One does not have to hold on to Steph Kerry's jersey to know that the NBA has long since become a league of threes on the purity of its gifted shots, but even today, in 2022 there is probably nothing more exciting than a thunderous imprint on Big Man's naive face or athletic creativity on Toby's open field The Flying.
Until recently the annual All-Star Game competition was the seasonal dessert of the league we had all eagerly awaited.
The biggest names in the game from Michal, the Doctor, Vince and Kobe, made sure to take part and increase their myth of winning the acrobatic title.
These days have gone extinct along with the physical game, the disc man and the dinosaurs, leaving us starless contests with names like: Obi Topin and Cole Anthony who will try to land some impression in the upcoming contest on Friday.
This is exactly the time to leap back a bit and rank the ten greatest sinkers in the history of the game.
10. LeBron James
is amazing that even though he immediately puts out 37 candles on the cake and carries after him 19 years of intimate encounters with the ring, King James still provides us with highlights on a weekly basis from his powerful dunks.
At his athletic peak he was a combination of power and explosiveness like we had never seen before - his low ranking on the list comes only because of a certain lack of creativity and the fact that contrary to what he promised early in his career he never took his talent to compete in rings.
Another reason why he will never get Michael as the greatest of them all.
LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, Photo: Reuters
9. Zack Levin
has another aerial show on the ceiling of the United Center that is not called Jordan, and it belongs to the graceful flying of the Bulls who still have enough years left to rewrite it, despite past serious injuries that have slightly shelved the takeoff ability.
Zack's ringing resume in games is light years away from the rest of the guys here on the list, but one can not remain indifferent to the two ringing competitions he won in 2015 and 16, where he provided a circus show that in terms of the dunk's difficulty and creativity is perhaps the most impressive ever.
Zack Levin, Photo: AFP
8. Clyde Drexler
is a name that does not really get the historic resonance it deserves both as a star and as one of the great sinkers who have burned Sinkers.
The nickname "The Glade" (fading) is already the barcode to understand what is inside the package.
Flying full of style that made it in the faces of players, in the open field and also in some of the ring competitions that failed to make a mark.
Unfortunately, here too he flew in the wrong years that the rest of the focus went to Michael and left Clyde without the fame he so deserves.
Clyde Drexler (right), Photo: Reuters
7. The young Kobe Bryant
and the entrenched narrative remember the mamba peace be upon him in his adult version as number 24, which is mostly full of fade away and killer instinct, but enough a quick visit to YouTube to be mesmerized by the young version of number 8 with the afro and rare athleticism.
Kobe in his early years was the complete acrobatics show, a cruel ring raptor and showcasing an elegant charm in the open field with a variety of dunks.
Also includes winning the 97-star All-Star ring competition in his rookie year, just to add the decoration that this is one of the greatest ever in this field as well.
Kobe Bryant, Photo: Reuters
6. Blake Griffin
is a little embarrassed to see Blake's aging and measured version of the current era in Brooklyn, but we're here to remind you that he's one of the greatest dancers ever and probably from the turn of the millennium, and a tangible nightmare to some of his victims.
Griffin of his early years in the Clippers was the complete aerial show that can not even be found in the circus.
He drowned on everything and above all, including Kia in disabled parking at the 2011 ring competition that added him the coveted title.
Blake Griffin, Photo: Reuters
5. Sean Kemp
Perhaps the number one virtuoso in this whole spectacular list, Seattle's "Rainman" was his juggler would have made his moves from the 90s in today's era would redefine the term viral sensation.
From the moment he got to the league from high school Camp was a unicorn of the rings who did things in the air some of which have not been restored to this day.
At a height of 2.8m of compressed athleticism, he would have finished perhaps the best Halle Hop of all time (and thanks to Gary Peyton) and also left a mark in several ring competitions even though he never won a trophy there.
4. Dr. G
is the one whose quality of viewing today in his big moves is a bit faded and smooth even in black and white, does not in any way dampen the respect that goes to the Doctor as the founding father of the dunk phenomenon and also win the mythological symbol that wrote the phenomenon.
Irving was the first original and flying player to try out games that no one even dared to fantasize about.
The huge palms allowed him to hold the ball as if it were a washed peach and do with it whatever he wanted in the air.
The Doctor provided the inspiration for those who came after him with the famous dunk from the penalty line in aba's competition in '77 and may be responsible for the biggest dunk ever to rock the ball to sleep on the face of the stunned Michael Cooper.
Dr. J., Photo: AP
3. Dominic Wilkins
No one would have gone out to demonstrate if we had placed him in first place, but Dominic would settle for a bronze medal after a very close battle.
His nickname "The Human Hi-Lits Machine" tells almost the whole story, and it's enough to click the play button of some mix of rings on the net to understand why the Hawks' pink is the drowning guru to this day.
The erupting power, the famous windmill, the tip-in rings from the board and countless victims who were intimately familiar with the term "humiliation" thanks to it, tell only part of the story.
Dominic also pampered us with a number of ring competitions (including two wins in 85 and 90) and one legendary battle against Michael in that 88-a-side competition in Chicago where many believe he should have won.
Dominic Wilkins, Photo: AP
2. Michael Jordan
It's a little weird to rate this man as number two in anything that communicates with an orange ball, but Michael will have to forgive us this time.
Air Jordan is a binding nickname that to this day sells sneakers and clothing brands in hundreds of dictionaries and for a reason.
Michael was the most delightful flying in the history of the game, the rings more reminiscent of ballet performances and also quite a few dunks on the faces of a host of big men (Hi Ewing and Mo Tambo) and walks in the open field that to this day continue to excite even those watching for the thousandth time.
Michael of course could not continue to sell posters without getting the final seal as a jet without taking over the competition and he did so times in 87 and 88 (after losing in 85) including that famous dunk from the penalty line that continues to adorn the walls of quite a few houses as well Over thirty years later.
Michael Jordan,
1. Vince Carter
Before Vince landed in the arena did not even really believe that the Danker restoration would overshadow Michael and Domenick, but ask Frederick Weiss' scalp and he will probably report to you why he still suffers from anxiety attacks every time someone mentions that name.
"Air Canada" reached the Raptors just before the end of the millennium and left an entire league gaping for the set.
Naturally like him he was not and it is doubtful he will ever be restored.
Unimaginable level of difficulty, ability to drown out anyone standing in the way and piles of moves that can provide hours of mixes for anyone who wants to experience the phenomenon again.
Carter in his early years was perhaps the most amazing thing we saw in the aerial sector, but even in his later years he showed us that the springs in the legs are still preserved.
His official rank as the greatest of them all he of course received at that memorable competition in Auckland in 2000 which showed us things that the wildest imagination did not even dare to reach.
We believe his name will remain at the top of the major currency rankings even at the league's 120th anniversary celebrations.
Vince Carter.
Above All, Photo: Jed Jacobsoh / Allsport
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