Observe, the flinch right before take-off. The single instance where all time space, and matter suspends for that climactic monster jam. The holy grail of slam dunks that gives a new meaning to getting ‘posterized’. And for anyone on the receiving end of this grade A facial, chances are, it ain’t pretty. But for those of us watching from the sidelines, we revere that element of surprise that leads to nothing but a face-full of hangtime. While the Bills of the world are repeating, “Throw it down big man” and the Hubies recap it as “This was an elevation, elevation”, these are the dunks that keep us fired up for more. What better time to let it reign than during the pivotal playoffs? Check out these legendary dunks that continue to bring out the OOOH’s and AHHH’s no matter how many times you hit it up on the replay.

Scottie Pippen dunks on Patrick Ewing (1994)


John Starks dunks on the Chicago Bulls (1993)

Michael Jordan dunks on Patrick Ewing (1991)

Baron Davis dunks on Andre Kirilenko (2007)


Shawn Kemp dunks on Alton Lister (1992)

Kevin Johnson dunks on Hakeem Olajuwon (1994)

Kobe Bryant dunks on Steve Nash (2006)

LeBron James dunks on Rasheed Wallace (2007)

Tracy McGrady dunks on Shawn Bradley (2005)

Vince Carter dunks on Alonzo Morning (2006)

Michael Jordan dunks on Dikembe Mutombo (1997)

Robert Pack dunks on Shwan Kemp (1994)

LeBron James dunks on Kevin Garnett (2008)


Latrell Sprewell on Jaren Jackson (1999)

Flip Murray dunks on Kirk Hinrich (2007)

LeBron James dunks on the Washington Wizards (2008)


Kobe Bryant dunks on the Minnesota Timberwolves (2004)

Michael Jordan dunks on Alonzo Morning (1993)


Shaquille O’Neal dunks on Arvydas Sabonis (2000)

Michael Jordan dunks on Alan Ogg (1992)

Robert Horry dunks on Richard Hamilton (2005)


Michael Jordan dunks on Rony Seikaly (1992)

Shawn Kemp dunks on the Golden State Warriors (1992)

Amare Stoudamire dunks on Stromile Swift (2005)


Michael Jordan dunks on Bill Laimbeer (1989)

Clyde Drexler dunks on Sean Elliot (1995)

Carmelo Anthony dunks on Michael Finley (2007)

Shaquille O’Neal dunks on the Portland Trail Blazers (2002)

LeBron James dunks on the Detroit Pistons (2009)

Kobe Bryant dunks on Paul Millsap (2009)

Joakim Noah dunks on Paul Pierce (2009)