30 best NBA poster dunks of all time

29. Vince Carter over Alonzo Mourning

We’re not sure what’s worse here for Alonzo Mourning: the fact that he got baptized in one of the most brutal dunks in NBA history or that his own teammate was laughing about it after the game. In a post-game locker room, Dwyane Wade was asked about the dunk, and while chucking he said, “that was definitely top 10, in the whole history of the NBA.”

Who are we to disagree? Vince Carter was born to dunk on, over and around people. He has what is maybe the most memorable poster in international play when he jumped over the 7-foot Frederic Weiss and one of the elite individual performances in an NBA dunk contest. And then there is the dunk over Zo — one of the best shot blockers in NBA history.

It wasn’t just the dunk that made this one special. It was the presence of mind to go behind the back once he grabbed the loose ball to keep it away from Jason Williams. Zo was ostensibly ready for Carter as he had time to gather and jump with him, but Carter was so explosive that he was able to take the contact and still flush one down.

Mourning can only blame himself on this one though. After he altered Richard Jefferson’s layup, he was right there in position to gather the board, the ball bounced off his hands and landed directly in Carter’s, and the rest was history. Defensive possessions don’t end until you secure the board, Zo.