be battling #1 and #2.

The problem with JRich's dunks is that they weren't strong enough

[Rake2204]

Regarding the Five Worst Dunk Contests of All-Time, I've got two I feel belong on the list: 2012 (Last year's debacle) and 2002 (The Wheel). I actually kind of liked the 1996 and 1997 dunk contests and I certainly do not believe '97 was worse than 12's. I might remove those two and replace them with '02 and '12.

And outside of '04's terrible finish, I didn't find that contest to be too terrible either. Andersen performed well. Ricky Davis was solid. Fred Jones had at least one good dunk. And Jason Richardson pulled off an all-timer (the off-the-backboard, between-the-legs crush).

Agreed. VC's clockwise 360 windmill and MJ's sideways windmill should be battling #1 and #2.

The problem with JRich's dunks is that they weren't strong enough

I thought Richardson's dunks were strong. I mean, I didn't think they were ungodly powerful, but I thought they passed the threshold of what's deemed acceptable in that regard. But I respect your views there. Even then, I did not feel the dunk of his they included in that top ten list was his best competition dunk.

[alenleomessi]

blake griffin first dunk in 2011 was better than half of those on the list

[Rake2204]

blake griffin first dunk in 2011 was better than half of those on the list

I disagree. I thought it would have been an all-time dunk if he'd finished his original attempt where he brought it down to his waist.



Instead, his final product looked a little more pedestrian:



Still great, but not all-time great to me.

[CeltsGarlic]

his second is not even great. Its good at best. ~46 .

[Rake2204]

his second is not even great. Its good at best. ~46 .

True. I just meant I still liked it, but it wasn't an all-timer.

[bergs14]

How J-Rich's between-legs-off-glass is not even top is a joke. That had me literally jump out of my seat. In that same contest, he attempted a 360-honey dip (elbow in ring) which almost went down, which would have been godlike. I, personally, have Vince Carter, Jordans and Richardsons contests as 1,2,3.

[alenleomessi]

while i agree with you on the griffin dunk that is not an all time great... well i guess depends how do you define all time great... if its about originality then yeah most of the dunks on that list are original... as in how tough is it to make them... then absolutely not, 7 or 8 of them can be done by pretty much any above average dunker right now, while the same cant be said for that griffin dunk...
jordan, wilkins, drj, carter, jrich... those were the real dunks... no gimmicks

[CeltsGarlic]

Desmond mason also was a real dunker. Never did something crazy creative but had great style , power and finesse.

[memetherapy]

If you could choose 6 dunk contest contestants in their dunking prime, who would it be?

[IGotACoolStory]

J Rich's bounce, between the legs, reverse is #1. That is a preposterously difficult and unique dunk. Exactly what the dunk contest is about... Not that gimmick crap like jumping over a kia or putting on a superman cape.

#2 I think I would go with Carter's 360 windmill.

#3 I am fine with MJ's free throw dunk here, since it's probably the most iconic dunk ever performed at the dunk contest.

#4 would be MJ's leaning dunk.


And where the **** is J Rich's off the backboard between the legs?

I agree with Rake's on that one Blake dunk. The first attempt would have been an all-timer. By the time he finally hit the dunk it was just a normal 360...