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We rank 'em. You react. That's how the Daily List rolls.6/15/2007 02:04:00 PM Best Dunkers of All Time
By Lang Whitaker, SI.com
James White often put on dunk show when he attended the University of Cincinnati.Photo by AP
CLEVELAND -- The San Antonio Spurs are one of those teams where the sum of the parts is equal to something pretty damn great. One of the Spurs bench players this season has been rookie swingman James "Flight" White. JW played his college ball at Florida and Cincinnati, and after a brief stop with the Pacers found an NBA home in San Antonio, where the Spurs have mostly used him as a practice player while they allow him to develop into an NBA player. White hoped to initially make his mark in the NBA as a defender, although many who follow basketball closely already know White as maybe the best dunker in the world. His windmills from the free-throw line and various dunks where he finishes with his eyes above the rim have made him a YouTube superstar.
Despite his impassioned pleas, White couldn't wrangle an invite to the NBA's Slam Dunk contest this season. He hopes to get there next season in New Orleans, where he says he has "all kinds of things planned, stuff nobody's ever seen before."
In the meantime, we asked White to select his five favorite dunkers of all time. In no particular order, White said…
1. Michael Jordan: "He dunked on so many people," White recalls. "He really changed dunking for everyone."
2. Vince Carter: Self-explanatory. Ask Frederic Weis.
3. Larry Nance: "I was watching those old videos of dunk contests and I saw Nance," says White. "He was kind of tall for a dunker but he was nasty."
4. Shawn Kemp: White says Kemp is "probably my favorite dunker." White says Kemp's double-pump reverse (No. 3 on this video) is his favorite Kemp dunk of all-time.
5. Marvin Collins a.k.a. High Rizer: Collins is known mostly for his work on streetball courts around the country. You can check him out here.
Who's your favorite dunker of all-time? Let us know below…
Lang Whitaker is the executive editor of SLAM magazine and writes daily at SLAMonline.com.posted by SI.com | View comments |
Comments:
Dr. J and Dominique Wilkins should be on the list. Perhaps if Mr. White had fulfilled his commitment to his teammates at the University of Cincinnati and stayed eligible his entire senior season, he would have seen the Doctor and 'Nique whooping up on some people in one of his 'challenging' classes.Hos can you not have Dominic Wilkins (The Human Highlight Reel)on the list.Apparently you forgot about Julius Erving and Dominique Wilkins!!!what about Dr. J? And Darryl Dawkins aka "Chocolate Thunder"?Daryll Dawkins, not only could he dunk he also had great names for them like "Yo Momma"
Rex Chapman
Dr J.
Kenny "Sky" Walker
Nique
Spud WebbI don't know how any discussion of the best dunkers of all-time cannot include Dominique Wilkins???!!!??? An artist at the dunk, he was robbed when the All-Star dunk contest was in Chicago when Mike won it (and I'm from Chicago and can admit it)I don't think you can possibly have a top 5 dunkers of all time without Dr. J. There was also a player for the Denver Nuggets named David Thompson, who was incredible.How can you leave Dominique off this list?Top 5 dunkers . . .
1. MJ, for sure, unbelievable, simply took the dunk to a new level.
2. Dominique Wilkins, the human highlight show!
3. Dr. J, Revolutionized the flying dunk!
4. Daryl Dawkins, smashing backboards became commonplace.
5a. Shawn Kemp, amazing spread, could part the waters on his way to the basket.
5b. Vince Carter, a little of MJ, a little of Shawn, but darn fun to watch.Any list of "greatest" dunkers is incomplete without including "The Human Highlight Film" and the good Dr. himself.
Julius Erving's dunks brought a flair to a game that was desperate for a spark to help move the league into the mainstream.
Dominique Wilkins IS the blueprint for serving up a facial. We owe the saying "POSTERIZED" to Nique.No Dr. J? This list is fundamentally FLAWED!!!!Darryl "Chocolate Thunder" Dawkins!The Doctor and LeBron. Both are big, moderately tall players who were masters of thunderous in-game dunks.you have to be out of your mind if dr j isnot one of the best dunkersz of all timesI think the three best dunkers of all time were all (in part) from the '80s: Doc, Jordan, and Dominique.dominique wilkins is the best dunker of all timeThe list begins and ends with Dr. J. You couldn't/wouldn't talk about anyone else without him.DRJ? Dominique Wilkens?How can you leave out Dominique Wilkins?Yo, Darryl Dawkins...Chocolate Thunder...Dunk You Very Much..Turbo Sexophonic Delight.
Can't a brother get some love?
Mike S. from Manachester Md.How can you leave out Dominique Wilkins?? He wasn't called the "Human Highlight Film" for his defense and jump shot!!This list is terrible. Anyone who leaves Dominique Wilkins off the list of all time greatest dunkers has no credibility.What list is complete without Darryl Dawkins, Dr. J, Dominique Wilkins, along with Jordan and Vince Carter. Guess I,m showing my age.Umm, Dr. J. anyone? Are you kidding, SI?Who else but MJ. My second choice would Dominique Wilkins.How could you not include "The Human Highlight Film" D. Wilkins was even better than Jordan. In the head to head he was robbed, thus he is still being robbed of being regarded as one of the all time greats.Dr. J was The Man....in his prime, he has some devastating dunks!!All of you have forgotten about the sublime and stellar Clyde Drexler. He dunked over Jordan, Wilkins and even the ginat Mark Eaton with ease in the laste 80s and early 90s. He was trully the eminent shooting guard of the NBA in the 80s and 90s.No one had the style, smoothness, or hang time of Julius Erving.All-time #1 has to be Dominique. You know - the Human-highlight-reel? Come on!Michael Jordan
Dominique Wilkins
Dr. J.
David Thompson
Vince CarterHe forgot Julius Erving because he evidently think the NBA was born in 1990, based on that list. Add wooden floors and Chuck Taylors to the mix, and give more props to the older guys. Not to mention that there was a guy who used to play in Harlem on the streets but never made the NBA, who was allegedly the best of all, but a one-trick pony. Can't remember his name.Michael Jordan is definitely number one, number two i would say would be Dominique Wilkins, number three would be Lebron James, number four would be Julius " the doctor " Erving, number five would be Spud Webb so many people overlook him but how can you overlook someone so small yet so vertically talented i remember him destroyimg people in the '88 dunk contest including dominique so he definitely deserves a shot on my list and Vince Carter even though may be talented he can't really accel past dunking or being selfish with the ball thats why he continues to fail in making it to the finals that and he falls apart at the last second when his teammates need him the most much like Kobe Bryant the difference is that while Kobe does not meltdown he is the most selfish player in the game and that is why him or anybody else will NOT be the next Michael Jordan please as if anybody ever could? thats as ridiculous to me as saying the Greg Oden will be he next Bill Russell yeah I'll believe that after Oden wins 12 championship ringsOf course Doc. J and Nique MUST be there! Along with MJ, VC and Nance.1. mr. jordan only he gave dunking a new definition he changed the game , and he dunked on so many people the man had wings
2. nique - great combination of size and rise , plus creatvitity .
3. vince carter refer back to his entrance into the show u choose the night of sport center and u will probably catch a young carter defying gravity .
4. james white he's like that pick in ther draft that get picked of potential i mean if anyone seen that college dnk contest then u already know all this kid needs is a stage and he'll do the rest
5. harold miner ok stop laughing no i mean it stop laughing or at least take it down to a respectable chuckle , harold miner although he falls into the whatever happened to that guy catagory he still capitvated the world of dunking for a couple of years most powerful dunker for his size and his generation either him or robert pack u choosethis can not be serious without Dominque (who beat Jordan in chicago and got robbed) and Dr J who Jordan copied.
Outside of the big 3, the man from Planet Lovetron would be my favorite.Please Doc,Wilkens,Gus Johnson who broke many a back board in his time!! David Thompson... Connie Hawkins... Hard to make a list of five !!Like a lot of other people here have said, who watched back a few decades, there's simply no way you can have a credible list without Dominique and Dr. J.
And that guy from Chicago is right, 'Nique got ripped. I think David Thompson should probably get some love as well. Darryl too.Ummmmm, Kobe Bryant anyone???? Love him or hate him, he's right up there with MJ in terms of his dunks. Just ask Yao Ming! Dominique Wilkins has got to be on this list as well, and you can even make an argument for Jason Richardson based on his dunk contest performances. But I'd love to see James White in the NBA dunk contest. My jaw hit the floor when I saw him do a windmill from the foul line in the NCAA contest. He literally flies!You have to include Dr. J, who practically invented the dunk as we now know it.
Of course,'Nique and his "Human Hightlight Film" moniker speaks for itself.
How about Chocolate Thunder -- Daryl Dawkins. Not much style, but awesome power and intimidation. He broke to backboards in his career!!!
Any top list of dunkers that does not include these three names cannot be called it "top list."hello? hello? anyone home? nique and dr. j? even kobe should be on there. and mj may be the greatest player of all time, but vinsanity is the greatest dunker. anyone who watches bball (or even youtube) would know that.dominique and the Doctor have to be on the listDominique the human highlight film never gets any respect. He was the bomb.It's cool that he brought up Larry Nance. Not only a great dunker/leaper (he could touch the top of the backboard), but one of the most underated NBA players of all time. Nice guy too.I was happy to see that at least 1 person mention Clyde Drexler. I will never forget seeing him take off and sail trhough the air from the free throw line, before I ever saw anyone do it....from da boy vince
did anyone mention Dr J, Dominique, or Dawkins yet. My favorite in game dunkers of this era(i'm only 13) are Andre Igoudala in the open court,Kobe,LeBron, and Vince Carter posterizing, and Shaqs power.
cruisin down the street in my 6 4NO ONE has had in-game dunks like Vince Carter.To not include Dr. J is crazy! The majority of his greatest dunks were in the ABA (unfortunately much less surviving tape), but the one over Michael Cooper of the Lakers is one of the his most spectacular. Read accounts of the 1976 ABA championship series between Dr. J and David Thompson for a dunk fest for the ages!Just remembered the Harlem guy. Earl "Helicopter" Manigault.It just doesn't seem possible that anyone created, let alone published this list without Dr. J on it. Unless, of course, its intent was to provoke comments like this one.1)Michael Jordan - Enough Said!
2)Dominique Wilkins - I never seen a better dunker with his combo or grace & POWER.
3)Doctor J - Brought dunking to a new level.
4)Vince Carter - Carried the biton from Michael, however he reminds me more of Nique with syle & power.
5)Clyde Drexler/Shawn Kemp - No one could glide in the air like Clyde, and in his prime Shawn Kemp was unbelievable (the prettiest of the tall group)...I can never get enough of seeing Payton to Kemp!Dr.J and Nique are hands down the greatest dunkers. J's rock the cradle on micheal cooper is the greatest in game dunk of all time.Remember Billy Ray Bates! He was with the Portland Trailblazers during their championship and immortalized in David Halberstam's book,"Breaks of the Game"
He was the first guard I saw who challenged defenses with his electrifying dunks from the guard position.An all time dunk list without Dr J is almost criminal; he could leave the floor from around the foul line and dunk or drive the base line and dunk from behind the backboard. Also, David Thompson, had he not messed up, could have been the greatest all around player of all time, MJ included.why does everyone forget about The Glyde....Clyde could jump over anybody with ease and was probally the best dunker in traffic the NBA has ever seenMaybe not the best dunker ever, but my #1 all-time dunk will always be Tom Chambers over Mark Jackson.There was no SLAM until Dr. J, it is time to give him the PROPS as #1.Best dunkers? how about that guy known as WILT CHAMBERLAIN! Trouble with you young guys is you never got to see the greatest player of all time--Wilt."HOOK". Demetrius "HOOK" Mitchell, the most amazing dunks outside of the NBA!!!
Other than him, it was by far Dominique Wilkins and Vince Carter.My top 5 dunkers:
Michael Jordan
Dominique Wilkins
Dr. J
Vince Carter
Kobe BryantHere's the list of the Best Dunkers of All Time:
1. Ronnie Fields (Went to High School with Kevin Garnett; didn't make it to the NBA because of a car accident suffered his senior year of high school after basketball season)
2. Kobe Bryant
3. Michael Jordan (Should be ranked higher, but don't remember a great fact of putting up 81 in a game, huh?)
4. LeBron James (Duh? We're talking about the King!)
5. Vince Carter (Air Carter)Here's the real list:
1. MJ - No doubt about it.
2. Dr. J. - A revolutionary.
3. Dominique Wilkins "The Human Highlight Reel" - 48 inch Vert.
4. Vince Carter
5. Kobe or Clyde the Glide Drexler.
Dominique in the Dunk contest in 1988 (I believe) was Amazing. He should have won against MJ. The double pump reverse dunk while dropping the ball below his knees was amazing. He also did an eye popping windmill in that same contest. Kobe does some spectacular in game dunks (even though I don't really like him, I gotta give him his props). Clyde could dunk from just about anywhere and would just fly over everyone (much like David Thompson). Chocolate Thunder was good, but more of a power dunker than a finese dunker.Top 5 dunkers in my humble opinion:
1.Air Jordan: remember his sideways "superman" dunk or his flush on Ewing? Next!
2.Dr J: Jordan freely admitted copying some of Doc's moves; most feared player in ABA history.
3.Dominique: Human Highlight Reel probably jumped higher than any dunker alive. Had some nasty throwdowns.
4.Vince Carter: rewind the Olympic reel to see him jump OVER another man. Sick!
5.Connie Hawkins: if Dr J sez the Hawk was the greatest dunker he's ever seen, then I believe him.Whats wrong with you people! Its not SI's favorite dunkers its James White's favorites!Like the others, I say no credible list omits Dominique Wilkins and Dr. J. For those who are saying Kobe --- really? seriously?
JeffExactly fellow fans. No Dr. J! No Dominique Wilkins! SHAME ON YOU for not listing or knowing about the 2 best dunkers in NBA history. I would put Dwayne Wade and Kobe Bryant up there too. Obviously you don't watch NBA games. You better start. :-)Get over it people. They didn't say it was the top 5 of all time. It is James White's 5 favorite dunkers.DUH...Chocolate Thunder from the planet LoveTron and the Doc.
This guy White is getting schooled by the posters here.JASON RICHARDSON......Dominique Wilkins, hands down, is the all time greatest dunker, ever (and a pretty darn good player overall).1. Dominique Wilkins
2. Dr. J.
3. Michael Jordan
4. David Thompson
5. Vince Carterlarry bird
dennis rodman
john stockton
buster douglas
and k-fed of coursetop 5 dunks...
KJ over The Dream
Dr. J over Coop
JStarks over Mike
Vinsanity over 7'2" dude
KobeShaq Alleyoop over PortlandRecent Posts
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