Baseball has the home run. Football, the touchdown. Basketball has the dunk. Quite possibly the most electrifying and athletic play in all of sports. These are the 20 best we've ever seen.
20The little guy can get up. Allen Iverson elevates over far bigger opponents for a put back jam.
Allen Iverson Best Dunk Ever!
19Baron Davis with authority over Kirilenko! This was NBA playoff basketball at its absolute best.
Greatest Playoff Dunk EVER
Honorable mention to a video
that almost made this list:
James White Crazy Dunk
18Vince Carter started off his 2000 Slam Dunk Contest with this crowd stunning elbow dunk. Completely original.
Vince Carter Elbow Dunk
17Dwight Howard resurrecting the NBA Slam Dunk Contest. I thought we'd seen it all until Superman slapped a sticker of himself 12'6" up the glass en route to throwing down an alley-oop.
Dwight Howard reaching 12 feet and 6 inches
16With 0.8 seconds left on the clock, Dwight Howard catches a half court inbound alley-oop over Duncan to beat the Spurs.
Dwight Howard Buzzer Beater Dunk Vs. Spurs (02-09-07)
15Darryl Dawkins, a.k.a. Chocolate Thunder, intentionally shatters two backboard in eight days.
Darryl Dawkins shattered the backboard
14One of the best recipes for a great dunk: Little guy throws down on big guy. Kevin Johnson over Hakeem is one of the best.
Kevin Johnson (KJ) slams over Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon
Blast! The #13 ranked video was removed from YouTube, so it had to be taken off this list.
12Pitt's Jerome Lane gets a fast break pass from Sean Miller, takes off and throws down hard, shattering the glass and drawing a foul.
RARE: Jerome Lane facial dunk which breaks backboard
11University of Cincinnati's James "Flight" White from the 2006 NCAA dunk contest. Cue the video to about the 3:45 mark to see him jump from the free throw line and go between the legs.
NCAA Dunk Contest 06, James White
10Kobe to Shaq with authority! This was just awesome, but even better when you consider the circumstances: 2000 Western Conference Finals and the Lakers were in danger of dropping three in a row. After this dunk, Kobe and Shaq went on the win the game and three consecutive championships.
NBA's 60 Greatest Playoff Moments: #48
9This John Starks classic is shown time and time again. Want a perfect example of posterizing? This is it.
John Starks Dunks On The Chicago Bulls
8Tom Chambers! Knocking down racial stereotypes, physics and the laws of gravity with one memorable dunk.
NBA Dunk - Tom Chambers vs. Knicks
7A classic dunk. Michael Jordan rocks the cradle. After you watch the #2 dunk, come back and check out this one again. From the steal to the jam, amazingly similar. A defining moment in Jordan's early career.
MJ Classic Rock The Cradle Vs Knicks
6Crazy dunk by Clyde "The Glide" over Memphis State while a member of Phi Slama Jama in college at Houston.
Clyde Drexler jumps over Andre Turner
5Shaq doesn't just break the backboard, with one dunk he turns a basketball goal into a scrap heap.
Shaq Breaks Basket With Crazy Dunk!!!!
4A rare Michael Jordan backboard shattering dunk from a 1986 international exhibition game sponsored by Nike. Not only is it MJ, but it's the most beautiful raining down of glass you'll ever see.
Michael Jordan Shattering The Backboard
3Julius Erving is the father of the modern dunk. This groundbreaking windmill is every bit as awesome now as it was then.
Dr.J dunk over Cooper!!
2Vince Carter jumps over the 7'2" French center in 2000 Olympics. Kevin Garnett was so excited he could hardly contain himself.
Vince Carter - Best Dunk Ever
1Air Up There from the And 1 Mix Tour with a 720. The rotation is so fast, it's hard to even understand what happened without the benefit of slow motion. The grotesque athleticism of this dunk is what elevates it to the #1 spot.
720 DUNK!! Best Quality...
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Some nice dunks… But u should at least consider the one when MJ facializes Ewing…and some more… but all in all good selection… Oh, and Vince belongs in the first place because of the importnace and the situation in the game…ai
Mann!!! That so REAL.. LOve for the GAME? but.. GOD FIRST!!!!!!!!!!! Amen
No Nique? Give me a break>
how da hell is da lebron dunk on damon jones not on ths list how da hell is lebron not on here period
i think Henry Bekkering should be on this list… maybe not top 20 but definitely within top 100. I even know Henry Bekkering personally because he went to high school with my bro
Why is the Shun Kemp in your face an Mutumbo not here.
That was the greatest dunk over someone you could see.