Who had the best slam dunk in the history of the NBA Slam Dunk contest?
If you ask Chicago Bulls star Zach LaVine, the crown for the single-best dunk in the 40-plus-year history of the competition belongs to Aaron Gordon, now of the Denver Nuggets.
“I think Aaron had the best dunk of the night,” LaVine told NBC Sports Chicago’s K.C. Johnson ahead of the Bulls’ 117-96 win over Gordon’s Nuggets on March 8. “I really do. In fact, that is probably the best dunk in dunk contest history,” LaVine said. “But I had probably the next five best dunks.”
That aggregate is why LaVine won back-to-back Slam Dunk Contests in 2015 and 2016.
LaVine told Johnson the first victory was a “cakewalk” and that he would have been fine sharing the mantle with Gordon in 2016.
Gordon would compete in two contests only to fall short both times, the second coming against Bulls forward . who won it all in 2020 while with the Miami Heat. After that last defeat, Gordon vowed after feeling as though he should have won twice already but was robbed.
He left the window open for that to change this season saying that he would have participated if he was named an All-Star which did not happen. Still, his duel with LaVine is considered to be among the best contests ever.
Best dunk contest ever? 👀
Back in 2016 Zach LaVine & Aaron Gordon went head-to-head in the Slam Dunk Contest! ✈️
— NBA UK ()
“I think the (2016) one is the best one ever as far as creativity, guys stepping up and making dunks that probably haven’t been seen before and the level of competition,” LaVine said. “It was fun. I don’t think either one of us knew what the other one had in store. How it unraveled with us going back and forth with these (perfect score) 50s and no misses, it was something to watch. Being a part of it, and going back and watching it now, is crazy.”
Former NBA veteran Vince Carter‘s performance in 2000 might be the only one to top it.
LaVine noted that he and Gordon had known each other from AAU ball and …read more
Source:: Heavy.com