The First Between-the-Legs Dunk in NBA History

January 28, 1984 - Before Isaiah Rider perfected it 10 years later, Chicago Bulls forward Orlando Woolridge became the first player in NBA history to complete a between-the-legs dunk in competition during the 1984 NBA Slam Dunk Contest. Woolridge's decision to sweep the ball from right-to-left ran contrary to modern between-the-legs technique, resulting in a slightly awkward delivery that wouldn't again surface until Jason Richardson's closing finish in the 2003 contest 19 years later.

[@seventhsonmedia]

Guess you guys aren't ready for that yet...but your kids are gonna love it.

[@cryptaku3404]

Nice

[@whoistylerdurden1652]

Back to the future reference 🦾

[@JGunit]

Prefect

[@philojudaeusofalexandria9556]

underrated comment. Deserves 1k+ likes, lol.

[@jrev8089]

Marty - and Orlando - Definitely ahead of their time.

[@WaRDoG604]

That was lowkey better than some of the dunks we see in today’s contest’s

[@NeverNotHoopin]

nah he is just another plumber from back then

[@Real843BabySkii]

@@NeverNotHoopinyou couldn’t be a plumber or beat that plumber 1v1

[@Mangopare07]

Same hand as the leg he jumped off too. Dude was built too.

[@leogolive]

Lebron James can’t do that! He was too scared to enter the contest!🤣🤣🤣

[@user-xb4fm5rx8h]

@@leogoliveFoh LeBron is doing that at 40 😂 Y’all old nighas is something else lol

[@BasketballJones48021]

Orlando Woolridge... One of the most underrated dunkers and athletes... RIP

[@ICESZN10]

Rip Orlando woolridge

[@Ch0senJuan]

Shut the hell up

[@danielh3179]

He was a 6'9" power forward who had the finesse of a guard. He would certainly plain in today's NBA.

[@hoodiestimbs2783]

He looks jacked so probably worked out a lot, even in the off season

[@xyz000kj]

​@@danielh3179salute 1 of Louisiana's finest

[@ballinkid909]

Crazy that this only got a 48

[@popeye697]

Because he missed his first dunk

[@jasonu3741]

I dont think they accurately saw what he did. Like when Vince stuck his arm in the Rim took the judges/crowd/announcers some time to process what they had just seen. guys were looking all confused and shit. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fmmlhIZ5o7iMmtU

[@bigdog6175]

Isiah Rider got 49 in 1994

[@ahmetemre0023]

Its normal. And 48 is a excellent point. Recently they gives 50 for every dunk. This isn't normal.

[@lv5310]

Dwayne Wade was judging it

[@gl6996]

This dunk wasn't appreciated until 10 yrs later. I was impressed when I saw it live!!!

[@gl6996]

@Alex Cham I'm not that old!!! Lol!!! I've been watching sports for a long time and I have an excellent memory 😊👌 I'm only 47.

[@Angelowalker.]

@@gl6996 Jesus loves you friend turn to him turn from sin and to Christ let him set you free From sin God bless ❤️🙏🏾

[@gl6996]

@@Angelowalker. Thank you. I have been saved and I'm licensed and ordained. But we all need to turn from sin. Keep witnessing for Jesus Christ. Be well and blessed. 👐🏽💒

[@TheMackoftheyear]

Like the profile pic

[@gl6996]

@@TheMackoftheyear Mad Dog appreciates that!!!

[@benitofalazi8228]

DO WE REALIZE ?? Put the ball aroung him before the dunk Betwen the legs opposite way and dunk LEFT HAND !?! In 1984 !! WOOWWWW.. I followed NBA for a long time , I just realize that I probably missed a lot of thing ! AMAZING !

[@pum6454]

that guy at the beginning yelling "between the legs" and woolridge casually doing a between the legs dunk is amazing, guy in the crowd should get an award

[@lou2408]

This is the perfect example of a crowd not understanding what they saw......it took a decade's worth of growth to be able to respect it when Rider did it.

[@TWIZZTHEWHIZKID]

Not only did he go between the legs the opposite way, but he also put the ball around his back first before going up.

[@lametraserillos1]

nice bro !!

[@TWIZZTHEWHIZKID]

@@lametraserillos1 Good way to fact check my guy.

[@lametraserillos1]

@@TWIZZTHEWHIZKID greetings from spain !

[@TWIZZTHEWHIZKID]

@@lametraserillos1 Salutations... from Georgia, in America.

[@ronduece9066]

In stride off the dribble like an in game dunk

[@juicejuice5013]

This Dunk was better than every dunk in the 2024 dunk contest

[@tylerrussell7776]

That is absolutely facts

[@LapNgo-h9u]

HOLY SMOKES, BROTHER! I have always thought JR was the first one to do this. It wasn't as smooth as the other way, but this is 100% a 50 dunk!

[@zeroturn7091]

It wasn’t smooth because he cross through the wrong leg, that raised the difficulty.

[@springfieldbearpatrol2937]

Orlando was a real physical specimen. Strong, explosive, leaper with huge strides. When he was with the lakers they ran this crazy alley oop play and it always worked - he would grab the ball like a foot above the rim and power it home.

[@orlandojohnson5742]

I remember him playing! Dude was tall & big! Not lanky skinny!

[@MTXSHO9732vV8SHO]

Anyone that thinks Woolridge would struggle in today's game doesn't know anything about Basketball.

[@KobaniacMinded]

We got better coke today too​@@MTXSHO9732vV8SHO

[@EL_GORIO]

The crowd audience had no idea.. They are all innocent...

[@alfjones6377]

nah they ain't. Most of them have already left this world by now. The world is a better place now.

[@NoPlainJane-o3c]

@@alfjones6377 tf

[@eastbee103]

Gangsta!! He was ahead of everybody's time!!

[@bogaurdwilliams1509]

That dunk would get a 48 today! Nobody back then understood what they saw. It was before it's time

[@HumbledIAm]

Well said.

[@greatest599]

41 lol

[@TheSands83]

@@greatest599do u not see it wasn’t just between the legs it was a reverse between the legs. He went the opposite direction between the legs

[@Woodyboy-fs9mq]

Uh no because when you got Kenny Smith judging or commentating influence on the floor of the dunk contest the guy wants dribbling

[@rebirthofanaverage2kmobplay]

35

[@back2back379]

Yo I did not expect him to do it that way, that was actually jaw dropping. I mean that was 40 years ago, that's crazy!

[@leminipro7845]

Damn dude went behind the back than between the legs wtf I always thought it was Isaiah Rider, I was WAY off

[@swamigal]

Same here

[@etuboldon]

Most people thought the same. Isaiah Rider made it famous because it was the winning dunk in the 94 slam dunk competition.

[@TheSands83]

But he went between the legs in the opposite direction. Riders n Kobe were just regular between the legs. Front to back. This guy went back to front reverse

[@benjamink7105]

I happened to catch JR Rider compete in the college dunk contest when he was at UNLV and that's the first time I saw it. I thought he invented it. I remember right around the same time Wesley Snipes went between his legs for a layup in White Men Can't jump so I thought he got it from there!

[@williamwalker146]

Orlando Woolridge is one of the underrated participants of the 80s slam dunk contests. Dude was one of the most convincing and imaginative dunkers in them.

[@ej7508]

Orlando was so underrated great dunker RIP

[@andgar923]

The attitude back then was different. People/players wanted to play it 'cool' and look like what they were doing was easy and no problem. There was this notion where it's so easy for them to do it that it came across as lackadaisical which in turn doesn't look flashy. Look at all the great dunkers from back then, there's a nonchalant aura they have after a dunk, like "that was easy, no need to get excited". This continued to their playing styles. Even when cats got 'saucy' they made it appear like it wasn't a big deal. It wasn't until the mid 90s when hip hop culture became more prominent that being flashy and in your face took flight. But that's not just in basketball nor hip hop. One can look at a number of examples in society where this shift began. And not to say that it was a bad thing (there's pros and cons) but it's an example as to why dunkers didn't have the same excitement as today's. TLDR: Orlando could've jumped higher and made it more exciting but it wasn't part of society back then.

[@soulofomen8764]

I see what you are saying

[@J.Crooner]

💪😎💪That dunk was sick man. Not many had that type of athleticism during that time. Not even Dominique or Michael ever did that.🙏

[@Amick44]

Honestly, I doubt they even thought of that.

[@J.Crooner]

@@Amick44 I don't think they could do that even if they had thought of it. It's for the simple fact we never ever saw them attempt to do it period which is hard to believe really.

[@2011hwalker]

@@J.Crooner Im sure Jordan could have done it in the 80s based on his other dunks, I think he thought it was too gimmicky, he preferred dunks you would do in a game with a high probability of scoring.

[@J.Crooner]

@@2011hwalker It's just the fact that we have no stories or video evidence that they even attempted to do that type of dunk not even for fun. That in itself would suggest that that they couldn't do it.

[@9042jeremy]

I think this is better than the modern between-the-legs dunk, more power

[@DaNeOMiTe313]

Jeremy Wong it looks like less power than what VC pulled off

[@TheSands83]

It’s coming from the opposite direction though much harder… usually it’s front to back. He went from back to front. It’s much harder than a regular between the legs dunk

[@ironmike-putsallkindavideo7840]

That DUNK was a Fuckin 5000000000000000000000000

[@Amick44]

Orlando was a HELL of an in game dunker, as well. He and (later) Scottie as well.

[@therandomcommentator7255]

'THE' lost dunk in NBA dunk contests.

[@johncortez1599]

I was today years old (40) when I saw this for the 1st time.

[@dreadheadbm1990]

He should have won with that dunk. Especially in 1984

[@Darrencollinsjr]

Wow. Back in '84. Amazing

[@doubletroubledad1323]

Criminally underrated dunk 😞

[@C000DY]

That's the thing about amazing things... The people who see it first hand.. Don't even know what their seeing because they don't realize how impactful something is until years later.

[@bguddafool]

That was sick

[@DungarooTV]

He went around his back then between his legs! Wow

[@schelzel]

No music. No silliness. Just dunking. Awesome.

[@Luckie382]

Who won? Orlando dunk should be "50" The history of this isn't mentioned, but def needs to be. R.I.P.

[@Swove2204]

Larry Nance: kzbin.info/www/bejne/j2KXYp2uf7p5hpo

[@Amick44]

​@@Swove2204Nance was superb, too.

[@duhGOATman]

thats one of the nicest between the legs i've seen, i think its harder to do it behind your leg and through the middle than between your legs and out the back

[@MTXSHO9732vV8SHO]

Big, Orlando Woolridge. Michael Jordan never talks about him but he was NASTY!!! He got involved in Cocaine, but straightened up and finished his career with the Lakers. Rest in Power, Orlando Woolridge 🫡

[@RoyPage1970]

He played for like three other teams after the Lakers dude

[@anthonymarshall8311]

It was like that scene from Semi-Pro when the crowd witnessed the first alley-oop in history.

[@southsidestunnah]

That should've been a 50 for that day & age...

[@hairjordan2620]

That was practically a rim grazer, still impressive dunk for back then

[@TheSands83]

@@hairjordan2620back then? U realize this dude went between the legs the opposite way then reversed dunked it with his left hand being a right handed player 😂. N did it with ease

[@TheSands83]

@@hairjordan2620i watched it again he dunked it with ease😂 n woolridge was a monster dunker. He just couldn’t guard anyone

[@ABOVEBasketballPlanet]

Bros been athletic since the beginning of the world no lie

[@Tek87654]

Dude was a straight up athlete!

[@ibringthelastwords1358]

Sad for him they didn't much appreciated that kind of dunks back then 😪

[@diawaprolite7967]

Rip Big 0

[@edd7657]

At 13 years old, I had no idea what I saw!!

[@k.c.r.5974]

Orlando and Michael on the same team dunking like it was 20 years in the future. How the hell were these announcers not like "omg what was that?! He just threw the ball between his legs and dunked it!!!! What was that?!?! Hes the greatest dunker I've ever seen!!!"

[@russelturner5771]

Definitely remember this dunk.

[@pattrell5257]

Orlando did some incredible dunks for the time: I'm old enough to remember those dunks that he either debuted, added a special flair to, or that nobody else did again. On those old NBA VHS dunk films(Marv Albert, Frank Layden, and, also, Super Slams of the NBA) from circa 85 and after!

[@rayj.9568]

The close caption showed "Griffin Orlando." Orlando Woodridge made that dunk look so easy.

[@_Game0ver_]

Anyone: "And what drugs did you take this morning, Orlando?" Orlando: "Yes"

[@Amick44]

,,😅

[@basketball1652]

48?Was Wade one of the judges?

[@alvinailey3rd926]

today that could get a 50

[@basketball1652]

Not if Wade was one of the judges!

[@chester-chickfunt900]

My friends and I met Orlando at SportMart on 95th and Cicero in 1984 or 1985. We were high school players. We saw up close what an NBA player looks like. Orlando was a legit 6'9" and around 225-lbs. All muscle. A racehorse. Good guy as well. He should have been Scottie Pippen. But he had a serious cocaine problem, which caused the Bulls to dump him. He died far too young. Heart failure. The NBA was a total mess back in the early 1980's. MJ brought in the corporations and that cleaned up most of the cocaine. Most of it.

[@frankee96]

OMG

[@Amick44]

Yeah kinda. But Scottie had real ball-handling skills and saw the floor well and could deliver the ball to the right people. Scottie was like a PG in a SFs body. Scotty was far more versatile. But Orlando and Scottie were both terrific athletes with similar size.

[@Wallyworld30]

That '85-'86 Bulls team had Orlando Woolridge, George Gervin, and Michael Jordan! If Jordan didn't get hurt and only play 18 games they would have been a serious playoff team that season! This was middle of Orlando Woolridge prime in during the 5 year stretch starting in 1984-1988 Season Orlando avg 21/5/3 during same 5 year stretch MJ avg 34/6/6/3 with 3 steals per game. Damn shame they traded him for Stacey King. That '86 season was HOF'er George "The Iceman" Gervin's final season in the NBA. Rookie Charles Oakley was also on that team but was traded after just 3 seasons after '88 season only to be brought back 15 years later in 2002.

[@jbizz80]

Woolridge was coked out, Gervin was a shell of himself, and they were coached by Stan Albeck. That team was awful, and it's a miracle they even made the playoffs.

[@TheSands83]

People are missing that it wasn’t just between the legs but it was a reverse between the legs going between his legs in the opposite direction. A normal between the legs u start from the front this guy came from behind like Jason Richardson

[@blakfloyd]

Fun fact: The Orlando Magic debuted in the 1989-90 season. That same season, the Lakers had Orlando Woolridge and Magic Johnson on their roster.

[@samburtonthe1]

Confusing. It's like, did you say the Orlando Magic? No, I said Orlando and Magic. They play for the Lakers. What?

[@blakfloyd]

@@samburtonthe1 Just imagine if Joaquin Phonix's son played for the Suns.

[@samburtonthe1]

@@blakfloyd I can't stand the Miami Heat! I hear they have a good basketball team, though. I was disappointed watching football though. Went to see the Giants, turns out they're just a bunch of regular sized dudes. Then I was watching a movie with "the Flash", I thought he would be a guy with a trench coat, but he just runs really fast.

[@ModernDayRenaissanceMan]

I remember 10 years later when Isaiah Rider did it it was national news. I think this just had something to do with the NBA being bigger in the '90s because of Jordan

[@freemancarl]

@ 0:15 *Change playback speed to 0.5x*

[@donaldbiden636]

Yoo wtf

[@degustationsdeseattle]

Agreed there was no slomo replay

[@DGF2]

Sick dunk.... behind the back....he's right-handed .... dunks with his left.... but also, he just took two steps. He could've done this dunk in a game if he wanted! Those early Bulls with MJ and Orlando scoring points on top of points, was fun....Orlando couldn't defend, but he could sure score and throw it down!!

[@TheSands83]

And he went between his legs in the opposite direction. Not front to back. He went front to back the opposite way between the legs reverse dunk

[@stockman1514]

Woolridge is one of the most underrated players of his era

[@jbizz80]

He's only underrated now. He was respected at the time.

[@Amick44]

​@@jbizz80yeah and that goes for many of the past greats. Frazier, Dr J, Barry, Havlicek.

[@Holdemnicely6969]

Orlando Woodridge dayam . I am so glad I am before the social media era and before stats was cool

[@funkdoc1491]

His one-handed crossover was incredible.

[@Grandizer8989]

This is like when Pearl Jam played their debut album before it was released to a Seattle audience. Nobody knew what hit them

[@stevelegreid]

Might be the most underrated player ever

[@scottchambers7087]

I saw a G. I've seen it all. Dope describes my rhymes, making all you emcees cold drop like dimes. You know MCSC is back again, and battling me on the microphone is like committing a sin. Scott/MCSC

[@alexh8613]

I remember watching this dunk on Dazzlin Dunks and Basketball Bloopers. Which is a great watch on KZbin

[@nonamewillbegiven1217]

You don't know what physical means you I*diot. The early 2000s is not the most physical of all time so quit saying that

[@EGarrett01]

Good work on this one. When it comes to the dunk contest, I want no commentators, one awkward camera angle, and zero replays.

[@micheauxrobinson9593]

Another example of how young people say "eras are weak" and "now players are more skilled/athletic"

[@soundshape6496]

You hear shouts of BETWEEN THE LEGS before he dunks it.

[@christophertifre2018]

with the left hand,impressive!

[@astrobear5353]

That dunk was nasty that's a coldest dunk I ever seen Orlando started the leg dunk

[@DoinLifeProductions]

Way ahead of his time, i was thinking vince carter did it first

[@shanetian3977]

Now the craziest thing is we see ppl like obi toppin casually pull this out in playoff games

[@kuyajaypelayoiv9628]

Judges need to review that

[@state2statestreetedition453]

That's a 50!!!

[@LeadersOfAFreeMind]

Wow that was actually really nice

[@donjuanlilmike1972]

One of his man’s on the bench called him a “Freakazoid” as he made his way back😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@aaasportsclub]

I used to tell people Woolridge did this years ago, and nobody remembered. Also, William Bedford used to do a between-the-legs dunk at Detroit Pistons layup lines before games, but you had to be there in person like I was to see it!!!

[@changkwangoh]

Both were down with the coke

[@Bmerciful]

I remember doing this dunk in the sixth grade and people having the same reaction. It was 1990.

[@slowmotion421]

There was no replay back in those days. They crowd couldn't comprehend what they saw😂

[@Topjake1492]

I used to love those old Chicago jerseys

[@stonedog23]

RIP to the second Big O. He was Michael’s best (most talented) teammate in those early years.

[@entertainmentvidz]

The crowd didn't appreciate this dunk much they didn't know how to feel.

[@x-techgaming]

Couldn't even see it.... Great.

[@TheLionaaa]

Amazing!

[@docriley79]

Hey Orlando Woodridge is another great player who is forgotten by time! When you watch Jordan's first NBA rookie game, their is this big dude with ankle socks that was jumping all over the place. That was orlando!!!

[@artoabraham1501]

RIP Orlando Woolridge. Loved him in LA

[@bruceonjuicers3028]

The NBA physique back in the days was 🔥

[@TheWaitingRoomTWR]

I love and miss the grimy footage it made everything more real

[@mitya6568]

That year should get 100

[@natedawg2400]

that around the world is a sign of an og showman

[@thebionicbassplayer]

That was The Big O! He played for the Pistons for a few seasons.

[@chetisanhart3457]

I always liked his overall game.

[@chrisdub846]

Dominique does 3rd windmill of the contest: "50!!!"

[@diecastguykid8751]

Damn. Nice. I always thought Isaiah Rider did it first.

[@SuperJamesII]

Thanks for the history I thought the East Bay Funk was the first time

[@rayace82]

My guy had an amazing physique

[@Amick44]

A writer back then referred to him as "the best body in basketball." He wasn't wrong. Yet Bird and Worthy knew how to play and knew what their teams needed from them. Orlando spent too much time looking to make highlight films.

[@TMJ32]

That dunk would have easily won the 2024 contest

[@cilkandmookies]

Orlando Woolridge = Power Forward. Underrated.

[@frankie3791]

When M.J. got to the Bulls it was Orlando he took the torch from, M.J. got to play with an Old but still deadly Iceman Gervin as well

[@Dudelocation]

He's the one that started it all wow

[@kyodizzy]

Crowds and judges can't appreciate without the slow-mo replay technology in front of them. 😂

[@kyodizzy]

1984?! He would have easily won the 2024 dunk contest with this one. Wow, 40 year old dink was more impressive. 48 score for that is ridiculous!

[@drbenway612]

Mac only won because he’s white.