1988 NBA Slam Dunk Competition | All-Star Saturday

1988 NBA Slam Dunk Competition | All-Star Weekend | Michael Jordan
It was the ultimate faceoff. It had been three years since Michael Jordan and Dominique Wilkins squared off in the All-Star Slam Dunk Contest. In the first matchup of the high-flying duo in 1985, Dominique edged out the Bulls rookie to win his first dunk title. Injuries prohibited the rematch of the two superstars in 1986 (Jordan) and 1987 (Wilkins).
This time around, Jordan had the homecourt advantage in the battle of the league's top two leading scorers. The 1988 All-Star Weekend was being held in Chicago Stadium, home of some of Michael's most spectacular dunks.
"Expectations in Chicago are out of this world," commented Willkins.
The duo withstood competition from 1986 champion Spud Webb, Houston's Otis Smith and Portland's high-flying Clyde Drexler to set the stage for the final showdown.
Michael and Dominique would not disappoint the packed Chicago Stadium crowd of 18,403 fans, taking turns showcasing some of the event's finest and fanciest dunks ever seen. The two combined to record four out of six perfect scores of 50 in the final round.
With a combination of power and finesse, the "Human Highlight Film" took a comfortable lead heading into the fourth and final dunk after earning two straight scores of 50 points. But Dominique's final two-handed windmill jam scored a modest 45, setting the stage for the defending champion's finale.
"I was shocked," Jordan said about Wilkin's final score. "I would have given him a 49 or a 50."
Needing 49 points to capture his second straight slam dunk title, Jordan headed to the opposite end of the floor to the delight of the Chicago fans. They knew what was coming. A la Dr. J., Jordan took off running, lifted off from the free throw line, double clutched in midair and slammed it down for the perfect score and the slam dunk title.
"I looked up into the box seats and came across the guy who started it all, Dr. J," Jordan said. "He told me to go back all the way, go the length of the floor, then take off from the free-throw line. And I did it."
In what would be the last year the two would meet in the dunk contest, the hometown favorite prevailed in the most dramatic and controversial ending to the All-Star Saturday classic showdown with a 147-145 final-round victory.
"When you're in somebody's hometown, it's always tough," Wilkins said. "But he had a great dunk, you have to admit. If anybody's going to beat me, I'd rather have it be him."
Jordan, who would also take home Most Valuable Player honors at the All-Star Game the next day, savored the victory but understood the importance of a homecourt advantage.
"I felt if I wasn't in Chicago, it might have gone the other way."

[@mongoslade277]

No coincidence that Michael Jordan did not Ever participate in another dunk contest after this one. He knew he lost

[@DubaiAroma]

45 on 2 hands windmill ?

[@dvd7826]

Great times lol remembering watching WCW/NWA wrestling and the NBA-All Star Saturday came next, I had a full night as a kid lmao

[@mongoslade277]

It was the Mid Atlantic Championship Wrestling at night & NWA during the day when this dunk contest happened

[@patriciavinas-yl3ss]

Michael Jordan Spud Webb Dominique Wilkins Jerome Kersey Clyde Drexler Greg Anderson Otis Smith

[@hedgehawgexpress9158]

Michael Jordan perfected the dunk that Spud Webb missed

[@CarlosMontiel-in4gr]

Si Jordan fue el mejor en MATES Y SALTOS en esa Gloriosa Competicion de Volcadas, y aun con los jueces favoreciendo mucho a Dominik en los puntajes, merecido Vencedor lejos

[@20blockrecords54]

Wilkins kept doing the same dunks

[@CycloneJack]

Nobody looks like they're having fun.

[@mikewilkins2030]

Lol word! The commentators are amazing tho! Lol

[@MrAitraining]

Nique got jobbed in this one (in chicago).

[@OGThunderbird]

Obviously Dominique Wilkins last dunk in the finals was underscored

[@CarlosNazario0523]

As was Jordan's second dunk...

[@OGThunderbird]

In my opinion Dominique's 2nd dunk in the finals was over scored as a 50 it was kind of a power scrape in dunk Which led to his final dunk in the finals being under scored at 45 I think the judges knew they messed up

[@OGThunderbird]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/qHO9kKRsrK59gbs

[@smoothALOE]

It should’ve gone to a dunk-off, but when MJ decided to dunk from the free throw line, it was too perfect to not let that be the dramatic finish everyone was hoping for.

[@jordanmatthews37]

The judges in this contest were dead ass wrong for the way they did Dominique. Its bias as hell towards Jordan. Clyde should have never been here, nor Jerome Kearsey. Otis Smith got robbed as well.

[@luciano-km7mq]

Jordan's 2nd to last should've been a 49 and Wilkins should've been a 50.

[@jamesconley1570]

Yeah Michael Jordan with the soft hands and natural ability and of course mature knowledge it was easy and a fast exciting life of leading the NBA in all areas what a teacher he was everyone loved him.

[@OGThunderbird]

Nice quality thank you for posting this 👌

[@jaggernaut100980]

Dominique's dunks was same again and again- :'85= vertical leaping and power dunking- no flair, no posing in mid-air, when the dunking- ball in his hand/s wasn't never far from his body when his about to dunk it. He never jumps on 1-2 step but always vertical leaping (both legs pushing him up).

[@mikewilkins2030]

43:50 lol dude their reaction and his passion was not in sync hahaha

[@drcharlesbombay]

Before Vince’s 7’2 Olympic smash, Dominique’s first dunk in this contest was my all-time favourite!!! That double pump reverse that only got a 49...

[@isthiswherewecamein6130]

A 45? A 45? Come on Son!! Nique robbed, Jordan's only time he was bested outside of Boston (Bird), given something didn't deserve. What can ya do?

[@cprealone]

Remember this in 4th grade these ducks were awesome as a kid, obviously the creativity today is off the charts but at least they are making their first dunks lol, can’t say that for the dunk contest last night

[@novelaego2404]

dunk contest is usually always hit or miss

[@GabeMacDonnell]

Who's here after 2020?

[@richardtaylor3123]

Me

[@GabeMacDonnell]

Richard Taylor I'd love to see Dominique & Aaron interview each other.

[@taytayyoutube]

2021

[@lukeleonardrasmussen3550]

Moí

[@1993tomax]

26:20 Nice dunk!!!

[@Unklechopchop]

Thanks for posting this classic , I still have the same thing on VHS taped off the tele .... @36.30 in my opinion , Jordans most "underated" dunk !

[@thomasbenton3633]

I had that dunk as a poster! Thanks for the timestamp.

[@danavharris]

When Wilkins got robbed out of this dunk title the dunk contest pretty much started decreasing in relevance. The whole damn world knew Jordan lost this time. 30 years later the dunk contest is just a joke, a sideshow. IMHO this contest started its downfall to something that is not worth watching. After this the dunk contest winner never really had the same juice as the previous years. Jordan did the same dunk twice and got a 50. By rigging this for Jordan they ruined the damn contest.

[@josesarmiento7483]

That’s all Dominique does tomahawks

[@CarlosMontiel-in4gr]

Me doy cuenta que algunos jueces eran I justos con Jordan la segunda Volcada era pata un 49 porque Jordan salto largo hizo el Mate con altura suficiente y Cuerpo Rigido y recto, y le dieron y Un puntaje menor en cambio Dominik wra favorecido por esos jueces su segunda volcada fue Buena pero no era para un puntaje mayor INJUSTO FUERON con Jordan

[@OGThunderbird]

The Chinese Superman Dunk WTF LOL

[@patrellsanderford5602]

Wilkins the greatest ever period

[@CycloneJack]

I grew up in Chicago watching the Bulls in the '80s and '90s and I thought Jordan was God on the court. I still think he's the greatest of all time. Despite that, I have to say two things: 1. Wilkins should have won this contest. He was just better than Jordan that day. 2. Vince Carter is the greatest dunker ever to play in the NBA. Period.

[@mikewilkins2030]

Vince carter?

[@carlburton3152]

Correct Vince Carter and iam 50 going on 51 so I saw these events as they happen.

[@mikewilkins2030]

45:56 lol ‘their entire lives are flashing through”… lol

[@creoleDJ]

@48:58 Bob Neil was right, scoring was (somewhat) consistent until the end. Judges REALLY screwed up in the finals. Should’ve been 50s all the way through for ‘Nique & MJ, then let them go into a dunk-off...

[@zt1053]

They didn’t want riots in Chicago

[@coachcappsmath4537]

Dominique got robbed. Still the best slam-dunk contest, probably because of the controversy.

[@williambohannon6264]

The best? Maybe of the 20th century, but 2000 and 2016 are both better

[@creoleDJ]

1991 was also a great overall contest, although I thought Kemp got robbed in that one

[@coachcappsmath4537]

@@creoleDJ Yeah, Kemp should have won once as well.

[@Deeboy1214]

@@williambohannon6264 don't forget 2003. Richardson vs Mason

[@mikewilkins2030]

31:50 hahaha i don’t even know if that’s racist, but its funny how free they were with their tongues! Lol

[@jamesconley1570]

There is Michael Jordan pumping up his shoes

[@luzcruz9476]

That dunk Jordan did at 44:35 was so sexy

[@markbrenes5189]

Michael Jackson's Bad is playing while the players warm up so it's only fitting that the other Michael wins it all .

[@adamgalan1148]

I've watched dunk contest for decades.. plain and simple Aaron Gordon is the GOAT

[@michaelmoon8415]

Option

[@dreman1970]

If this dunk contest wasnt in Chicago dominique wins.....PERIOD....the 45 wilkins got on the 3rd dunk was criminal!!!

[@CarlosMontiel-in4gr]

JORDAN GANO PERFECTAMENTE PORQUE SUS VOLCADAS ERAN MEJORES QUE DOMINIK LOS JUECES LE FAVORECIAN MUCHO A DOMINIK Y ALGUNOS DE SUS MATES NO ERAN PARA UN 50 O 49

[@OGThunderbird]

Jordan is timeless

[@aspicio9127]

History was made, and I never witnessed it on this date😔 technology is awesome. Better late than never 😊 thanks for the upload.

[@ewannk]

the judges are so random😂...good old days

[@user619tlsdca5]

The physics of MJ was more of a person making Earth more like playing on the Moon beyond everyone else's physics ,then, now ,and always ,forever,. His physics is unmatched , only Kobe Bryant the closest to those motions as Kobe was the only exception of the reflection off of MJ s motions of physics.

[@pattrell5257]

Clyde's game mentality was different in the game than it was in the SDC. He's done a FT dunk in a game and in traffic! The NBA equivalent to 40 yard dash speed VS football in-game speed. Some players do well at both, but some do awful in the 40/dunk contest and well in the football game/basketball game dunks! But, whatever the judges' motivation was--Dominique gave them a reason to lowball him by doing 1 of 3 dunks that he almost always did. Even if they weren't biased, they could have given him the same score; it wasn't gliding from the FT line. At the end of the day, maybe they weren't; maybe they were just tired of seeing him do the same dunks!

[@pattrell5257]

@@NWorshipThe thing I like about Jordan's dunking in a those days was that he had a fresh dunking style, the hanging in the air, and he had so many different dunks he could potentially do. You never knew what you might see. Dominique's dunks were special if they were done in a game, but could make a SDC boring on his end. They were certainly quality, but being redundant hurts a SDC. He could not compete with Jordan's style of dunking, but should have bounced the ball and caught it more(adding that to his windmill, 360, and backwards double-pump dunks). He could even add that as a twist to his old favorites...He actually did in the 1st one that he won(he caught it off the bounce and did a backwards double-pump dunk).

[@MoWatts360]

T

[@sactownsteelers6748]

And thats why i couldnt stand Jordan they just gave him crap he didnt deserve jordan knew he lost until that 45 on wilkins Rigged crap

[@nolimitquent]

nique robbed i’m an atlanta boy i may be biased but i hate this

[@sactownsteelers6748]

Wkins does a three sixty and gets a 47 thats a load of crap

[@OGThunderbird]

It's going to be tough to beat Jordan when hes going from the free-throw line with a beautiful poster dunk

[@CarlosLopera-ck5rl]

Dominique was cheated out of 2 dunks contest Jordan was doing the same dunks he been doin

[@thechamp7111]

They made a poster outta that last dunk and I had it. Wish I would of kept it.

[@joshswicegood3253]

Wilkins got screwed!

[@thechipper613]

Who was the judge's in this anyway cause they onew nothing about the ability to dunk like the players doing this im 55 and i still don't know who they was

[@juancarlosmoreno5003]

The air jordan 3 is the most best style shoes ever he made and even mark the 1988 slam dunk contest he won on his own town Chicago bulls

[@nymphopath9816]

Jordan does NOT make the shoes.

[@superben790]

Michael Jordan is the GOAT!!!!

[@patrellsanderford5602]

Wilkins

[@sactownsteelers6748]

Yeah he looks like an old goat he aint the greatest

[@sactownsteelers6748]

See whats so special about Jordans dunks Nothing he in chicago and Judges tv commentators and jordan fans all over his jock Wilkins got robbed again

[@Paul8820]

This was the Weekend Jordan went from all star to superstar.

[@handisuryanto6513]

Lets say what if vince carter use time machine and participate in this dunk contest 😘😋

[@creoleDJ]

@Handi Suryanto Carter would’ve lost to Jordan in Chicago...

[@handisuryanto6513]

@@creoleDJ agree, because it play at Chicago and Jordan popularity was very high that time

[@creoleDJ]

@31:47…Damn, Rick! That sounded racist as hell! You’d have been banned from TV nowadays! 😂😂

[@Swove2204]

NBA TV edits that portion out during re-broadcasts these days.

[@nymphopath9816]

@31:46, you set the time too late so people would NOT know what he was talking about.

[@creoleDJ]

@@nymphopath9816 corrected! 🤣

[@Paul8820]

Jordan here is like Queen at Live aid three years earlier nobody could follow him. Freddie Mercury had over 100000 at Wembley stadium eating out the palm of his hands. Jordan did the same here.

[@creoleDJ]

@Pauljackson1988 well it was on his home court, Jordan could’ve did a finger roll & got a 50 here! 😂

[@luzcruz9476]

Gtfoh this was criminal the way they did Dominique in the end The judges and commentators were riding Jordan nuts so hard the whole competition pretty much telling you the whole time that Jordan was going to win because the league didnt want lash back from the fans in Chicago Even Jerome Kersey did the same exact dunk as Mj in the 1st round Jordan was the only person getting rewarded 50s for missed dunks and even Jordan himself said that he would of rewarded Dominique more then a 💩45 on his last dunk And this the man yall call the greatest with this NBA=Nothing/But/Acting league Bron the real 🐐SMFH

[@dexsanders9124]

You typed all that n you still wrong😂😂

[@cprealone]

That Cadillac Anderson second attempt was awful

[@chadhenderson9732]

Jordan is great but he lost this competition

[@sactownsteelers6748]

Windmill dunk worth 50 for wilkins now that funk for jordana 47 good call. A double hand windmill only 45 what a bull call they gonna give it to jordan for tis weak ass dunk he goona fo Doctor Js dunk and missed the first he. Should lose. They gave him a 50 Jordan aint S.. T THATS ROBBERY NIQUE WON THAT CONTEST JORDAN MISSED TWICE WHAT A Load OF CRAP

[@sactownsteelers6748]

And Jordan missed then he does one hand backward slam gets 47 wilkins get tbe same for a 3 sixty. RIGGED RIGGED RIGGED YOU CANT BEAT JORDAN WITH THE REFS YOU CANT BEAT HIM WITH THE JUDGES YEAH JORDAN ID GREAT WITH REFS AND JUDGES ON HIS TEAM OTHER THAN THAT HE LOSES. THEY ROBBED WILKINS ANYBODY WATCHING THIS KNOWS JORDAN LOST THIS IN REALITY

[@stevep4574]

No way Jordan's 2nd last dunk was a 47, should have been higher. Judges were morons.

[@michaelrodriguez177]

I said it back than and i still feel the same way Dominic Wilkins got robbed . He should’ve won this one . This when i started hating the nba on how they were going so hard for MJ that they lost control of the league and just started rigging the league for MJ pulling all type of moves changing rules to clear the paint for MJ . He probably owes so many favors to the league that they did for him literally that they should’ve changed the logo to the air Jordan for what was missing . Idk why they ain’t do that since they did everything else . Lol but at the end of the day the league needed Jordan just as much as he needed the league to help them elevate and change how the fans view the league with all the fighting with injuries due to fights , and of course the infamous cocaine problems they had . So even tho im saying all this I’m gonna thank MJ as well because who knows what the league would look like today if that didn’t happen . Now Even tho i hated how they were changing the NBA to benefits MJ but all N all , I couldn’t stop watching the games because i love the sport that much and played it myself . It’s my favorite sport out of all . But for real D Wilkins got robbed . I’m not a MJ hater , I just wasn’t a fan of him because I’m a knicks fan lol Ps : to make it clear because I’m always mistaken for a Lebron fan when I say things about MJ . I don’t fuck with MJ , I don’t fuck with Lebron and not a fan of Kobe either . I’m a knicks fan . I do respect all 3 of them as a person and what they did and still doing for the league and for our communities . I respect their greatness as well . But I’m a knicks fan that don’t get caught up in the bias’s goat debates since I got rusell and Kareem there and I’ll even throw wilt at 3rd because the Freak of nature he was and the stuff he was doing that till this day it hasn’t been done . Now back to my original comment , Wilkins got robbed and let’s Go knicks 💯 I hope I live to see them win a championship before my time comes 🙏🏿 ! lol 👌🏿

[@LOL-ro9ef]

U cant win if u do the same dunk over and over again.

[@sactownsteelers6748]

See thats what i keep saying i remember watching this contest of course Jordan would STEAL Dr.Js dunk also they gave Jordan a 47 for that second dunk that was weak Wilkins comes in and does a better dunk and hr gets a 47 these people were so biased for Jordan Drexler does the freetbrow dunk he gets a 45 anybody that does that dunk should get 50. Its all about Jordan and his dunks are not that special for the so called great Jordan

[@OGThunderbird]

Wilkins second dunk in the finals was over scored 50 because the ball rattle in the basket and it wasn't clean Dominique knew this

[@sactownsteelers6748]

Finally a 50 for wilkins of course they give Jordan a fake 50 that wad not a 50 dunk