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AJ McKenzie
  • 2 days ago
Last episode of the series available and a fun one
IG: aj_mckenzie416
Twitter: AJMckenzie94847
Transcript
00:04Welcome to ESPN Classics, Who's Number One?
00:07I'm Trey Wingo.
00:08Our topic on this day is those who accelerate, elevate, levitate, and detonate.
00:14And that's the end of the rhyming.
00:16This is a celebration of the dunk and those who throw them down.
00:19The windmills, the tomahawks, the two-hand jams.
00:22Look, dunking is an art form.
00:24And we're about to present the lords of the rim,
00:26the 20 most spectacular dunkers in NBA history.
00:29But hold on.
00:31One note, dunk contest not included.
00:34We're keeping this pure.
00:40Anybody can dunk in a slam dunk competition.
00:43But if you're able to get your dunks off against competition,
00:46that's where I give a lot of guys credit for it.
00:49A dunk, to me, it gets you going.
00:51You could be having a bad game and you catch a dunk
00:53and it just gets you flowing and gets your juices flowing.
00:56Go!
00:59You got different kind of dunkers.
01:01You got guys that dunk hard.
01:03You got guys that dunk finesse.
01:04You got guys that dunk with flair, charisma, passion.
01:08It's kind of like when you write a sentence.
01:09You know, some sentences end in a period.
01:12Then some sentences end in an exclamation point.
01:14That's a dunk.
01:15It's an exclamation point.
01:30Steve got sneaky hot.
01:32He was bouncing crazy in college.
01:34And he can jump so high that even though he can't palm on a bar,
01:37he can still get something real quick.
01:41Steve has unbelievable balance.
01:43It's very rare that you see teams throwing lobs for your point guard in game in traffic.
01:50At 6'3", Steve Francis is the shortest dunker on our list
01:54and has to soar higher than the rest.
01:56That's not a problem.
01:57When you have that adrenaline rush and you're just going up on maybe one or two people.
02:02The state of Maryland won the state of Maryland's finest.
02:06You know, your eyes get humongous.
02:08And, you know, the goal is wide open just like if you're on fire.
02:11And once you're up there, you just feel great.
02:13It doesn't matter if you're 7 foot.
02:16He's going to go and try and go up through you.
02:17And most of the time it's one of those,
02:18oh, he's not going to try and dunk.
02:20Oh, he's not going to, oh, no, he's in the air.
02:22And then it's just pretty much a wrap.
02:25If you watch how you play, you know what I mean?
02:27The dunk is just the icing on the cake.
02:31You got to go like this.
02:32Or a dunk.
02:44Harold Miner's.
02:46Who?
02:47His career was a little overhyped.
02:49You know, they called Harold Baby Jordan
02:51and then he didn't, like, quite get there.
02:53He could do all the dunks that Michael could do.
02:56You know, unfortunately, his career didn't go in the same direction.
02:59But, you know, he was a very athletic to dominate in college.
03:03He's the only guy that's in the middle of the river.
03:06Clam!
03:08He's a fun guy to watch at USC.
03:10One of those guys in traffic in college
03:12and he just grew up in a ram and he had three or four people
03:15hanging on his arms.
03:16Mr. Miner driving down.
03:17Clam!
03:19In college, Harold Miner made the rim sing.
03:22In the NBA, his dunk...
03:23Oh, Harold Miner.
03:24Oh, yeah.
03:24No, no, no, no, no.
03:25He was a decent player.
03:26Yeah.
03:27...concerts tended to precede the games.
03:30I played with Harold in Miami.
03:31He just couldn't believe his athletic ability.
03:34He didn't get to play a whole lot,
03:35so he saw a lot of his dunks and warm-ups,
03:37and I'm telling you, they were amazing.
03:40One of my great mysteries in basketball,
03:42whatever happened to baby Jordan?
03:45I've Googled Harold Miner,
03:47and I can't find out what happened to him,
03:49but he could dunk.
03:50He was a showman.
03:53He was a showman.
04:00Amari Stoudemire?
04:01You don't have been playing five years.
04:03Here we go!
04:07Amari Stoudemire's like a young pogo stick,
04:09because whenever he goes up,
04:11you know, he's going to come down hard.
04:12Oh, Amari Stoudemire!
04:15Elevating and detonating!
04:16The amazing thing about Stoudemire
04:18is that he catches it,
04:19and he's got great body control,
04:21and he'll just turn and just monster,
04:23and there's nothing you can do.
04:24Although Amari Stoudemire went directly
04:26from high school to the NBA,
04:28he was already a full-grown man
04:30when it came to power slam.
04:32Animal, he's a beast.
04:33Like, he tries to dunk everything.
04:35He tries to dunk on everybody.
04:39Go around him.
04:40Whoever he can go around here,
04:42jump over him.
04:43He can jump over him,
04:44he jump through him.
04:45And he's still going to throw it down,
04:47like, real hard.
04:50He's fearless.
04:51He doesn't care.
04:52You know, he's not throwing all the cameras.
04:54And it's just something sickening, you know?
04:59Ooh!
05:00Stoudemire has won!
05:02When he threw it down,
05:03it was like,
05:05all I do is like,
05:06I kind of shook my head.
05:07He can get off the ground quick,
05:09he can run, push the ball,
05:10he can take one, two dribbles,
05:12he can burp, dunk,
05:13but he's also so creative
05:14with everything that he does.
05:19Number 717.
05:25Daryl Griffith was like David Thompson.
05:28He was...
05:28Mr. Duncan's dying.
05:29Molly was explosive.
05:31He was a guy that was surprising.
05:33He'd go up in the middle
05:34and get his dunks off
05:36when he was a big guy,
05:37so he was pretty impressive.
05:391976 was the year of the dunk
05:41and the funk.
05:436'4 Daryl Griffith enrolled at Louisville
05:45as the dunk was being reinstated
05:47at college basketball.
05:49And when funk legend George Clinton's song
05:51Dr. Funkenstein became a hit,
05:53a colorful nickname soon emerged.
05:56It was perfect timing
05:57to have an exciting part of the game
06:00installed back into the game.
06:02And we came up with the whole
06:04Dr. Dunk scenario
06:05and it all spun off
06:07with my name, Dr. Duncanstein,
06:08and we just kind of ran with it.
06:10People would guess
06:13because of the size
06:15and the ability to hang
06:17in the air
06:18and then the thunder.
06:20You would have to say,
06:21oh, wow,
06:22that kid can really go.
06:24Griffith can really jam him.
06:26You've got to have a guy
06:27who's given the ability
06:28to be able to jump.
06:30And then with that,
06:31it comes to creativity
06:33which brands you.
06:473, 2, 1.
06:49Ryder.
06:50He is Baby Shaq.
06:531, we've got liftoff!
06:55Isaiah Ryder,
06:56when he first came to the NBA,
06:58he was looking at basketball
06:59so hard there in Minnesota
07:00that it was unreal.
07:01He just had big man ups.
07:03A guy could fly
07:03and he had another innate ability
07:06of being able to finish
07:07on top of people.
07:08I'm 6'6",
07:09and his ability to do
07:10the things he can,
07:11I just,
07:11I didn't understand it.
07:12But another guy
07:13who could just get up
07:13and do some crazy things
07:15in the air.
07:16And to Ryder.
07:17Buckle up!
07:18Oh!
07:19Anything on the breaks,
07:20he would take off
07:20from a long way out.
07:22And, you know,
07:23usually just a one-hand,
07:24cock it back,
07:25throw it down,
07:26pretty hard guy.
07:27For those who vainly
07:28tried to defend him,
07:30Isaiah Ryder would swoop
07:31to the hoop
07:31and celebrate
07:32with a defiant tongue.
07:34Ryder was a tremendous dunk.
07:36He's a great showman.
07:37People like to watch it.
07:38He's just so fundamentally flawed
07:40as a player
07:41and didn't care
07:42because all he wanted
07:43to do was make
07:43the highlight reel.
07:47On our return,
07:49we'll highlight
07:49some golden oldies
07:50and some young guns.
07:51Who's number one?
08:03Kevin's like coffee.
08:04You know,
08:04he's high on octane.
08:06Kevin Garnett?
08:07Really?
08:09Looking inside,
08:10Robinson.
08:10Oh, Garnett!
08:12His arms are that long.
08:14He's 6'11".
08:16He says he's supposed
08:17to dunk like that.
08:19I mean,
08:21I don't know
08:23if he's an all-time
08:23great dunker.
08:25He's an energy guy.
08:26I mean,
08:27he's the 7-foot Red Bull.
08:28Kevin Garnett
08:29has height and hops
08:31and wingspan
08:31plus energy and exuberance.
08:33His dunks
08:34are destructive
08:35works of art.
08:36Lobby Garnett
08:37to kill!
08:38Oh, Kevin,
08:40how a boosted!
08:41His dunks are
08:41exciting
08:42because he puts
08:44flair to it.
08:44When he goes up,
08:45his goal is to try
08:46to tear the rim off.
08:47I remember as a kid
08:48watching him.
08:49I mean,
08:49he kind of
08:50scared you out there
08:51when he dunked.
08:51He's out there
08:52talking to himself
08:52and pounding on his chest
08:54and everything.
08:55He's not the strongest,
08:55most physical player,
08:57but no one's
08:58going to block his dunk.
08:58No one's going to get
08:59in his way
08:59because he's just
09:00going there
09:01with such,
09:01you know,
09:02a ferocity.
09:04one of Garnett's
09:06most emotional dunks
09:07came during
09:07the Timberwolves'
09:08home opener
09:08of the 2000-2001 season
09:10when the jersey
09:11of former
09:20team-mate Malik
09:21Seeley was retired.
09:23Seeley had died
09:24in a car accident
09:24the previous spring.
09:26During the National
09:26Athletic,
09:27I heard him saying
09:28this game's for you.
09:29This game's for you,
09:30Malik.
09:32And I remember
09:33somebody took a shot
09:35and missed it
09:36and Kevin grabbed
09:38this rebound
09:39in the air
09:40like with one hand
09:41and slammed it down.
09:45Looked up at
09:46Malik's banner
09:47like that's for you.
09:50It's one of the most
09:51amazing dunks
09:53I ever saw.
10:13like three or four years
10:14when this came out.
10:16He shouldn't have
10:17been on the list.
10:17He should have been
10:18on the list like
10:20five years later.
10:21Wade amazes me.
10:22He's one of those
10:23guys that wheeze
10:24in and out of
10:25shape and just
10:26rises up on you.
10:29He's gonna go
10:30get a dunker.
10:31Like I'm in there.
10:31I'm here.
10:32I ain't going nowhere.
10:33I'm gonna dunk it
10:34a hundred times
10:34if you let me dunk it
10:35a hundred times.
10:35If you don't let me dunk it
10:37I'm gonna dunk it
10:37on you anyway.
10:40Even though he's
10:41one of the little guys,
10:42he's a guy who
10:43attacks the basket
10:44and attacks it
10:45with vengeance.
10:45He has no fear
10:46of going to the
10:47his gracefulness
10:49and his ability
10:50to slam the basketball
10:52on par with
10:53anybody that's ever played.
11:12Larry Nance
11:13was a great dunker
11:15because although
11:15he was tall
11:166'10
11:17he moved like a guard
11:19and he still had
11:20the fluidity
11:21to do things
11:22in the air
11:22the dipsy do's
11:23that you don't see
11:25in the big man.
11:26Larry Nance
11:27was one of the
11:28top big dunkers
11:29and I think
11:29he's a guy
11:30that really don't
11:31give the credit
11:31that he deserves.
11:32Here he comes.
11:33There he goes.
11:34Whittle.
11:35Spidery and explosive
11:37Larry Nance
11:37first drew notice
11:38at Clemson
11:39then with the
11:40Suns and the Cavs
11:41for whom he
11:41rattled rims
11:42in a long
11:43and mostly
11:43unsung career.
11:46Dunkin' is an art
11:47and just like
11:48any great artist
11:51you have it
11:51or you don't
11:52and a guy
11:53like Larry Nance
11:54he had it
11:55especially when
11:56the alley-oop
11:57were thrown to him
11:58he could just
11:59go and get it.
12:02He was what
12:036'9", 6'10
12:04and the jump
12:06oh my gosh
12:07you know
12:08and he was strong
12:09with it
12:10and he had a
12:11little bit of style
12:12man what more
12:13can you ask for?
12:14To be 6'10
12:16in
12:16I don't know
12:17what he was
12:18250
12:19to be able
12:20to float like that
12:21I like when
12:22he float to the rim.
12:39That's my guy
12:40T-Mac
12:42he's explosive
12:43he's deceptive
12:44you know
12:45you don't think
12:45he's gonna get
12:45as high as he does
12:46but he just keeps
12:47going higher and high
12:48throwing him lobs
12:49was very easy
12:49because you could
12:50throw it basically
12:50anywhere
12:52he's gonna catch it
12:53and dunk it
12:55Tracy McGrady
12:56went from high school
12:57to Toronto
12:57where eventually
12:58he teamed
12:59with his cousin
13:00Vince Carter
13:01Tracy didn't like
13:02dunking
13:03but he can do it
13:04it's amazing
13:05he can take off
13:06a long way
13:07and just do something
13:08he didn't like
13:09dunking?
13:09no way
13:11I mean
13:12Vince Carter's
13:12not a liar
13:13but
13:15T-Mac did it
13:16like he liked it
13:17crazy stuff
13:18he's so smooth
13:18when he dunk
13:19but
13:20it's like
13:21when you
13:21T-Mac off
13:22then that's when
13:22the dunks
13:23is coming in
13:24where he's just like
13:25he's like waking up
13:26an angry giant
13:26like man
13:27you guys
13:27oh here it go
13:28what you want
13:29to see
13:29he is T-Mac
13:30and then Orlando
13:31one of the most
13:32impressive dunks
13:33I ever saw
13:34happening in an
13:35All-Star game
13:35Tracy McGrady
13:36just in the flow
13:37of the game
13:38threw him off the
13:39backboard
13:39and went to dunk
13:40and everyone's like
13:41what?
13:44I always wanted
13:45to be that guy
13:47to be the first
13:47to do it
13:48and do it
13:49on a big stage
13:50all the All-Stars
13:51around and you do
13:52something like that
13:53that's a dunk
13:54to remember
13:54I saw him do it
13:55first time he did
13:56I think it was
13:56in a pre-season game
13:57let me tell you
13:58he did it against
13:59when he was
13:59with the Magic
14:00I was hurt
14:01he did it
14:01in Orlando
14:02he threw it off
14:03the backboard
14:03and dunked it
14:04and I remember
14:04looking at me
14:05and kind of like
14:06winking
14:06like yeah
14:27I got to play
14:28with Connie
14:29when I was
14:29growing up
14:30he was Elgin
14:32after Elgin
14:33and Julius
14:34before Julius
14:35I've seen Connie
14:36since high school
14:37and this guy
14:38had hands
14:39like Julius
14:40Irving
14:40he could grab
14:42that ball
14:43like it was
14:43a grapefruit
14:44and he could
14:45make all kinds
14:46of moves
14:47as the ball
14:48is bouncing
14:48just a little bit
14:50above the foul
14:51he takes the ball
14:52in the air
14:53elevates
14:54goes down
14:54and whams it
14:55the oven out
14:56of the gym
14:56the place was empty
14:57that was it
14:58that's one of the
14:59greatest milks
15:00I've ever seen
15:01of all time
15:01the hook
15:03though innocent
15:04Connie Hawkins
15:05association with
15:06a point shaver
15:06cost him his
15:07college eligibility
15:08and led him
15:09to be barred
15:10from the NBA
15:10during most
15:11of his best years
15:12therefore many
15:13of his most
15:13electrifying flights
15:14of fantasy
15:15exist only in memory
15:17you know Doc
15:18on TV
15:18you saw him in the ABA
15:20you saw him in the NBA
15:21in those days
15:22TV didn't cover
15:23the hook
15:24Connie Hawkins
15:25was one of the
15:26great sorers
15:27and swoopers
15:28of all time
15:28who had that
15:29windmill dunk
15:30where he'd start a
15:30bout with a foul
15:31and hold the ball
15:32up and throw it
15:32down and throw
15:33his arms around
15:34nobody'd ever seen
15:35anything like
15:35Connie Hawkins
15:38and that's what
15:39we call
15:39a real legendary
15:40play
15:41and when you think
15:42that we never
15:43saw his best years
15:46it's sad
15:49shaved off at least
15:50three years
15:51of his prime
15:51and he's still
15:53in the hall of fame
15:57when we return
15:58with the best dunkers
15:59ever on who's
15:59number one
16:01number 10
16:03numero 10
16:10ooh
16:11my master piece
16:12was chocolate
16:13thunder flying
16:14robozine crying
16:15cats crying
16:16glass flying
16:16babies crying
16:17cats still crying
16:18babies flying
16:19rump roast
16:19bun toast
16:20and thinking
16:20where I'm in my
16:21MJ
16:22but I had the
16:23left-handed spine
16:24till the supreme
16:24the hot stopper
16:26the rim wrecker
16:26the cake shaker
16:27the baby maker
16:28had them all
16:31as kids
16:31you always try
16:32to go in the
16:33backyard
16:33and emulate
16:34girl documents
16:34you went to
16:35the 7 and 8
16:36foot rims
16:37and tried to do
16:38the chocolate
16:39vanilla
16:40raspberry
16:41banana float
16:42a 280 pound
16:43guy was like
16:44a
16:48high 30s
16:49low 40s
16:50vert
16:51broke the
16:52rim twice
16:53you were gonna
16:54fine him
16:54or he
16:55would have
16:56done it
16:56more times
16:59dunks
16:59there are a lot
17:00of guys who
17:00dunk
17:01but they don't
17:01have a number
17:02of dunks
17:03this guy had
17:04all kinds of
17:04dunks
17:05and then he
17:06would tell
17:06guys what he
17:07was gonna
17:07do to them
17:08and he would
17:08eventually do it
17:10outside of
17:10Shaquille O'Neal
17:11I don't know
17:11if anybody
17:12was as strong
17:13of this guy
17:14when he got
17:15the ball
17:15around the
17:15basket
17:16broken backboards
17:17are nothing
17:17new in
17:18basketball
17:20but they
17:22were a
17:22phenomenon
17:22in 1979
17:23when Daryl
17:24Dawkins
17:25created a
17:25shower of
17:26glass
17:26twice
17:32now as
17:33Daryl Dawkins
17:34tore the
17:34baskets down
17:35it forced
17:36the NBA
17:37to go and
17:38find the
17:39breakaway
17:40rims
17:40or you
17:41better have
17:42a lot of
17:42additional
17:43backboards
17:44available
17:44because I'm
17:45tearing him
17:45down
17:47Daryl Dawkins
17:48is the
17:49poster child
17:49for being
17:50able to
17:50dunk the
17:51ball
17:51with
17:51authority
17:52Dawkins
17:52dunked
17:53the ball
17:53that made
17:53you make
17:54a crazy
17:55face
17:55you be like
17:57damn
18:01he was a
18:02message
18:02dunker
18:03like
18:08I'm gonna
18:08show you
18:09this
18:09I may not
18:10do it
18:10the rest
18:10of the
18:10game
18:11I'm just
18:11gonna show
18:11you one
18:12to keep
18:13your memory
18:13intact
18:13I had
18:14to do
18:14something
18:15to let
18:15them
18:15know
18:15I was
18:16out
18:16there
18:16so
18:17child
18:17kid
18:17thunder
18:18was
18:18in
18:18the
18:18house
18:32Kobe has
18:33it all
18:34he's got
18:34the swagger
18:35he has
18:36style
18:36Kobe's one
18:37of those
18:37guys
18:37that when
18:38he gets
18:38in the
18:38open
18:38court
18:40when he's
18:41there
18:41alone
18:41he's not
18:41afraid
18:42to take
18:42a chance
18:47even in
18:48high school
18:49Kobe Bryant's
18:49elevator went
18:50all the way
18:50to the top
18:51in the pros
18:52Bryant helped
18:53bring showtime
18:54back to LA
18:56you get a lot
18:56of dunkers
18:57you can only
18:57attack from the
18:58front of the
18:59rim
18:59Kobe's best
18:59dunks are
19:00attacking from
19:01the baseline
19:01going to
19:02arm the
19:02basket
19:03coming up
19:03attacking the
19:04rim in a
19:05different angle
19:06that is
19:06unique
19:07for him to be
19:08able to take
19:08one dribble
19:09and all of a
19:09sudden boom
19:10he's up
19:10and he's
19:10at the
19:11basket
19:11and dunking
19:11he's fun
19:12to watch
19:16when he did
19:17that I ran
19:18out of my
19:18mom's
19:18house
19:18and ran
19:19up the
19:19street
19:19and yelled
19:20for like
19:2015 minutes
19:21and we had
19:22people watching
19:23whining
19:23every time
19:24it was
19:24it was
19:25unbelievable
19:27he's just so
19:28instinctive
19:29and he's
19:30creative
19:30because when
19:32you're up
19:32there for
19:327, 8, 9
19:34seconds
19:34it seems like
19:35you'd come up
19:36with something
19:43people don't
19:44talk about
19:44Kobe's
19:45greatness
19:45as an
19:46athlete
19:46his actual
19:47athleticism
19:48because
19:49compared
19:50to Jordan
19:51his idol
19:52he wasn't
19:53much of an
19:53athlete
19:54but compared
19:55to your
19:56other NBA
19:57players
19:58he was a
19:58great athlete
19:59another great
20:00athlete
20:01David Thompson
20:08David was
20:09truly awesome
20:10he was
20:11named
20:11Skywalker
20:11because it
20:12truly looked
20:13like he was
20:13walking on
20:14air at
20:15time
20:17one of the
20:17best things
20:18is to be
20:19able to get
20:19to the
20:19basket
20:20beat your
20:20defender
20:21and plus
20:22the fact
20:22that I had
20:23a 44 inch
20:23vertical leap
20:24and you
20:25know I
20:25could maneuver
20:26around in
20:26the air
20:29dunking was
20:29outlawed
20:30when David
20:30Thompson
20:31played at
20:31North Carolina
20:32State from
20:3272 to
20:3375
20:34so the
20:35Wolfpack
20:35improvised a
20:36way to use
20:36his special
20:37talent
20:37the alley-oop
20:39itself when
20:39David would
20:40do it
20:40successfully
20:41was as
20:42beautiful a
20:43play as
20:43there was
20:43in college
20:43basketball
20:44because he'd
20:45have to catch
20:45the ball and
20:46drop it
20:46over the
20:47basket
20:48that whole
20:48deal about
20:49pulling lobs
20:50for dunks
20:50that all
20:51started at
20:51North Carolina
20:52State
20:52with
20:53he had to
20:54have more
20:54hang time
20:55to do that
20:55because you
20:56had to be
20:56up there
20:57and reach
20:57the ball
20:58if he was
20:59just dunking
20:59it
21:00if they
21:01were allowed
21:01to
21:03all he had
21:04to do
21:04is this
21:04it takes
21:05more after
21:06to actually
21:07release the
21:07ball
21:11with David
21:11Thompson
21:12you never
21:12saw it in
21:13the pros
21:13before David
21:14Thompson started
21:14doing it at
21:15NC State
21:16he really is the
21:18guy who introduced
21:19the phrase
21:20vertical leap
21:21into the
21:22vocabulary of
21:23basketball
21:24there's nobody
21:25who had quite
21:26that ability to
21:27suddenly materialize
21:28above the rim
21:29and take an
21:30alley-oop pass
21:33in 1975
21:35Thompson went
21:36to Denver
21:36of the
21:37ABA
21:37and there
21:38freed from
21:39the no-dunk
21:39shackles
21:40he dazzled
21:41a year later
21:42Thompson and
21:43the Nuggets
21:43joined the
21:44NBA
21:44David Thompson
21:45could do
21:46things that
21:46even Julius
21:47Irving
21:47couldn't do
21:48David Thompson
21:49was a
21:49wunderkind
21:50David Thompson
21:51could leap
21:52out of the
21:52gym
21:56the rain
21:57man
21:57the glide
21:58and a king
21:58meet them
21:59when who's
22:00number one
22:00returns with
22:01the best
22:01dunkers of
22:02all time
22:15well LeBron's
22:16just a beast
22:17you know
22:18he really is
22:18LeBron dunks
22:19are so great
22:20because he
22:21does dunk
22:21contests
22:23dunks
22:23in an actual
22:24game
22:25and I think
22:25for a guy
22:26you know
22:27his size
22:28he's guys
22:32we always felt
22:33that when LeBron
22:33got in the
22:34open court
22:34he was like
22:39a runway
22:39freight train
22:39and he was
22:40impossible to
22:40stop
22:42even in high
22:43school there
22:44was a flare
22:44in the air
22:45when LeBron
22:46James revved
22:47up his jets
22:48he's just a
22:49man child
22:50the basketball
22:50is just a
22:51little
22:51key in his
22:52hand
22:52and the
22:53rim is just
22:54a nerf
22:55hoop
22:58he brings
22:59thunder
22:59and he brings
23:00excitement
23:02when LeBron
23:03James gets
23:04out in the
23:04open court
23:05you kind of
23:06feel you say
23:07what is he
23:08going to do
23:08what kind of
23:09dunk
23:10is he going
23:10to dunk
23:12he's a player
23:12to me
23:13that has
23:14amazing
23:15exciting
23:15dunks
23:16like the one
23:17he did on
23:18Damon Jones
23:18if I was Damon
23:19Jones we couldn't
23:20be friends
23:20anymore
23:20I'm not going to
23:22sign in Cleveland
23:22y'all can keep
23:23the money
23:24I'd rather just
23:25go somewhere
23:25else
23:25I can't be
23:26with this guy
23:27all the time
23:27the way he
23:28has done me
23:29so those are
23:30the kind of
23:30dunks that
23:31end friendships
23:54like three people
23:56I can see ahead
23:57of Sean Kemp
24:00and
24:00no
24:01no no
24:01four
24:03he can't be
24:03outside the
24:04top five
24:05not in 2007
24:10Sean Kemp
24:11he was kind
24:12of my area
24:13when he was
24:13young
24:13you never
24:14think he was
24:15going to get
24:15to the rim
24:15from how far
24:16he took off
24:17and
24:19the way
24:20he threw
24:20him down
24:20was amazing
24:24he kind of
24:25transcended
24:26the game
24:26with his
24:27the way
24:27he ran
24:27the floor
24:28the way
24:29he was
24:29sliced
24:29to the
24:29basket
24:30the way
24:31he was
24:31fearless
24:34it rains
24:35in Seattle
24:36you may have
24:36heard that
24:37and for eight
24:37flamboyant seasons
24:39Sean Kemp
24:39aka the
24:40rain man
24:41poured thunder
24:42and lightning
24:42through the
24:43nets
24:46I like to get
24:47the crowd
24:47into it
24:48and feed off
24:50the emotion
24:52his dunks
24:52were
24:53vicious dunks
24:54you know
24:55you get out of
24:56the way
24:56don't even try to
24:58block
24:58you're not gonna
24:58block
25:00the
25:00the
25:00lister
25:00the lister
25:00blister
25:01when he dumped
25:01the
25:02lister
25:02and then
25:02pointed at
25:03him
25:08it's like
25:09he lost
25:09his balance
25:10on
25:10perfect
25:10just so he
25:11can lean
25:11back and
25:12point at
25:12him
25:12at that time
25:13we had
25:13this slogan
25:13going around
25:14Seattle
25:14not in our
25:15house
25:15and that
25:16was my
25:16statement
25:17another time
25:18he dunked
25:19on Chris
25:19Gatlin
25:21after he dunked
25:22Gatlin had to
25:23dap him up
25:24after that
25:27he got you
25:28buddy
25:29Chris Gatlin
25:30had to give him
25:31his props
25:32you're embarrassed
25:32but you just
25:33gotta give
25:33his props
25:34like you know
25:34what
25:34you got
25:36the later
25:37guy y'all saw
25:37for you younger
25:38players
25:39the guy y'all saw
25:40in a couple
25:40of those teams
25:41the last couple
25:41years
25:42that ain't the
25:42rain man
25:42I'm talking
25:43about
25:45Magic
25:45Sean Kemp
25:46that's not
25:48that's not
25:48Sean Kemp
25:49that's just
25:50some
25:50fat guy
25:52the guy
25:53I'm playing
25:54Seattle
25:54that's the
25:55rain man
25:55I don't know
26:16I don't know
26:16I don't know
26:17if the glide
26:18can be
26:18above
26:19Sean Kemp
26:23he certainly
26:25belongs near
26:26top 5
26:26I don't know
26:27if he's above
26:28Sean Kemp
26:30Sean Kemp
26:30was 280
26:31doing what
26:32he was doing
26:34a great dunker
26:36he had a
26:36high vertical
26:37he was a
26:38slasher type
26:39guy that
26:39could come
26:40in and
26:40glide
26:41and take
26:42off from
26:42pretty far
26:43Clyde Drexler
26:44to me
26:45he started
26:46this
26:46new
26:47the new
26:48era
26:48of
26:49highlight
26:50dunks
26:50started
26:51at Houston
26:51at the
26:52five
26:52slamma
26:52jamma
26:53bunch
26:53we were
26:54watching
26:56Houston
26:56play
26:57Memphis
26:58State
26:58and Clyde Drexler
27:00jumped over
27:02Andre Turner
27:04and
27:05dunked
27:05he jumped
27:07over
27:07a guy
27:08and
27:09we all
27:09he starts
27:11screaming
27:11and running
27:12around the room
27:13because he
27:13couldn't believe
27:14he just saw
27:14that
27:19Clyde
27:20could dunk
27:21like
27:21Michael Jordan
27:22but it
27:24wasn't
27:24dynamic
27:24it
27:25was
27:26Clyde
27:27the
27:27Clyde
27:28and it
27:28was
27:28smooth
27:29and it
27:30fit in
27:30with him
27:31in reference
27:31to how
27:32he played
27:32the game
27:34he looked
27:35like he
27:35could walk
27:36on air
27:37he just
27:38floated
27:38to the
27:39basket
27:39and it
27:40looked like
27:40he always
27:41would keep
27:41floating
27:41when he
27:42took off
27:43Clyde was
27:43famous for
27:44dribbling
27:44all the way
27:45down the
27:45floor
27:45despite the
27:46fact
27:46that his
27:46head
27:47was
27:47completely
27:47down
27:48and at
27:48the last
27:48second
27:49he just
27:49would lift
27:49it up
27:50and swing
27:50to the
27:50air
27:50and dunk
27:51on you
27:51and if
27:52you watched
27:52it
27:52on tape
27:53you would
27:53swear
27:53the guy
27:54had no
27:54idea
27:54where he
27:55was
27:55on the
27:55court
27:56he's
27:56one of
27:56the greatest
27:57dunkers
27:57in history
27:58on any
27:59scale
27:59he was
27:59just one
28:00of those
28:00guys
28:00that
28:01you know
28:01didn't make
28:02a lot
28:02of noise
28:02but he
28:03just looked
28:03good
28:03doing what
28:04he did
28:04best
28:08we're down
28:09to our
28:09final four
28:10and when
28:10we return
28:11return to
28:12a safe
28:12distance
28:14for posterization
28:15he got
28:16one on
28:16the tumble
28:18when he
28:18went up
28:20went to
28:20the first
28:21level
28:21then he
28:22ended
28:23on
28:23the
28:23tenth
28:24floor
28:25Vince
28:25Carter
28:25in the
28:26Olympics
28:27jumping
28:27over
28:28Frederick
28:28Weiss
28:29now if
28:30you remember
28:30Frederick
28:31Weiss was
28:31drafted by
28:32the Knicks
28:32and then he
28:32got dunked
28:33on in
28:33the Olympics
28:34and he
28:34never got
28:35on the
28:35plane
28:35and came
28:36to play
28:36for the
28:36Knicks
28:37Vince
28:37remember when
28:38he dunked
28:39on
28:40Alazo
28:40it was
28:41crazy
28:42Carter
28:42dropped
28:47I was
28:47home that
28:48night
28:48just
28:48watching
28:48the
28:48game
28:48on
28:49TV
28:49and
28:50I
28:50remember
28:50my
28:50son
28:50was
28:50sitting
28:50in my
28:51lap
28:51and he
28:51jumped
28:51and he
28:51fell onto
28:52the floor
28:52because I
28:53was so excited
28:54to see that
28:54dunk
28:54because I
28:55just had never
28:55seen a better
28:56dunk in my
28:57entire life
28:57I'll never
28:58forget it
29:21that's half
29:22man half
29:22amazing
29:22stuff he
29:23does
29:23is not
29:24even real
29:25you know
29:26it's like
29:26it looks
29:27so effortless
29:27Vince
29:28Carter
29:29is probably
29:30the greatest
29:31dunker
29:32the NBA
29:33has ever
29:34seen
29:34Vince
29:34Carter
29:35there he
29:35goes
29:37when he
29:38attacks the
29:39basket
29:39you know
29:40what's coming
29:41and you know
29:42everybody
29:43just get out
29:44of the way
29:49growing up
29:50Carter became
29:50a student
29:51of the dunk
29:51studying tapes
29:52of the top
29:53aerialists
29:53incorporating
29:54their best
29:55flybys
29:55into his
29:56repertoire
29:59when a guy
29:59does a windmill
30:00you'll cradle
30:01a little bit
30:01with the
30:02you know
30:03kind of a
30:03cradle windmill
30:04you know
30:04for me
30:04I figure
30:05it's a little
30:05harder
30:06if you do
30:06the full extension
30:07arm fully
30:08extended
30:08because you
30:08have to
30:08bring
30:08it's more
30:09of a windmill
30:10you know
30:10like the word
30:11the thing
30:11the thing
30:11that makes
30:12him so
30:12unique
30:13is
30:14when he
30:14does
30:15that
30:15360
30:17backwards
30:17360
30:18usually
30:19they're going
30:20the other
30:20way
30:22for a right
30:23hander
30:23you're usually
30:24turning this
30:25way
30:25he's turning
30:26the opposite
30:27way
30:27which makes
30:28it much
30:28more difficult
30:29in my eyes
30:38we were in
30:39Indiana
30:40and
30:41he got the
30:43ball on the
30:43baseline
30:44and
30:45cuz
30:45got it
30:46and
30:47went from
30:47one side of the
30:49basket
30:49windmill
30:50on the
30:51other side
30:52of the
30:52basket
30:55you just
30:55think
30:56there's no
30:56way
30:56he's gonna
30:56be able
30:57to continue
30:57to go
30:58as high
30:58as he
30:58is
30:58and
30:59over
30:59somebody
30:59and
31:00before
31:00you
31:00know
31:00it
31:01he's
31:01at
31:01the
31:01rim
31:01slamming
31:02a wise
31:03man
31:03once
31:03said
31:03that
31:04he won
31:04the
31:04genetic
31:05lottery
31:05because
31:05he has
31:06a 60
31:07inch
31:07vert
31:07because
31:07he
31:08has
31:08freakishly
31:08long
31:08arms
31:09because
31:09he
31:09has
31:09a
31:09ridiculous
31:10amount
31:10of
31:10body
31:10control
31:10and
31:11hang
31:11time
31:11it's
31:12kind
31:12of
31:12like
31:12the
31:12perfect
31:12storm
31:13everything
31:13just
31:13came
31:13together
31:14you know
31:14when it
31:15came
31:15athleticism
31:15and it
31:16was
31:16kind
31:16of
31:16throwing
31:16all
31:17in
31:17his
31:17body
31:24when
31:27Dominique
31:29first came
31:30on the
31:30scene
31:31he took
31:31everything
31:31to the
31:32rack
31:33the
31:34power
31:34that he
31:35brought
31:35with his
31:36dunks
31:36he brought
31:37the house
31:37down
31:38when he
31:38dunked
31:38no matter
31:42what it
31:42is
31:42he's
31:42coming
31:43at you
31:43hard
31:43hundred
31:44miles
31:44per
31:44hour
31:44like a
31:45train
31:45going
31:45downhill
31:45with
31:46no
31:46brakes
31:46it's
31:47ferocious
31:47and
31:48when
31:49you
31:49can
31:49hear
31:49it
31:50you
31:50can
31:50feel
31:50it
31:53Dominique
31:53Wilkins
31:53brought
31:54champagne
31:54to
31:55dunk
31:56Dominique
31:56Wilkins
31:57is my
31:57number
31:57two
31:58all
31:58time
31:59for
32:00me
32:00I
32:00don't
32:00see
32:01a
32:01big
32:01three
32:03he
32:04would
32:04spiral
32:04like a
32:05corkscrew
32:05pop one
32:06and leave
32:07a trail
32:07of oohs
32:08and ahs
32:08if you
32:09consistently
32:10watch
32:11Atlanta
32:11Hawks
32:12games
32:12there
32:13inevitably
32:13would be
32:14two
32:14three
32:15four
32:15moments
32:16when
32:17Dominique
32:18Wilkins
32:18would do
32:18something
32:19that would
32:19just make
32:19your eyes
32:20just like
32:20leave your
32:21body
32:23he had
32:24the explosive
32:25boom and I'm up
32:27and then when he came down
32:28he came down with great power
32:29velocity
32:34Duncan for me was really just a tool
32:36that I used for intimidation
32:37it was just something I used to
32:39kind of put fear in people
32:41to back them up
32:42he was always
32:43in a position
32:45to make you a post-it job
32:47some of the putbacks you've seen
32:48off the misses
32:49just over three or four guys
32:50that were just standing there
32:51had no idea
32:52what had happened to him
32:53he would dunk on entire teams
32:55including his own teammates
32:56if they were in the way
32:57on an offensive rebound
32:59Dominique had it all
33:01they didn't call him a human
33:02highlight reel for nothing
33:04everything that guys do today
33:07they blow out of heat
33:21is there a doctor
33:24there's a doctor at the room
33:27Dr. J was the architect
33:28of the dump
33:29he set the standard
33:30revolutionized it
33:31Dr. J was just unbelievable
33:33big pro
33:35flying through the air
33:36he was just unbelievable
33:38dunking on everybody
33:39he was kind of like Houdini
33:40he can do anything you want
33:42with the ball when he's dunking
33:43Dr. J is probably
33:44the biggest guy
33:45that really wowed me
33:47still to me
33:47the top dunker
33:49in the history of this league
33:50when he was at UMass
33:51from 1968 to 71
33:53the anti-dunking rule
33:54handicapped Julius Irving
33:55but in the ABA
33:57his elegance and grace
33:59blossomed
33:59for people who never
34:01saw Dr. J in the ABA
34:03they have no idea
34:05now that's some statement
34:06they think they saw
34:07the real doc in the NBA
34:09in the ABA
34:11doc would turn
34:12your building against you
34:16it cost the 76ers
34:186 million to obtain
34:19Dr. J from the Nets
34:21in 76
34:22that may be considered
34:23the best money
34:24they ever spent
34:26he had them big mitts
34:27so he would pick
34:28the ball off the dribble
34:29and come down on you
34:31when Dr. J and I
34:32both went into
34:33the hall of fame
34:34together in 1993
34:35his hands were almost
34:36as big as his afro
34:39that helps
34:41every single one
34:42of his highlight videos
34:43were of him
34:45dunking on me
34:47I was never so embarrassed
34:48in my entire life
34:51in 1983
34:52he just cupped in
34:54Michael Cooper
34:55who doesn't
34:56back down from anything
34:57all of a sudden
34:58was putting his hands
35:00over his head
35:00because Doc's
35:01just like a freight train
35:03when he's in that position
35:06we were just sitting there
35:07like
35:07oh no
35:09cool
35:12Dr. J would embarrass you
35:14he wouldn't bash you
35:16players today
35:17once they put the ball
35:19on the floor
35:19they were going
35:20to the basket
35:21and their goal was
35:22to somehow
35:23dunk a basketball
35:24where did it start?
35:26it started with
35:26Julius Erving
35:31the pioneer
35:33Elgin Baylor
35:34helped
35:35but like
35:38Dr. J
35:39made dunking cool
35:4219 down
35:44on one left
35:44that's one
35:45as in
35:47number one
35:48one
35:49one
35:50two
35:50two
35:51two
35:52two
35:53three
35:55three
35:58Michael Jordan
35:59took
36:00he's an old time dunker
36:01I don't
36:02I don't know if he would be
36:03the number one
36:05one
36:06dunking
36:06to another level
36:08just for the simple fact
36:09is
36:10he gave us
36:11all the illusion
36:12that he could fly
36:15Michael
36:16is obviously
36:16one of the greatest
36:17leapers
36:18you know
36:18that ever played
36:19in this game
36:20and the power
36:21that he brings
36:22in his dunk
36:23you know
36:23is just amazing
36:26creativity
36:26style
36:28hang time
36:29he had it all
36:31my all time favorite
36:32from Michael Jordan
36:33has to be
36:34when he did
36:35rock the cradle
36:36every kid in America
36:37I think
36:37tried to rock the cradle
36:39but nobody could ever dunk
36:40and we all just lay it out
36:41he had a drive
36:42he had a
36:43a God-given ability
36:44to be able to dunk
36:45and
36:46he had a relentless ability
36:47to try to destroy
36:48his opponent
36:49by any means necessary
36:51so the one
36:52against the Pistons
36:53where he dunked
36:53on like
36:54three or four people
36:58I can remember
36:59standing on the basket
37:00one time
37:00when Michael
37:01was coming in
37:01from inside
37:02we were running down
37:03there to try to
37:04close him off
37:04and next thing I knew
37:05he was going by me
37:06and you know
37:08I mean his shorts
37:09were going right by my face
37:10and he dunks
37:11over Parrish
37:12and me
37:13Jordan one time
37:14dunked the ball
37:14over Johnny Stockton
37:16and the owner
37:18yelled at him
37:18why don't you do that
37:19against someone
37:20your size
37:22and Jordan
37:23heard the remark
37:25very next play down
37:26he steals the ball
37:27dunks on
37:28bum
37:28why don't you guard him
37:30with someone
37:30his size
37:32dummy
37:34what kind of take
37:35is there
37:39Mel Turpin
37:40is like seven foot
37:41turns around the mill
37:42he says
37:42he big enough for you
37:53it wasn't for nothing
37:54that he was called
37:54Air Jordan
37:55one of Michael Jordan's
37:56thunderclap dunks
37:57in New York
37:58is still held in awe
38:00me and Charles Oakley
38:01had him trapped
38:02in the corner
38:02and he did a half moon
38:04like he was getting ready
38:05to go back out
38:06to the spin
38:06but he spent
38:07back baseline
38:09this is incredible
38:10you
38:11an all time
38:12rim protector
38:14and I thought
38:15I thought
38:16they double guarded him
38:17he had his left hand
38:18I thought he had
38:19no left hand
38:20according to
38:22guy
38:22people
38:23on the internet today
38:27I didn't say anything
38:28in the back
38:29there was
38:30no dunk
38:31ever done
38:31that he wouldn't
38:32try
38:33as in
38:33all things
38:34Michael was
38:35in a class
38:36by himself
38:36or all
38:36by close
38:37to it
38:38he's
38:38the ultimate
38:39jump high
38:41jump low
38:42creative
38:42fly
38:43sky
38:43he just
38:44kind of did
38:45things the way
38:45he wanted to
38:46Michael
38:46brought a grace
38:47and elegance
38:49to dunking
38:50that the world
38:50had never seen
38:51some of the top dunkers
38:52in today's game
38:55get a lot of
38:55inspiration
38:56from those early days
38:57of MJ
38:59when he got the ball
39:00in his hand
39:00you expect
39:01something great
39:02to happen
39:02and you knew
39:04once he got in the air
39:06there was nothing
39:06anybody could do
39:07you just sit there
39:07and watch
39:08probably the most
39:09charismatic dunker
39:11in history
39:15if he was just
39:17a regular
39:18all time great
39:20or not that good
39:21at all
39:21would he still
39:22be number one
39:23on the list
39:23I doubt it
39:25he's on the list
39:26because
39:28he's number one
39:28on the list
39:29because he's the
39:29greatest player
39:30of all time
39:30we have all the footage
39:34I don't know
39:35if he's a better dunker
39:36than Dominic Wilkins
39:37and they play
39:38at the same time
39:40turn to the second
39:42guessers
39:42to assess our rankings
39:44ESPN.com's
39:45very own
39:45Scoop Jackson
39:46and ESPN
39:46the magazine
39:47Chris Broussard
39:49gravity bound
39:49both
39:51well
39:54it's like
39:54this is gonna
39:55do it for
39:57series
39:57who's number
39:58one
39:59last
40:00last available
40:01episode
40:01so
40:06it's
40:06pretty fun
40:09yeah
40:09you know
40:10thanks a lot
40:10we're going to
40:10see you
40:10because
40:11we're going to
40:11know
40:11you
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