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Fox Sports
16-02-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Ja Morant teases dunk contest debut in 2026, challenges Zach LaVine and Aaron Gordon
Mac McClung's three-peat as the Slam Dunk Contest champion has inspired at least one other star to potentially perform in the event. Ja Morant signaled some interest in potentially performing in the 2026 Slam Dunk Contest in a pair of social media posts on Saturday. "mac might make me decide to dunk," Morant wrote in one post. The Grizzlies guard also recruited a pair of heroes of Slam Dunk Contests past to potentially join him. "zach & AG wassup," Morant wrote in a follow-up post with an eyes emoji. That post, presumably, was meant for Sacramento Kings guard Zach LaVine and Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon. LaVine, a two-time winner, and Gordon have been viewed as two of the best performers in the history of the event. LaVine took down Gordon in the final round of the event in 2016, earning a perfect score on all four of his dunks while Gordon received a perfect score on three of his attempts as the round needed a dunk off. LaVine hasn't performed in the event since his victory in 2016. Gordon, meanwhile, performed in the event two more times, controversially losing in 2020. In that loss, Gordon posted a perfect score on five of his dunks, losing again in a tie-breaker. With the numerous perfect dunks he's put up over the years, Gordon solely held the record for the most dunks with a perfect score in Slam Dunk Contest history until Saturday night. McClung put up four perfect dunks to win Saturday's event, including a dunk over a car, matching Gordon's record for the most dunks with a perfect score in the history of the Slam Dunk Contest. While LaVine, Gordon and McClung have brought exciting dunks to the Slam Dunk Contest, arguably no player has had more exciting in-game dunks in recent memory than Morant. The 6-foot-2 guard has made a habit of posterizing players taller than him by several inches, giving him several highlight-reel dunks over his first season in the league. Because of that, Morant has been viewed as a dream participant in the Slam Dunk Contest by many fans and media members over the years. But he's been steadfast in his rejection of participating in the event, telling Bleacher Report in 2021 that he would only do it if he was paid $1 million. Now, Morant at least seems open to the possibility of performing in the event. He would bring some much-needed star power to the event as well. Jaylen Brown is the only player to participate in the event in the same year he was named an All-Star over the last seven seasons. He finished as a runner-up in the 2024 Slam Dunk Contest. Of course, a lot of things can change between Saturday and All-Star Saturday in Los Angeles in 2026. LeBron James memorably committed to participate in the 2011 Slam Dunk Contest while watching Dwight Howard win the 2010 event. But the all-time great has never performed in the Slam Dunk Contest. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily. recommended Get more from National Basketball Association Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Fox Sports
13-02-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Who are the 10 best dunkers in NBA history?
There are a handful of plays in an NBA game that can wow a crowd — an ankle-breaker, buzzer-beater and slick dime being among them. But few things in sports can get everybody on their feet quite like a thundering slam dunk. In fact, the NBA Slam Dunk Contest is often the highlight of All-Star Weekend, as many of the greatest high-flyers have made their mark in the competition until recent years. With the latest iteration set for Saturday, we examined which players are the best of the best at slamming and jamming. Here are the 10 best dunkers in NBA history. 10 best dunkers in NBA history 10. Zion Williamson Williamson has been snakebit by injuries throughout his six-year career — he's missed more games than he's played in — but when the big man's on the floor, he's a walking highlight reel. His vertical is astounding for someone his size (6-foot-6, 284 pounds). He is as physically imposing as any player in the league and can slam it down with authority, whether it be a 360 dunk or with somebody in the way. Williamson has spent his entire NBA career with the New Orleans Pelicans. 9. Darryl Dawkins A big man with approximately 50 different nicknames, Dawkins was a force to be reckoned with in the paint. If Dawkins had a mere peek at the basket, look out, because he would move people out of the way en route to emphatically jamming the ball in the hole. Oh, and he broke multiple backboards. In fact, he shattered them. Dawkins finished his career, which was spent primarily with the Philadelphia 76ers and Nets, averaging 12 points and 1.4 blocks per game. 8. Jason Richardson J-Rich had a quality career split between five teams, spending his first six seasons with the Golden State Warriors. Richardson won both the 2002 and 2003 Slam Dunk Contests, flaunting a series of between-the-legs and windmill slams. At 6-foot-6, Richardson could put on a show, while finishing his career averaging a combined 17.1 points per game. 7. LeBron James We never did see James compete in the dunk contest, but he's given us 22 years (and counting) of memorable slams. And despite just turning 40, James' athleticism hasn't deteriorated, as he gets to the rim off the dribble with ease. Whether via a tomahawk slam or climbing the ladder, James has been able to soar above the rim his entire career, which has been split between the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers. 6. Shawn Kemp Kemp, who finished his career averaging a combined 14.6 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game, is one of the best big men in NBA history who isn't in the Hall of Fame. Moreover, Kemp, a three-time All-NBA selection and six-time All-Star, was a miraculous dunker who was nifty around the rim and would forcefully finish off fast breaks — whether he had a free lane or not. 5. Michael Jordan He's called "Air Jordan" for a reason: Jordan could fly. The Chicago Bulls superstar and arguably the best player in the history of the sport was actually as famous for his sizzling slams in road arenas as he was for beating defenders and draining crunch-time, mid-range jumpers. Jordan won the 1987 and 1988 Slam Dunk Contests. 4. Blake Griffin Part of Griffin's identity will always be his rim-rattling alley-oops, Kia commercials and jumping over the shortest part of a Kia Optima at 2011 NBA All-Star weekend. Over the years, Griffin's leap tapered off, but he was as good as any dunker for the bulk of his stint with the LA Clippers. A five-time All-NBA honoree, Griffin's dunking ability was one of the highlights of the early 2010s in the NBA. 3. Dominique Wilkins Wilkins, a Hall of Famer and the 1985-86 NBA scoring champion, won the 1985 and 1990 Slam Dunk contests, but those feats were just the tip of the iceberg. It didn't matter if he had a clean lane to the rim or a defender in his grill, Wilkins was looking to put an extra something on a dunk. One of the best scorers in the history of the sport, Wilkins was as epic a dunker. 2. Julius Erving Whether it was with the 76ers, Nets or Squires, Dr. J was special with the ball in his hands. A four-time MVP and 16-time All-Star, Erving could get two forceful points in a variety of ways. On that note, one could argue that Erving's distinct slam that saw him bring the ball around town and throw it down with authority is the most iconic dunk routine the sport has ever seen. Erving is eighth in NBA/ABA history with 30,026 points. 1. Vince Carter Carter has a case for the most memorable and timeless dunk of all time, that being his between-the-legs jam in the 2000 Dunk Contest that saw him later signal that the contest was "over." The eight-time All-Star also has one of the most memorable moments in Olympic basketball, as Carter intercepted a pass and then leaped over Frederic Weis yards away from the rim for the slam. Honorable mentions: Russell Westbrook Josh Smith DeAndre Jordan Tracy McGrady Gerald Green Anthony Edwards Kobe Bryant Zach LaVine Ja Morant Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience National Basketball Association recommended Get more from National Basketball Association Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
