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10 greatest slam dunk contest performances of all time

By Aaron Hertzog

ATLANTA - FEBRUARY 8: Judges, Dr. Julius Erving, Michael Jordan and Spud Webb during the Sprite Rising Stars Slam Dunk Contest on February 8, 2003 at the Georgia Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia during the 2003 NBA All-Star Weekend. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE/Getty Images)
ATLANTA - FEBRUARY 8: Judges, Dr. Julius Erving, Michael Jordan and Spud Webb during the Sprite Rising Stars Slam Dunk Contest on February 8, 2003 at the Georgia Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia during the 2003 NBA All-Star Weekend. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE/Getty Images) /
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1. Vince Carter (2000)

Air Canada’s performance in the 2000 Slam Dunk Contest still reigns supreme after almost twenty years. Carter brought out dunks nobody had ever seen before, at a time the Dunk Contest needed them the most to create one of the most memorable sequences in all of NBA history.

The Slam Dunk Contest was returning after a two-year hiatus and was in need of the energy and originality a peak Vince Carter would bring to the event. The 2000 All-Star Saturday Night also brought memorable performances from Tracy McGrady and Steve Francis, but neither could match the energy, style, originality, and athleticism of Carter on that (or possibly any) night.

Carter attacked the rim with his first attempt of the night, a statement dunk laying down his claim as the man to beat with a 360-degree full windmill powerhouse of a flush.

“Let’s go home!” Kenny Smith yells, predicting the outcome of the event far before it was over. Luckily they didn’t just call it right there, or we would have missed out on the rest of the magic Carter was about to write into the slam dunk history books.

Carter’s second dunk, another windmill twisting dunk after jumping off two feet from behind the glass, earns him a 49, as Kenny Smith docks him a point for failing to live up to the precedent he set with his first dunk. Vince Carter is so good at dunking, he actually hurts himself for not being able to live up to himself.

Teammate Tracy McGrady feeds Carter a bouncing ball on a platter for his next attempt, which he grabs and puts between his legs before finishing. “Why isn’t he saving this?” asks the announcers, as they can’t believe Carter might have something even more special planned for later in the evening.

“He’s a combination of Dominique and Michael,” Kenny Smith says of Carter’s ability to perform slam dunks with a combination of grace and power that put him among the greatest of all time.

Carter’s next dunk, while looking simple at first, was an explosive marvel of leaping ability and remains etched in our memories. Ask any basketball fan about the elbow dunk, and they’ll know just what you’re talking about. This dunk is proof you don’t need props, or stunts, or capes, or mascots to pull off one of the most memorable, talked about, jaw-dropping dunks of all-time.

Next: A complete history of jumping over things in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest

Carter’s final attempt brought the crowd to their feet in anticipation for his last dunk. His efforts did not disappoint as he slams home with two hands after taking off from just inside the free throw line.

Kenny the Jet may have put it best when he said that Carter combines the athletic grace of Jordan (or LaVine) with the power of Wilkins (or Gordon) to create the absolute perfect dunking machine well-deserving of the Half-Man Half-Amazing nickname.

He put together the perfect package in 2000 to earn the top spot here on our list of greatest Slam Dunk Contest performances of all-time.

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