Ball Don't Lie - NBA

Fri Sep 11, 2009 12:40 pm EDT

The 10 best dunkers of the last decade



OK, we know the first decade of the 21st century doesn't really end until 2011. We think. But we also know there have been 10 full NBA seasons played since the phrase "Y2K" was on all of our lips (1999-2000), and here at Ball Don't Lie we've decided to use this as an offseason excuse to rank some of the best and not-so-brightest of the 10 campaigns in question. The result? Why, top 10 lists!

There is absolutely no rhyme or reason to this list.

We merely ranked the 10 finest dunkers we saw over the last 10 years, based on how much they made us squeal and/or mug in our own living room(s) over the last decade. No stats, no documentation besides a sordid past and lots of YouTube'ness, no way to prove that I'm wrong or right.

I'm right, though. You'll see. Click the jump for the 10 finest dunkers of the last decade.

10. James White(notes)

White played a total of 10 games in the NBA over the course of this decade, long enough to grab himself a fancy sombrero as a member of the 2007 San Antonio Spurs. That's enough, you know. Don't believe me? Click.

9. Shaquille O'Neal(notes)

You want anything to do with him? Seriously? Look at Tayshaun Prince's(notes) face. He might not be tossing it through his legs, but there's no stopping the Dah-day when he's deep in the paint.

8. Josh Smith(notes)

A bit of an airhead but, well, we kind of like that. Lovely windmills and all sorts of fantastic two-hand flushes for Smith, who probably couldn't provide you with the full names of more than two of his assistant coaches, but can dunk from the free throw line with two hands.

7. Amar'e Stoudemire(notes)

He may not go for it as much as he used to, but Amar'e will dunk on you. He'll also give you a sound showing in the 2005 dunk contest, he'll give up 42 points to Al Jefferson(notes), and he'll still dunk on you. Good to know.

6. Andre Iguodala(notes)

Absolutely and utterly robbed in the 2006 dunk contest. We love Nate Robinson(notes), he nearly made this list, but AI blows him out of the water overall. Too much hops, too much range, too many moves.

5. LeBron James(notes)

James may have the biggest vertical in the NBA, but he doesn't pull off a lot of shocking work in the air. Doesn't really need to, if we're honest, as his ability to sky and essentially have his entire forearm and elbow above the rim as the ball goes down constantly leaves us shaking our heads, and his opponents muttering.

4. Jason Maxiell(notes)

He eats babies, you know. Good god, look at that picture! Look at the confusion in Hedo Turkoglu's(notes) face! Look at how gobsmacked Rafer Alston(notes) is! Look at the sheer terror and fear in Dwight Howard's(notes) mug!

3. Jason Richardson(notes)

Quite creative, willing to pull off full 360s in game action, and sort of a mini-Dominique Wilkins. That's good enough for us.

2. Dwight Howard

Yeah, he gets his head above the rim. A good chunk of the time, actually. He's the only guy on this list, that I can recall, who has actually beat a team on a last second shot that was actually drawn up for him to dunk. That doesn't happen very often.

1. Vince Carter(notes)

Not only did VC do that to Frederic Weis(notes), but ...

Well, he did that to Frederic Weis. That's enough for a top five inclusion.

Carter goes at people. He ticks us off, but he still goes at people. Always has.

Give him a good knee to the thigh, bump him in the shoulder, give his ankle a tweak, remind him of Evil Knievel's crash at Caesar's Palace, and he'll lay on the floor for eight minutes, while teammates indifferent crowd around him, and the television station carrying the game is forced to go to a commercial. It's annoying as hell.

Don't provide him with a supporting cast he feels accurate? If he's in Toronto, he'll sulk and loaf. In New Jersey, he'll play strong and inspired. Go figure. It's annoying as hell.

Tell him that he could add four more points per game to his scoring average if he just drove more, getting to the line a la Dwyane Wade(notes). Try it. He won't do it. It's annoying as hell.

Vince Carter is annoying as hell. On that, we can all agree.

But he can dunk. And he's gotten everyone.

Weis. Dikembe Mutombo(notes). Alonzo Mourning(notes), repeatedly. The Pacers, the Celtics, the whole flippin' NBA.

Not only is he the best dunker of the last decade, he's the best of all time. And that's someone with Michael Jordan bedsheets talking.

It's annoying as hell, but VC can throw down. Bow down.

Questions? Comments? Furious and righteous anger at a world, not to mention top 10 list, gone wrong? Swing by later today at about 2 p.m. Eastern for a BDL mini-chat regarding this very list.

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563 Comments

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  1. Gordon
    1. Posted by Gordon Fri Sep 11, 2009 1:00 pm EDT

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    fyay
  2. Ariunbat
    2. Posted by Ariunbat Fri Sep 11, 2009 1:00 pm EDT

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    Jason Maxiell in Top 5, wtf??? can't you find someone else? there are plenty of guys better than Maxiell. I'm not saying he is not a good dunker but not the best.
  3. bullseye2
    3. Posted by bullseye2 Fri Sep 11, 2009 1:00 pm EDT

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    What no bird man? this list is rigged.
  4. Christian
    4. Posted by Christian Fri Sep 11, 2009 1:01 pm EDT

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    100% agree vince carter the best dunker ever no question hands down
  5. tim
    5. Posted by tim Fri Sep 11, 2009 1:03 pm EDT

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    VC is by far the greatest. or should I say the most acrobatic dunker of all time..
    good list.. i'm sure most won't agree about maxiell, but he sure has the potential..
    i personally think TMac should have been in cause he was great early in the decade
    I know kobe is great, but not as great as these dunkers above( other than maxiell lol)
  6. paolo
    6. Posted by paolo Fri Sep 11, 2009 1:04 pm EDT

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    before anybody say "how about dominique wilkins?".. for the NTH TIME, this is for THE LAST TEN YEARS ONLY!
  7. julius
    7. Posted by julius Fri Sep 11, 2009 1:04 pm EDT

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    jason maxiel? how bout kmart or kobe or dwade?
  8. Albert
    8. Posted by Albert Fri Sep 11, 2009 1:05 pm EDT

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    nice list.....i guess........Jason maxiell at number 4?? over 9 thru 5?(that's rite.......9 thru 5)
  9. Albert
    9. Posted by Albert Fri Sep 11, 2009 1:06 pm EDT

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    nice list.....i guess........Jason maxiell at number 4?? over 9 thru 5?(that's rite.......9 thru 5)
  10. J.L
    10. Posted by J.L Fri Sep 11, 2009 1:06 pm EDT

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    VC hands down! no one else comes close but why is lebron ranked that low?
  11. j_tip6
    11. Posted by j_tip6 Fri Sep 11, 2009 1:07 pm EDT

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    it has maxiell... but not kobe?
    it has maxiell... but not In His Prime mcgrady?
    it has... Maxiell???
    It also has some NCAA guy... the 'james white' character.... is this a parody list?
  12. Hambone
    12. Posted by Hambone Fri Sep 11, 2009 1:08 pm EDT

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    If you were going to end the list with a non-impact player, how the hell did you not pick Gerald Green?
  13. j_tip6
    13. Posted by j_tip6 Fri Sep 11, 2009 1:09 pm EDT

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    Bird man cannot dunk. see highlights from dunk contests
  14. A P
    14. Posted by A P Fri Sep 11, 2009 1:10 pm EDT

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    List is terrible. Jason Maxiell. lol. You could of at least put Desmond Mason instead Maxiell.
  15. MikeyD137
    15. Posted by MikeyD137 Fri Sep 11, 2009 1:11 pm EDT

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    Really?
    No T-Mac on this list???
    His dunk on Shawn Bradley alone, and his days in Orlando should let him on this list
  16. Lakers R back
    16. Posted by Lakers R back Fri Sep 11, 2009 1:14 pm EDT

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    Am i seeing things or is that a little black cowboy boot in the Dwight Howard dunk pic??
    Its like one of those wierd "what does not belong picture"...
  17. Jeo C
    17. Posted by Jeo C Fri Sep 11, 2009 1:15 pm EDT

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    Maxiell ?! No KRYPTONATE? =))))))))
  18. Blake
    18. Posted by Blake Fri Sep 11, 2009 1:16 pm EDT

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    maxiell???? how did he get on this list, there are plenty of guys not on this list that are better than him. Where is gerald green??
  19. probably wrong
    19. Posted by probably wrong Fri Sep 11, 2009 1:17 pm EDT

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    you found a way to put alston in a list, i'm pleased.
    however, no desmond mason? I am clearly outraged.
  20. Jeo C
    20. Posted by Jeo C Fri Sep 11, 2009 1:18 pm EDT

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    Maxiell ?! No KRYPTONATE? =))))))))
  21. kavan s
    21. Posted by kavan s Fri Sep 11, 2009 1:18 pm EDT

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    Terrible list aside from VC number 1. Maxiel?!?! SHAQ?~? Are u kidding me??? Goodness KD...
  22. Travis
    22. Posted by Travis Fri Sep 11, 2009 1:20 pm EDT

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    I'd have Gerald Green on here over Maxiell and Shaq. Being big and thunderous doesn't entertain me, and that's all Shaq can bring to the rim.
  23. Benny
    23. Posted by Benny Fri Sep 11, 2009 1:22 pm EDT

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    If your going to toss James White on the list because of the potential to dunk, just not necessarily in game action, you have to go with the Ham Slamwich, Darvin Ham.
  24. Travis
    24. Posted by Travis Fri Sep 11, 2009 1:23 pm EDT

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    I'd put J Rich over Dwight Howard, too. Richardson's performances in dunk contests were second best this decade next to VC -- those two guys are at a whole different level from Howard.

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