Basketball is a sport filled with a lot of different highlights. Plays like deep threes and ankle breakers make a crowd excited and can turn games around. However, one highlight stands above the rest, the posterizing dunk. These types of dunks can change the pace of a game and give the dunker’s team a boost in morale and momentum.
These spectacular dunks’ criteria are based on power, type of game, players involved, popularity, and disrespectfulness.
These spectacular dunks’ criteria are based on power, type of game, players involved, popularity, and disrespectfulness.
Honorable Mentions
Before we get into the list, there are amazing posterizers that didn’t make the cut, but they still deserve their credit. The honorable mentions include:
- A 34-year-old Kobe Bryant dunks on two Brooklyn Nets players.
- Giannis Antetokounmpo jumps over Tim Hardaway Jr.
- Rookie Malcolm Brogdon dunks on LeBron James and Kyrie Iring in the same game.
- Dwayne Wade dunks on Kendrick Perkins.
- Paul George dunks over Chris “Birdman” Anderson in the playoffs.
No. 10 Shaq Disrespects Chris Dudley
Every basketball fan knows this iconic dunk. Shaq was a beast among big men in the league at the time. No one could stand in the way of the 7’1″, 325-pound truck that was Shaquille O’Neal. Shaq posted up his defender and backed him down. He then turned around and dunked on Dudley. As Shaq was coming down from this monster dunk, Dudley appeared to help the big man. Shaq, however, didn’t see it like that and instead pushed the man to the ground.
As a result, Dudley’s anger overcame him, and he threw the ball at Shaq. This made the highlight one of the most popular dunks ever. The disrespectfulness and popularity are what made me put this at number 10.
No. 9 Shawn Kemp Points at Alton Lister
Committed basketball fans are aware of “Reign Man” Shawn Kemp. If you don’t know, well, he is one of the greatest dunkers to ever leap into the air!
After catching the ball, Kemp throws down a sidearm slam over Lister, then proceeds to point at him while he was on the ground. The power he threw down the dunk over Lister and the popularity make this number nine on the list.
No. 8 Kobe Bryant Welcomes Dwight Howard
Kobe Bryant was one of the greatest ever to touch a basketball. He was known for all of his crazy shots and amazing dunking ability.
When rookie Dwight Howard stepped in front of Kobe, he should’ve known what he was in for. However, The rookie got his “welcome to the NBA’ moment and was sure to remember to improve his defense. The only reason this dunk isn’t higher on the list is that at the time, Dwight Howard wasn’t the three-time Defensive Player of the Year that he is today.
No. 7 Blake Griffin Dunks on Pau Gasol…Twice
The Clippers were known for highlights back in the 2010s. The player that caused a bunch of those highlights is Blake Griffin.
In this matchup against the Lakers, Griffin decided to put on an in-game dunk contest. He didn’t just decide to dunk on Pau Gasol once, but twice in one game. This clip went viral, and not to mention, they were some pretty powerful dunks.
No. 6 Vince Carter on Two Time DPOY Alonzo Mourning
Vince Carter, also known as “Half-man/Half-Amazing,” was always known for high-flying dunks. Vince wasn’t scared to dunk on anyone, not even two-time Defensive Player Of the Year Alonzo Mourning. Although it was a few years after the award, you would assume a two-time winner wouldn’t let something like that happen.
However, what made this dunk even worse was when Alonzo’s Miami Heat teammate said, “that’s top 10 right there�in the whole history of the NBA” when asked about it the dunk post-game.
No. 5 Scottie Pippen Knocks down Patrick Ewing
Patrick Ewing has dunked on a lot of people throughout his career. The dunk that comes to most people’s minds, however, is when Pippen disrespected him.
Not only did Pippen dunk on Ewing so hard he fell to the ground, but he also stepped over him to seal the disrespect. Even after stepping over Ewing, Pippen went over to trash talk New York Knicks’ superfan Spike Lee. Pippen was not only disrespectful to Ewing, but the whole Knicks franchise.
No. 4 Dwyane Wade Steps Over Anderson Varejao
Stepping over someone after a play is one of the most disrespectful things to do in basketball. Dunking on someone so hard that they fall against the station and then the player steps over them is a whole different level.
The power to put a 6’10’ center on his back is incredible. Not to mention Dwyane Wade’s celebration made it ten times better.
No. 3 LeBron James Catches Lob Over Jason Terry
LeBron James had one of the best dunks of his career against the Boston Celtics � a Miami Heat rival. Here are how the events of arguably LeBron’s most incredible dunk of his career unfolded:
- There was a great steal by Dwyane Wade.
- Mario Chalmers passes the ball to Norris Cole.
- Norris Cole draws in Jason Terry to lob the ball to LeBron.
- Jason Terry steps up to stop LeBron, but it’s too late; he gets the full impact of the 6’9″ small forward.
- LeBron then stares down Terry and get called for a technical foul but doesn’t seem to mind.
No. 2 DeAndre Jordan Ruins Brandon Knight
Guards should not try to jump with big men to get a block on a dunk. For instance, this dunk is a perfect example.
Brandon Knight tried to block a dunk off a lob, but it ended poorly. The crowd went wild, and the players from both benches knew how bad of a poster it was. However, it did bring him a lot of popularity. Sadly for Knight, it was the wrong kind of popularity.
No. 1 Vince Carter Jumps Over Seven Footer Frederic Weis
When watching an NBA game on TV, players do not seem that tall compared to their teammates and opponents. Seeing one of these giants in real life is a real eye-opener for anyone.
Vince Carter wasn’t afraid to challenge these big men, though.
During the 2000s Sydney Olympics, Team USA was going against Team France. On Team France was 7’2′ center Frederic Weis who was in talks of being able to go to the NBA. However, Vince Carter had other plans for the big man.
Carter received the ball, travelled towards Weis, and jumped right over him to dunk the ball with no push off. After that, the video clip became so popular and embarrassing for Weis that he could not get any offers. He soon retired and became a farmer.
