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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LAS VEGAS – FEBRUARY 17: Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic participates in the Sprite Slam Dunk Competition during NBA All-Star Weekend on February 17, 2007 at Thomas
LAS VEGAS – FEBRUARY 17: Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic participates in the Sprite Slam Dunk Competition during NBA All-Star Weekend on February 17, 2007 at Thomas /

 6. Dwight Howard (2008)

After failing to get the respect he was due in the previous year’s competition, Dwight Howard was on a mission to prove that big men could hang with the high-fliers when it came to the annual Slam Dunk Competition. He made sure to impress with his opening dunks as to avoid another early exit, and his overall performance goes down as one of the most memorable in history.

Howard’s first dunk included shades of Andre Iguodala’s 2006 classic finish, as he took off from behind the basket before throwing down a windmill beauty, making the incredible feat look routine. The dunk earns a perfect score of 50 and a boast of “I told you this guy was gonna win” from Dunk Contest announce booth mainstay Charles Barkley.

His next attempt is one that will live on in Dunk Contest history as Howard pulls out the showmanship, and the tape, and the cape for his famous “Superman” dunk. This dunk was such a spectacular athletic feat all rules of the Dunk Contest seemed to go straight out the window, as Howard earned a 50 without even really dunking the ball.

For his third dunk of the night, Howard pulls off something never seen before as he catches the ball mid-jump off a high bounce, taps the ball off the backboard with his left hand, grabs it with his right, and slams it home. It’s unbelievable, and something only an athlete with the size and ability of Howard at his absolute peak could pull off.

“That’s humanly impossible!” Kenny Smith exclaimed, saying what was on the minds of everybody watching at the time, whether mere mortal or superstar athlete.

Howard attached a mini-rim to the backboard for his final dunk of the night, and set the ball at rest in the corner of the glass. He took off from the baseline, grabbed the ball from its perch and windmill slammed it home to cap off his historic performance with another creative and athletic gem.

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