Fansided

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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OAKLAND, CA – FEBRUARY 12: Steve Francis
OAKLAND, CA – FEBRUARY 12: Steve Francis /

10. Steve Francis (2000)

Francis finished second in the 2000 Dunk Contest, an all-time classic that almost produced three entries here (sorry, Tracy McGrady). He won’t be the only second-place finisher to make our list of top 10 performances either.

In most other years the performance Francis put on would be good enough to go home with the slam dunk gold. Unfortunately for him, he was up against an absolute juggernaut of a show that we’ll definitely be talking about more later.

Before Francis’ first dunk, Marv Albert alerted spectators of the new “Jump Meter” they’d be using for the contest. The new technology allowed the broadcast to show just how high each player’s vertical leap reached on their dunks. On his very first attempt, Stevie Franchise put the meter to good work lobbing a high, arching bounce pass to himself that looked like it should be out of reach. Fortunately, his 40″ vertical leap allowed him to catch the rock at full extension and throw down a remarkable jam that earned a 45 from the judges.

Next up came another self-alley-oop from Francis to Francis. The move is a go-to staple for dunk contest contestants as it adds a level of flair to the throw-downs. It is also a little easier for smaller guys (by NBA standards) to grab the ball out of the air for their jam. The move has become a bit stale in recent years, but Francis showed us one of the best ever with his second attempt.

This dunk is amazing on first look, but on repeat viewings, at different camera angles, keeps getting better and better. From behind, it’s already a work of art, but when you see exactly how far he has to reach back for the ball, and the angle at which he brings his legs up when watching the overhead and side views this dunk seems to bring the impossible to life. Francis scored a well-deserved 50 for his efforts here.

The 6-foot-3 guard was already guaranteed to advance in the competition when his third attempt clanged off the back of the rim. A pretty good effort, especially considering he didn’t need the dunk at all, and the move was improvised because Jerry Stackhouse and Grant Hill performed the dunk he had planned on doing earlier in the night.

Francis kicked off round two with a “pretty good” dunk that got lost in the shuffle of the amazing night of competition. His high-flying, windmill scoop was, in a vacuum, spectacular, but has been done before and just didn’t stand out on a night that brought so many new-look dunks to the competition.

He made up for it on his final attempt of the night, with another self-alley-oop that he grabbed at the top of his reach, cocked back all the way down between his legs, and slammed down with authority. A valiant effort especially considering the fact he was all but guaranteed a second-place finish at the time.

Steve Francis’ performance in the 2000 Dunk Contest may have only been good enough to earn him the runner-up spot that night, but it does go down in history as one of the top showings of all time in our books.

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