The 10 best Slam Dunk Contest jams in NBA history

By Jeff Caplan
Published

The evolution of the slam dunk is a lot like man's journey from rubbing sticks together to launching rocket ships — they've come a long way.

We've seen some amazing, gravity-defying slam dunks since the NBA made the Slam Dunk Contest a fixture of All-Star festivities in 1984 — and even before then, going all the way back to the famed ABA dunk contest of 1976 when David Thompson introduced the 360 and Julius "Dr. J" Erving blew the roof off the place with his afro-tastic, free-throw-line slam. 

And that's where we start our countdown of the 10 best dunks in All-Star Dunk Contest history (regardless of whether they won their years):

10. Dr. J literally flies through the lane: Years later, Dr. J would admit that it was hard for him to come up with new dunks. He had already grabbed onto the rim with one hand and dunked with the other hand, dunked two balls at one and performed mid-air acrobatics. Then he headed to the other end of the floor and did this wonder (cue at the 1:15 mark). Dr. J recreated the dunk for the NBA's inaugural 1984 event, but it couldn't beat ultimate dunk champ Larry Nance.

9. Gerald Green makes a birthday wish: There might not be anyone on the planet with hops like Green, as he showed the world before most people had a clue who he was. Turn out the lights — or should we say, blow out the light on the cupcake in this 2008 dunk contest. 

8. JaVale McGee's double-dunk: As Reggie Miller said on the broadcast: "I don't know if there's anyone else on the planet that can do this." This insane 2011 dunk includes McGee dunking one ball into one goal, then passing another ball to himself off the backboard and slamming it into a second. 

7. Nate Robinson goes over Dwight: We also loved Nate paying homage to Spud Webb by leaping over him in the 2006 dunk contest, but we chose the little man's 2010 fly over Dwight Howard's head to win his third dunk title.

6. DeMar DeRozan reverse windmill: At first glance, this jam looks deceptively easy. But check out DeRozan's height, ability to cup the ball, bring it down and back up for the reverse same.  

5. Spud Webb reverse slam: Spud Webb had everything cooking in 1986, but we singled out this one, where Webb skies a pass that bounces nearly as high as the rim, then grabs it and slams it home reverse-style — and check out the slight spread eagle as well. Wow (cue 1:24).

4. Jason Richardson off glass between the legs: Richardson won back-to-back titles in 2002 and 2003 and has a number of dunks that are absolutely mind-blowing. But this one — where he passes to himself off the backboard then goes through the legs before throwing it down — is absolutely mesmerizing (cue :15, but enjoy all of his dunks).

3. Vince Carter honey dip: Carter made his first All-Star appearance and first dunk contest appearance in 2000. What a show. While Carter has unleashed more acrobatic slams, this one, which VC called the "elbow dunk," was so crazy that nobody knew how to react (cue 1:37). 

2. MJ takes it back where it all began: In an awesome duel with Dominique Wilkins, Jordan won the title in Chicago in 1988 by ripping a page from Dr. J's dunking book and soaring through the lane with a free-throw line takeoff (cue 2:00).

1. Vince Carter, half-man, half-amazing: In homage to the site of this weekend's All-Star festivities and the man who helped make basketball stick in Toronto, we give Vinsanity a deserving two spots in the top three. And really, he's the obvious choice to nail down No. 1 spot. Who can argue with his 360-super-power throw down? Nobody (cue :48).