#MJMondays

Compete fearlessly.

Michael Jordan.
Chicago Bulls.

Feb. 12, 2000 – There was a man, a ball and a disregard for the laws of gravity

In a performance widely regarded as one of the greatest ever, Vince Carter regaled basketball fans with a dazzling display of dunks that many of us had never seen before.

His opening dunk—a ridiculous 360 windmill flush—was just a harbinger of things to come. Soon after that came a modified version of J.R. Rider’s memorable “East Bay Funk Dunk” with some assistance by his then-teammate (and cousin) Tracy McGrady.

And then there was the “honey dip”—a feat so amazing that it took a few seconds for those watching to actually process what they had just seen.

Shortly after his final dunk in the first round, the former Toronto Raptors swingman waved his hands in front of his chest in the classic “it’s over” motion. None of us had any idea at the time that he was also signaling an end to the Slam Dunk Contest as we knew it.

Long before there was “Linsanity”, there was “Vinsanity.” And long before his aerial display in a building now known as the Oracle Arena, Carter had a reputation for SportsCenter-quality dunks that dated back to his time at the University of North Carolina.

His Hall of Fame credentials can—and will—be debated for years. What can’t be questioned is that for one February evening, Vince Carter restored glory to a competition that was once the crown jewel of All-Star Weekend.

Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it), Carter’s victory changed the game forever. Every dunk that was done in successive years paled in comparison to what we saw that night from the man known as “Half-Man, Half-Amazing.”

These days, the Slam Dunk contest is just a shell of its former self, a far cry from the epic battles of the late 1980s. Carter set the bar so ridiculously high that recent competitors have resorted to all kinds of props and skits in an effort to impress the judges.

Paul George wore a glow-in-the-dark jersey, while Chase Budinger embraced his inner Billy Hoyle in a nod to the movie White Men Can’t Jump. A few years ago, Blake Griffin jumped over a Kia Optima while being flanked by a gospel choir.

Thirteen years ago, there wasn’t the need for any gimmicks. On February 12, 2000, there was just a man, a ball and a blatant disregard for the laws of gravity.

Video Highlights of Vince Carter Slam Dunk Contest 2000

article via bleacherreport.com

Feb. 8, 1986 – Spud Webb wins the 1986 NBA Slam Dunk Competition

Anthony Jerome “Spud” Webb was born July 13, 1963, in Dallas, Texas. Throughout his life, Webb had to prove himself as a basketball player due to his relatively small stature. As a high school player, he averaged 26 points per game and was one of 10 students out of 5,000 selected to the All-State team; however, his size prevented him from being recruited for Division 1-A colleges. Instead, he attended Midland Junior College in Texas, where he led his team to victory in the 1982 junior college championship. He then caught the attention of the coaches at North Carolina State University, where he went on to play for two years.

Despite a strong college career, his size initially kept him from making the NBA and after graduation he played in the U.S. Basketball League. In 1985, he had a successful tryout with the Atlanta Hawks and joined the team. Webb played six seasons with the Hawks, followed by stints with the Sacramento Kings, the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Orlando Magic.

One of the most memorable events of Webb’s career was his dunk contest win, which took place on February 8, 1986, at the NBA All-Star Game Weekend in Dallas. Webb, the shortest player to ever participate in the competition to that time, went up against men who were, in some cases, a foot taller. In the end, size didn’t matter. Webb dazzled the crowd with his soaring dunks and bested teammate Dominique Wilkins, who had won the 1985 contest by beating Michael Jordan. (The NBA’s first slam dunk competition was held in 1984.)

Webb retired from basketball in 1998, after 12 seasons in the NBA. He was said to have paved the way for other height-challenged NBA players, including 5’5” Earl Boykins and 5’3” Muggsy Bogues. In 2006, 5’9” Nate Robinson of the New York Knicks became the second-shortest player to emerge victorious in the NBA slam dunk contest. Spud Webb was on hand in Dallas for the event and during one dunk, Robinson jumped over him and put the ball through the hoop.

via history.com

Feb. 6, 1988 – 25 years ago MJ won his second consecutive Slam Dunk Contest

Basketball fans had been waiting for the MJ / Dominique Wilkins rematch since 1985. Injuries had derailed the Dunk Contest meet-up in 1986 and ‘87, but in 88, Michael and the “Human Highlight Reel” put on a classic duel.

Jordan’s victory over Wilkins in 1988 in Chicago finished with a perfect 50-score dunk from the free-throw line for his third dunk to win the contest. However, the announcers did note that Wilkins was given abnormally low score for his breathtaking third dunk, a 45, allowing Jordan to win it by 2 with his perfect 50. To this day, the allegations of “home cooking” still float around surrounding the event – it was held on Jordan’s home court; one of the judges was former Chicago Bears star Gayle Sayers; and another judge, former NBA star Tom Hawkins, is a Chicago native – and is considered arguably the most controversial of the slam dunk competitions. With this victory, Jordan became the first player to win the dunk contest two years in a row.

Scores from the 1988 Dunk Contest:

FIRST Round:
Michael Jordan(Chicago): 94 (47+47)
Dominique Wilkins (Atlanta): 96 (49+47)
Clyde Drexler (Portland): 88 (44+44)
Otis Smith (Golden State): 87 (40+47)
Jerome Kersey (Portland): 79 (41+38)
Greg Anderson (San Antonio): 76 (42+34)
Spud Webb (Atlanta): 52 (34+18)

SEMIFINALS:
Michael Jordan(Chicago): 145 (50+48+47)
Dominique Wilkins (Atlanta): 143 (49+47+47)
Clyde Drexler (Portland): 133 (45+42+46)
Otis Smith (Golden State): 109 (45+22+42)

FINALS:
Michael Jordan(Chicago): 147 (50+47+50)
Dominique Wilkins (Atlanta): 145 (50+50+45)

Highlights from Michael Jordan vs Dominique Wilkins 1988 Finals:

Vinsanity. Air Canada. Half-Man, Half-Amazing.

This. Is. Athletic Poetics.