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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18 February 2006: Philadelphia 76ers forward Andre Igoudala hits his head on the backboard as he goes up for a dunk in the Sprite Rising Stars Slam-Dunk competition at Toyota Center on Saturday February 18, 2006 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Aaron M. Sprecher/Icon SMI/Icon Sport Media via Getty Images)
18 February 2006: Philadelphia 76ers forward Andre Igoudala hits his head on the backboard as he goes up for a dunk in the Sprite Rising Stars Slam-Dunk competition at Toyota Center on Saturday February 18, 2006 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Aaron M. Sprecher/Icon SMI/Icon Sport Media via Getty Images) /

9. Andre Iguodala (2006)

Another second place finisher, but this time we say the results were undeserved. Iguodala should have won the 2006 Dunk Contest, and the fact that it was stolen from him by Nate Robinson is a contributing factor to why you won’t see any of the 5-foot-9 guards’ three wins on our list.

Iggy kicked off his performance with a sky-walking self-alley-oop windmill that earns a score of 45 from the judges and a hilarious debate between Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith about whether or not you can have a “skinny great body.” The exchange between the two is a mini-example of everything great about NBA All-Star Saturday night.

The second attempt from the second-year Sixer alone could have landed him on this list. It is hands-down one of the greatest dunks of all time. He creates something we haven’t seen before, or since. The very idea of this dunk takes a level of confidence in your own abilities (or stupidity) we can only imagine possessing. The fact that it takes him a few attempts to pull it off only adds to the mystique and suspense of this dunk. The look on Kobe Bryant’s face when he realizes what Iguodala is trying to pull off said it all. “This guy is nuts. There’s no way he can do this. I can’t believe he’s even trying it.”

But he does pull it off. And it’s amazing. Everything about this dunk represents the contest at its absolute best in terms of creativity, athleticism, wow-factor, and showmanship. Thank you, Andre Iguodala.

But the future NBA Finals MVP wasn’t finished there. He earned another perfect 50 from the judges with his third dunk, a behind-the-back self-alley-oop that elicits a “that’s it, it’s done” response from the commentators.

Going into what should have been the final dunk of the competition, Iguodala needed to score a 45 to wrap it all up. His high-flying under the leg jam earned him just 44 points, and a final tie-breaker dunk-off with Robinson, most likely being docked points for taking multiple attempts to finish.

In the tie-breaker round, Iguodala needed to earn a score of 48 to win. He pulled out a running baseline side-to-side under the leg beauty of a finish, leaving Iguodala and the TNT broadcast team believing he’s got it in the bag. The judges only award him 46 points for his efforts, and one of the greatest dunk contest performances in history is relegated to leave with silver.

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