Editing Slam dunk (section)

=== Slam Dunk Contest era ===
The first-ever Slam Dunk Contest was held on January 27, 1976 at [[McNichols Sports Arena]] in [[Denver]] during halftime of the [[1976 ABA All-Star Game]], the league's final All-Star game before the completion of the [[ABA–NBA merger]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Sheehan Jr |first=Vinny |date=February 16, 2018 |title=Reliving the first Slam Dunk Contest with David Thompson |url=https://247sports.com/college/north-carolina-state/Article/Reliving-the-first-Slam-Dunk-Contest-with-NC-State-legend-David-Thompson-115187422/ |access-date=2022-07-18 |website=Pack Pride |language=en-US}}</ref> Erving defeated Thompson in the championship round, after leaping from the free-throw line. The other participants were [[Artis Gilmore]], [[George Gervin]], and [[Larry Kenon]]. 

The NBA held its first Slam Dunk Contest as a one-off, season-long event similar to NBA Horse event held [[1977–78 NBA season|the following season]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Dr. Dunk Rates His Competition |url=http://www.nba.com/pacers/news/hillman_dunkers_050920.html |website=[[NBA.com]]}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |last=Medworth |first=Whitney |date=2017-03-08 |title=Darnell Hillman won the NBA dunk contest in 1977. He finally got his trophy |url=https://www.sbnation.com/nba/2017/3/8/14864396/darnell-hillman-nba-dunk-contest-in-1977-finally-got-a-trophy |access-date=2022-07-18 |website=SBNation.com |language=en}}</ref> During halftime at each game, there was a one-on-one slam dunk competition.<ref name=":10">{{Cite web |last=Dwyer |first=Kelly |date=March 9, 2017 |title=1977 NBA Slam Dunk champ Darnell Hillman is finally given a trophy, 40 years later |url=http://sports.yahoo.com/news/1977-nba-slam-dunk-champ-darnell-hillman-is-finally-given-a-trophy-40-years-later-204834425.html |access-date=2022-07-18 |website=sports.yahoo.com |language=en-US}}</ref> Former ABA player [[Darnell Hillman|Darnell "Dr. Dunk" Hillman]] was named the winner that season. Although he received the winner's $15,000 check, Hillman did not receive a trophy until 2017.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite news |date=June 12, 1977 |title=For Dunk Contest: Hillman Shirt Different |pages=5C |work=The Victoria Advocate |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=861&dat=19770612&id=4UdgAAAAIBAJ&sjid=D3ENAAAAIBAJ&pg=5416,2412756 |access-date=July 18, 2022 |via=Google News}}</ref>

====Modern era====
The Houston Cougars from 1982 to 1984, with [[Hakeem Olajuwon]] and [[Clyde Drexler]], were known as [[Phi Slama Jama]]. The national champion [[1981–82 North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball team|1982 North Carolina Tar Heels]] also featured two notable dunkers: [[James Worthy]] and [[Michael Jordan]].

[[Larry Nance]] won the first modern dunk contest in 1984. [[Spud Webb]] at {{convert|5|ft|7|in|m|abbr=on}} defeated {{convert|6|ft|8|in|m|abbr=on}} [[Dominique Wilkins]] in the 1986 dunk contest.  

Michael Jordan nicknamed "Air Jordan" for his dunking ability, popularized a dunk referred to by some fans as the "Leaner" in 1987 contest. This dunk was so called because Jordan's body was not perpendicular to the ground while performing the dunk. TNT viewers rated it "the best dunk of all time" over Vince Carter's between-the-legs slam.{{citation needed|date=September 2014}} In the 1988 [[National Basketball Association|NBA]] [[Slam Dunk Contest]], which came down to [[Michael Jordan]] and Dominique Wilkins, Jordan dunked from the free-throw line, much like Erving, but parted his legs making his dunk arguably more memorable than [[Julius Erving|Erving's]]. 

Twice in his rookie season ({{nbay|1992}}) during games, center [[Shaquille O'Neal]] dunked so hard that he broke the hydraulic support of one goal standard (against the [[Phoenix Suns]]) and broke the welds holding up another goal standard, causing the basket to break off and fall to the floor (against the [[New Jersey Nets]]), although in neither case did the glass break. This resulted in reinforced backboard supports as well. During that same season, New Jersey's [[Chris Morris (basketball)|Chris Morris]] shattered a backboard in a game against the [[Chicago Bulls]] (the most recent shattered-backboard incident in the NBA to date).
[[File:Kobe Bryant dunking 2013.jpg|thumb|left|[[Kobe Bryant]] dunking in 2013]]
In the 1996 [[National Basketball Association|NBA]] [[Slam Dunk Contest]], winner [[Brent Barry]] dunked from the free-throw line. Barry received 49 (out of 50) for the dunk.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3toFlRh0_J8 1996 Brent Barry Dunk From The Freethrow Line]</ref> [[Kobe Bryant]] won the 1997 Dunk Contest.

====2000–present====
[[Vince Carter]] dunked while leaping over 7-foot-2 (2.18 m) French center [[Frédéric Weis]] in the [[2000 Summer Olympics]]. The French media dubbed it "''[[le dunk de la mort]]''"—"the dunk of death".<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Wallace |first1=Michael |last2=Peterson |first2=Rob |date=2015-09-25 |title=In a single bound: Oral history of Vince Carter's greatest dunk |url=https://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/13713188/after-15-years-saw-vince-carter-leap-frederic-weis-sydney-believe-witnessed |access-date=2019-06-12 |website=ESPN}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Gould |first=Andrew |date=2018-02-15 |title=Relive Vince Carter's Iconic Dunk over Frederic Weis in the 2000 Olympics |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2759678-relive-vince-carters-iconic-dunk-over-frederic-weis-in-the-2000-olympics |access-date=2019-06-12 |website=Bleacher Report |language=en}}</ref> In the 2000 dunk contest Carter used an elbow hang along with his reverse 360 windmill dunk (reminiscent of Kenny Walker's 360 windmill dunk in 1989 except that Carter spins clockwise, whereas Walker spins counter-clockwise) and between-the-legs dunk. When performed, much of the audience was speechless, including the judges, because none had seen these types of dunks before.

In the 2008 Sprite Rising Star's Slam Dunk Contest [[Dwight Howard]] performed the "Superman" dunk. He donned a [[Superman]] outfit as [[Orlando Magic]] guard [[Jameer Nelson]] tied a cape around his shoulders. Nelson [[alley-oop]]ed the [[basketball]] as Howard jumped from within the [[Key (basketball)|key]] side of the free throw circle line, caught the ball, and threw it through the rim. This dunk is somewhat controversial, as his hand was not over as well as on a vertical plane to the rim. Some insist that it should in fact be considered a dunk because the ball was thrust downward into the basket, meeting the basic definition of the dunk.

During the 2009 NBA dunk contest, Howard had a separate goal brought onto the court, and the rim was noticeably significantly higher than a standard goal. Howard, after going into a 1950s-era telephone booth and again fashioning the Superman attire, caught a pass from Nelson and easily completed a two-handed dunk on the higher goal. While this was not performed for record-setting purposes, the dunk received a perfect score and a warm response from the crowd, in part because of its theatrics. Also in this contest, 5'9" guard [[Nate Robinson]] wore a green [[New York Knicks]] jersey and green sneakers to represent [[Kryptonite]], playing on Howard's Superman theme. He used a green "Kryptonite" ball, and jumped over the 6'11" Howard prior to dunking. This dunk and the theatrics could have won the competition for Robinson, who was voted the winner by the NBA fans. Robinson then thanked Howard for graciously allowing him to dunk over him, asking the crowd to also give Howard a round of applause.

More recently, [[Los Angeles Clippers|the Clippers]] earned the nickname "Lob City" from 2011 onwards, with [[Chris Paul]] utilizing alley-oop passes regularly to teammates [[Blake Griffin]], and [[DeAndre Jordan]].

[[JaVale McGee]] currently holds the world record for Most Basketball Dunks in a Single Jump: three. While competing in the 2011 NBA Sprite Slam Dunk Contest, McGee jumped with two balls in his possession and dunked each prior to receiving and slamming an alley-oop pass from then teammate [[John Wall]].<ref>{{cite web |date=19 February 2011 |title=Most basketball dunks in a single jump |url=http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/10000/most-basketball-dunks-in-a-single-jump |access-date=8 September 2016}}</ref>

In the 2016 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, [[Zach LaVine]] dunked from the free throw line on three occasions: One Hand, Windmill, and Between the Legs. All of the Dunks received a score of 50 for the dunk and won the Dunk contest.