A Detailed Overview of the ABA / NBA Slam Dunk Contest's History

Introduction

The NBA Slam Dunk Contest, officially recognized as the AT&T Slam Dunk Contest, is a prestigious competition that takes place annually during the NBA All-Star weekend. According to Sports Illustrated, this event has become a revered halftime entertainment, second only to the necessity of restroom breaks.

Originating from the American Basketball Association (ABA) during its 1976 All-Star Game in Denver, this contest kicked off with Julius “ Dr. J” Erving of the New York Nets claiming the first victory. Following the ABA's merger with the NBA later that year, the competition transitioned into the NBA for the 1976-1977 season.

The professional slam dunk contest didn't return until 1984. Over the years, its format has varied, including fan voting through text messages up until 2014, to decide the champion of the final round. The current titleholder of the Slam Dunk Contest is Mac McClung , representing the Osceola Magic.

1976 ABA Slam Dunk Contest

The inaugural Slam Dunk Contest took place on January 27, 1976, at McNichols Sports Arena in Denver during the halftime of the 1976 ABA All-Star Game, before the finalization of the ABA-NBA merger . Facing financial struggles and competing for viewers against the NBA, the ABA introduced the slam dunk contest as a creative strategy to attract a national audience.

In the documentary Remember the ABA, Jim Bukata shared, “One day, while brainstorming ways to increase attendance, we had an epiphany… it was really Julius (Erving) who inspired us by highlighting that we were the league for dunkers. Thus, we thought, 'Let’s organize a contest.' It genuinely stemmed from a casual conversation among three individuals brainstorming ideas to sell more tickets.”

Bukata was the ABA's director of marketing and public relations. Present in that pivotal meeting were also Jim Keeler, the league's finance director, along with Carl Scheer , who was the general manager of the hosting team, the Denver Nuggets.

Each player was required to follow a specific format, executing five dunks in a two-minute timeframe, pausing the clock after each attempt to devise their next move. Among the mandatory dunks was one from a stationary position underneath the basket and another from ten feet away in the foul lane. The remaining three dunks were freestyle : one from the left of the basket, one from the right, and one from either corner down the baseline.

At the event, it was clarified that the contestants would be evaluated on their artistic expression, body movement, audience reaction, and creativity, with each category allowing a maximum of 10 points. The Denver Nuggets and KHOW radio station sponsored a total prize pool of $1,200.

Five competitors took part in the event, starting with Artis “A-Train” Gilmore from the Kentucky Colonels, followed by George “Iceman” Gervin from the San Antonio Spurs, Larry “Special K” Kenon (also from the Spurs), David “Skywalker” Thompson of the Denver Nuggets, and concluding with Julius “Dr. J” Erving from the New York Nets.

Thompson, a rookie and the shortest contestant, shared, “Since my hands weren’t large enough to palm the ball, I opted to cup it. I’d grip it with my left hand and raise it above the rim, then use my right hand to slam it down. Very few could replicate this; I heard Wilt Chamberlain could do something similar, but I’ve never seen it. It wasn’t just about jumping high; you needed hang time, the ability to float while making the slam.”

Thompson concluded his routine with a stunning 360-degree dunk, marking the debut of this trick. Although he fouled on one of his dunks, Gervin was also unsuccessful on two attempts during the contest.

Every contestant needed to execute a dunk from ten feet, but “Dr. J” marked his approach from the free-throw line, which is 15 feet away. He successfully made a dunk from the free-throw line, thereby winning the competition. He later remarked, “I aimed to perform an impressive, soaring move that would excite the fans.”

Erving noted that his favorite dunk of the evening was by Thompson, who “came from the corner, executed a 360-degree spin mid-air, and slammed it, scoring a 50 by anyone's standard .” An esteemed basketball historian claimed, “The 1976 Slam Dunk Contest marked a pivotal moment in basketball history. David Thompson and the other ABA athletes were true forerunners, elevating basketball to what it has become today.”

1976 - 1977 NBA Slam Dunk Contest

In 1976, Arthur Erhat applied for a patent on an innovative rim that could bend but then quickly revert to its original position, which significantly minimized the risk of breaking backboards, thereby making dunking safer.

Following a ten-year hiatus, the NBA reinstated dunking during regular play for the 1976-1977 season. That year, NBA it also conducted its first Slam Dunk Contest as a one-time, season-long event, which paralleled the subsequent NBA Horse contest. Each game’s halftime featured a head-to-head slam dunk showdown.

The event featured 22 participants across various venues, one representing each team in the league, including future Hall of Famers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar , Alex English , Julius Erving, George Gervin, Elvin Hayes , Moses Malone, and David Thompson.

Former ABA athlete Darnell “Dr. Dunk” Hillman emerged victorious that season, defeating Larry McNeill of the Golden State Warriors in the championship round on June 5, 1977, in Portland, which took place during halftime of the playoff's ultimate game. Despite receiving the winners' $15,000 check, Hillman did not receive a trophy until 2017.

1980’s

In 1984, the NBA permanently reintroduced the Slam Dunk Contest at the All-Star Weekend in Denver, the original site of the event. Phoenix's Larry Nance triumphed over the inaugural winner, “Dr. J”, in the finale.

Dominique Wilkins clinched the crown the following year, but history was made in 1986 when his Atlanta Hawks teammate Spud Webb defeated Wilkins in the finals, thereby preventing him from retaining the title. At just 5 feet 6 inches tall, Webb remains the shortest player to win the contest.

The Chicago Bulls' Michael Jordan won back-to-back dunk contests in 1987 and 1988. His 1988 victory over Wilkins in Chicago culminated with a flawless dunk from the free-throw line, resulting in his third win of the NBA Slam Dunk Contest. However, commentators acknowledged that Wilkins received an unusually low score for his impressive third dunk, a score of only 45, allowing Jordan to claim victory by a mere two points with a perfect 50.

To this day, the controversy surrounding “home cooking” continues, especially regarding the event's location (held on M. J’s home court, with one of the judges being former star Gale Sayers , and another, Tom Hawkins , being a local Chicagoan). Until the 2020 competition, it was often considered the most debated dunk contest. Chicago Bears Disagreements persist over whether Wilkins’ third dunk deserved a higher score than 45, and whether Jordan’s second dunk, which tallied a 47, was indeed more creatively impressive than Wilkins' third attempt.

The following year in Houston, the New York Knicks' Kenny “Sky” Walker , a last-minute fill-in due to the recent death of his father, defeated the hometown favorite, Clyde Drexler of the Portland Trail Blazers, who was widely seen as the leading contender given that previous champions like Larry Nance, Michael Jordan, and Dominique Wilkins weren't competing this year.

The 1986 Dunk Champion, Webb, finished in third place, while Shelton Jones took the fourth spot. Although Nance, Jordan, and Wilkins participated in the 1986 NBA All-Star Game, Nance and Jordan opted not to compete due to minor injuries, while Wilkins sat out due to a hand injury.

In 1990, Dominique Wilkins of the Atlanta Hawks narrowly defeated Kenny Smith from the Sacramento Kings to secure his second NBA Slam Dunk Contest title, having previously bested the legendary Michael Jordan in his first victory. Smith impressed with high scores for his unique dunk, which involved bouncing the ball backward off the backboard before executing a reverse dunk.

1990’s

A Comprehensive Overview of the ABA and NBA Slam Dunk Contests

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2000’s

The Extensive Background of the ABA/NBA Slam Dunk Contest

The NBA Slam Dunk Contest, officially recognized as the AT&T Slam Dunk Contest, is an annual competition organized by the National Basketball Association during the All-Star weekend. Sports Illustrated praised it, stating, " It's the most innovative halftime entertainment since restrooms were introduced. \"

This contest was initiated by the American Basketball Association (ABA) during its All-Star Game in Denver in 1976. Julius " Dr. J Erving from the New York Nets emerged as the victor. Following the merger of the ABA and NBA later that year, the event transitioned to the NBA for the 1976-1977 season.

After a significant gap, the next professional slam dunk contest did not take place until 1984. Over the years, various formats have been utilized, including fan voting through text messages to decide the winner of the final round prior to 2014. Currently, the champion of the Slam Dunk Contest is Mac McClung from the Osceola Magic.

The inaugural Slam Dunk Contest occurred on January 27, 1976, at McNichols Sports Arena in Denver, coinciding with halftime during the final ABA All-Star Game before the completion of the ABA-NBA merger. Facing financial difficulties and competing for an audience against the NBA, the ABA devised the contest as a strategy to capture national attention.

In a retrospective account titled Remember the ABA, Jim Bukata shared, "One day, while brainstorming ways to increase our audience, the idea hit us. Julius (Erving) inspired us, stating we were the league of dunkers. This led us to suggest hosting a contest. It was that straightforward—three colleagues simply discussing how to boost ticket sales.\"

Bukata held the position of marketing and public relations director for the ABA, while the other participants in the conversation were the league's finance director Jim Keeler and Carl Scheer , the general manager of the Denver Nuggets who were hosting the All-Star event.

The original format required each contestant to perform five dunks in a two-minute timeframe, with the clock paused after each shot to plan subsequent attempts. Among these, one dunk had to be performed while standing directly below the basket, while another was from ten feet away within the foul lane. The remaining three dunks were free-style during the competition , with one approaching from the left side, one from the right, and the last from either corner along the baseline toward the hoop.

Participants were evaluated based on their artistic expression, fluidity of movement, crowd engagement, and creativity, earning scores of up to 10 points in each category. Prizes totaling $1,200 were made available by the Denver Nuggets and KHOW radio station.

Among the five contestants were Artis "A-Train\" Gilmore from the Kentucky Colonels, who kicked off the competition, followed by George "Iceman\" Gervin from the San Antonio Spurs, Larry "Special K\" Kenon also from the Spurs, David "Skywalker\" Thompson representing the Denver Nuggets, and concluding with Julius "Dr. J\" Erving from New York Nets.

David Thompson, who was not only a rookie but also the event's smallest participant, explained, "Since I didn’t have large hands, palming the ball was difficult for me, so I would cradle it. I held it using my left hand between my palm and forearm and lifted it above the rim before powering it in with my right hand. Few could execute that move; I heard Wilt Chamberlain was capable of it, but I’ve never witnessed it myself. It’s not just about jumping high; you also need hang-time to elevate and execute the dunk.\"

Thompson concluded his performance with a 360-degree twist dunk, a first in the contest’s history. Although he missed one dunk attempt which resulted in a score of zero, Gervin also faltered on two of his own attempts.

2010’s

All athletes were required to score from a height of ten feet; however, "Dr. J\" began his run from the free throw line, which is 15 feet away. He executed an impressive dunk from that distance, clinching the victory. He later remarked, " I aimed to deliver a spectacular play that would rise above the crowd and get them excited. I initiated my approach from the half-court and made sure to finish decisively.\"

Erving mentioned that Thompson’s dunk from the corner, where he executed a 360-degree spin before slamming the ball, was his favorite of the night, calling it 50 by anyone's standards . A notable basketball historian reflected, "The 1976 Slam Dunk Contest was pivotal in basketball history. David Thompson and other ABA players were true trailblazers, elevating basketball to its current stature.\"

In 1976, Arthur Erhat secured a patent for an innovative rim design that had some flexibility yet would instantly return to its original shape, greatly enhancing the safety of dunking by reducing the risk of shattering backboards.

Following a 10-year prohibition , the NBA resumed allowing dunks in regular gameplay for the 1976-1977 season. That same year,

conducted its first Slam Dunk Contest as a special season-long event, akin to the NBA Horse competition held in the subsequent season. Each game featured a one-on-one dunk challenge during halftime.

A total of 22 participants showcased their dunking skills across various venues, representing each league team—including future Hall of Famers such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar , Alex English , Julius Erving, George Gervin, Elvin Hayes, Moses Malone , and David Thompson.

Former ABA player Darnell "Dr. Dunk\" Hillman won that season, triumphing over the Golden State Warriors’ Larry McNeill in the championship round on June 5, 1977, in Portland during halftime of the final playoff game. Though he took home the winner’s check for $15,000, Hillman did not receive a trophy until 2017.

The NBA permanently reinstated the Slam Dunk Contest as a standalone event during the All-Star Weekend in 1984, returning to its roots in Denver. Larry Nance from Phoenix outperformed the original ABA/NBA Slam Dunk champion, "Dr. J\", in the grand finale.

Dominique Wilkins claimed victory in the contest the following year, but in 1986, his Atlanta Hawks teammate Spud Webb surprised everyone by defeating Wilkins in the finals, making history as the shortest player at 5 feet 6 inches to ever win the contest—a record that remains unbroken.

Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls achieved consecutive wins in the 1987 and 1988 dunk contests. In 1988, he bested Wilkins in Chicago, finishing with a perfect 50-point dunk from the free throw line for his third consecutive Slam Dunk Contest title. However, it was noted that Wilkins received an unusually low score of 45 for his remarkable third dunk, paving the way for Jordan’s victory by a narrow margin. Milwaukee Bucks\" To this day, claims of "home cooking\" surround this event, considering it took place on M.J.’s familiar court, with one judge being former star Gale Sayers and another, Tom Hawkins , a Chicago native. Until the competition in 2020, it remained one of the most contentious dunk contests ever held.

Ongoing discussions focus on whether Wilkins' third dunk deserved a higher score than 45 and whether Jordan’s second dunk, rated a 47, showcased greater creativity compared to Wilkins’ third attempt.

The subsequent year in Houston, Kenny "Sky\" Walker from the New York Knicks, a last-minute addition due to the recent passing of his father, shocked the audience by defeating the Portland Trail Blazers' Clyde Drexler , who was favored as the local hero. Notably, previous champions such as Larry Nance, Michael Jordan, and Dominique Wilkins did not participate that year.

Slam Dunk Contest Champions (1976 to 2023)

The 1986 champion Webb concluded the contest in third place, while Shelton Jones landed fourth. Even though Nance, Jordan, and Wilkins participated in the 1986 All-Star Game, both Nance and Jordan opted out of the dunk contest due to minor injuries, and Wilkins sat it out due to hand issues.

Year	Host City	Player	Team
1976	Denver	Julius Erving	New York Nets
1977	Milwaukee	Darnell Hillman	Indiana Pacers
1984	Denver	Larry Nance	Phoenix Suns
1985	Indianapolis	Dominique Wilkins	Atlanta Hawks
1986	Dallas	Spud Webb	Atlanta Hawks
1987	Seattle	Michael Jordan	Chicago Bulls
1988	Chicago	Michael Jordan	Chicago Bulls
1989	Houston	Kenny Walker	New York Knicks
1990	Miami	Dominique Wilkins	Atlanta Hawks
1991	Charlotte	Dee Brown	Boston Celtics
1992	Orlando	Cedric Ceballos	Phoenix Suns
1993	Salt Lake City	Harold Miner	Miami Heat
1994	Minneapolis	Isaiah Rider	Minnesota Timberwolves
1995	Phoenix	Harold Miner	Miami Heat
1996	San Antonio	Brent Barry	Los Angeles Clippers
1997	Cleveland	Kobe Bryant	Los Angeles Lakers
1998	New York City	N / A	N / A
1999	Philadelphia	N / A	N / A
2000	Oakland	Vince Carter	Toronto Raptors
2001	Washington D. C.	Desmond Mason	Seattle SuperSonics
2002	Philadelphia	Jason Richardson	Golden State Warriors
2003	Atlanta	Jason Richardson	Golden State Warriors
2004	Los Angeles	Fred Jones	Indiana Pacers
2005	Denver	Josh Smith	Atlanta Hawks
2006	Houston	Nate Robinson	New York Knicks
2007	Las Vegas	Gerald Green	Boston Celtics
2008	New Orleans	Dwight Howard	Orlando Magic
2009	Phoenix	Nate Robinson	New York Knicks
2010	Dallas	Nate Robinson	New York Knicks
2011	Los Angeles	Blake Griffin	Los Angeles Clippers
2012	Orlando	Jeremy Evans	Utah Jazz
2013	Houston	Terrence Ross	Toronto Raptors
2014	New Orleans	John Wall	Washington Wizards
2015	New York City	Zach LaVine	Minnesota Timberwolves
2016	Toronto	Zach LaVine	Minnesota Timberwolves
2017	New Orleans	Glenn Robinson III	Indiana Pacers
2018	Los Angeles	Donovan Mitchell	Utah Jazz
2019	Charlotte	Hamidou Diallo	Oklahoma City Thunder
2020	Chicago	Derrick Jones Jr.	Miami Heat
2021	Atlanta	Anfernee Simons	Portland Trail Blazers
2022	Cleveland	Obi Toppin	New York Knicks
2023	Salt Lake City	Mac McClung	In 1990, Dominique Wilkins of the Atlanta Hawks narrowly won his second NBA Slam Dunk Contest against Kenny Smith from the Sacramento Kings. His first victory in this competition came at the expense of the legendary Jordan. Smith earned high marks for inventiveness when he executed a signature dunk that involved bouncing the ball behind his back off the floor before catching it mid-air and reverse dunking.

Sources:

A Comprehensive Look at the ABA and NBA Slam Dunk Contest History , nba.com, February 18, 2024.

Written by: Michael Shackleford