Top Five Underrated Dunks

Pro Hoops Daily presents the top 5 underrated dunks in NBA slam dunk contest history. In the NBA dunk contest a 50 is the score given to a perfect dunk. The dunks on this list were perfect dunks that deserved a score of 50, but were given lesser scores for reasons not to our understanding. Players appearing in this list are Michael Jordan who appears twice, Harold Miner, Shawn Kemp, and Dwight Howard.
Michael Jordan is a Retired Professional Basketball player who is widely considered to be the greatest NBA player of all time. He was also the first back to back slam dunk champion in NBA history after winning the 1987 and 1988 NBA Slam Dunk Contests. Michael played his collegiate Basketball at the University of North Carolina. He was selected by the Chicago Bulls with the 3rd overall pick in the 1984 NBA Draft. Michael spent most of his career with the Chicago Bulls where he went on to win 6 NBA Championships.
Harold Miner is a retired Professional Basketball player who is best known for winning the 1993 and 1995 NBA Slam Dunk Contest; Harold also is very famous for being nick-named “Baby Jordan” for his jordanesque aerial assaults on the rim. Harold played his collegiate basketball at the University of Southern California and was drafted by the Miami Heat with the 12th overall pick in the first round of the 1992 NBA Draft.
Shawn Kemp is a retired Professional Basketball player who is best known for playing in the NBA without playing in College at a time when that was not common. Shawn was a McDonald All American out of High school and took the NBA by storm while making 6 NBA All Star Teams. Shawn was selected by the Seattle Supersonics 17th overall in the first round of the 1989 NBA Draft.
Dwight Howard - Dwight Howard is a Professional Basketball player who is best known for winning the 2008 NBA Slam dunk contest. Dwight’s NBA signature is his Powerful dunks on offense and being a ferocious rebounder and shot blocker when engaged on defense. Dwight played high school ball for Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy and was drafted straight out of high school by the Orlando Magic with the 1st overall pick in the first round of the 2004 NBA Draft.

[@james-tennis]

Wow that Shawn Kemp dunk in slo-mo was a thing of beauty.

[@tobinsparadise]

As kids we tried to imitate Kemp’s dunks. He was up there w Jordan and Wilkens as a great dunker.

[@andyward8430]

Kemp was crazy in his prime. The Jordan dunk in slow mo is a thing of beauty.

[@veldringr]

That Kemp dunk was a poster in my bedroom in my childhood years. Pure class.

[@lifesnotfair]

As many have stated in the comments, Kemp's dunk is terribly underrated. I remember I was a kid and wanted a poster of that dunk so bad! But even as a kid I concluded that you have to view it from the side to truly appreciate it. I have seen a video of Magic Johnson talking about this dunk (perhaps two decades later!) and he was still impressed by it, even mentioning that "Kemp's trailing foot was halfway up his back" as he recalled (I may be mis-quoting him as it's from memory). But the shape his body formed mid-air was truly a thing of beauty. What an AWESOME dunk. No disrespect to Dee Brown but Kemp should've won that 1991 dunk contest.

[@madmonkeycycling9098]

Kemp got robbed, everyone agrees about that dunk contest being a robbery

[@sibysamuel2281]

Look up LeBron James free throw line dunk (sideview)

[@marked4death076]

Kemp should of won like 4 in a row if i remember right haha one year was so stupid he literally missed one dunk and was out hahaha

[@blindguardian1979]

@@sibysamuel2281 That's a great in-game dunk if that's the one you are referring to...but Kemps dunk had so much more style...his legs, the pump with his arms...

[@johnjohnson68]

I'm laughing 🤣 in tears ...that Shawn Kemp dunk was soooooooo powerful 💯

[@booggaboo5386]

That Shawn Kemp dunk should have put him in the DUNK-OF-FAME! Just Nasty!!!

[@patricksobb5762]

Kemp was always my favourite player. I feel like if he wasn't 6'10 he would have won a dunk comp.

[@DeathWish1974]

Kemp was a beast

[@JonathanHolt1988]

That Jordan dunk, the space Jam, is one of the best dunks of all time imo

[@balazsczirjak2416]

Cradiak Drumz he had his elvbow in the rim its unreal

[@richardlloyd2589]

Balazs Czirjak Never noticed this before. Vince before Vince.

[@xmistamagicx]

@@balazsczirjak2416 Good eye man, I didn't even catch that.

[@ivorysteele]

Yes

[@albertelazar4069]

I AGREE 100%

[@willthebeast8002]

Shawn Kemp was guaranteed to hurt you sprinting to the rim with the ball within 12-14ft... By far the most ferocious dunker in this video.

[@Youre_Right]

Willems Pierre They said he used to dunk so hard at the playground the chain net would spark.

[@baselinejordan1744]

Willems Pierre who was more ferocious kemp or wilkins???

[@erkonemutwo]

kemps dunk is one of the most stylish dunks ever.

[@coreyharris65]

MUTLU ERKAN exactly what I was thinking myself Kemp had so much style going on in his dunk

[@Dghdj-ww1zb]

Best dunker ever

[@brumph7256]

Kemp never really got the glory he deserved. We all loved MJ but Shawn kemp and Dominique Wilkins did dunk contest dunks IN THE GAME!!! they are probably the 1 and 2 of dunk lore.

[@davidlakin467]

B Rumph i concur bra..but you know very well that mister vincent carter belongs in the mix

[@brumph7256]

David Lakin a young Vince was a beast. Remember he jumped over old buddy in the Olympic Games?? 😂🤣 He is a definite top 5 IN GAME dunker.....but I can’t scoot kemp or nique over to let him in top 2. Hell, he might be 3, lol

[@riva2003]

Shawn's dunk was so beautiful, it's shame that he didn't get a 50

[@betlogboy3]

Mj with the arm in before it was carter's.

[@robertmason8416]

Kemp's "F.T.D." icon dunk is one of my top 5 favs of all time.

[@denniskousto9497]

The power on that Miner dunk. Cleanest reverse ever.

[@nystagmus]

My favorite dunk

[@PweezyG81]

Players from the 90's really understood how to make their legs part of the dunk. 90's dunk contests look so much more athletic and graceful. Todays players don't focus at all on the positioning of their legs.

[@vagelisdiamandis7565]

pWgonzo2821 totally agree my friend!!!

[@Dghdj-ww1zb]

Agree with you! In 90's dunkers pay attention to all, now in 2000 even the hardest dunks look ugly

[@nougatbitz]

It’s why I never understood Kobe or LeBron dunks getting their credits. Notice how clumsy Kobe moved in mid air. Notice how LBJs legs just hang under him and he awkwardly lands after most of his slams...

[@o.laflaf]

absolutely

[@davidlakin467]

good point..the frog leg dunks and the crab leg dunks were some of the sickest and most illest dunks ever

[@bencrofoot5501]

When I was a kid, I saw Kemp throw down a 540 two handed windmill from behind the backboard, with his belly button roughly equal in height to the rim, on Xavier McDaniels who had just been traded to the Nets. Xman slapped Shawn so hard in the ass afterwards they called a foul. About half the crowd stood up and went outside for a cigarette. I will never forget the raw power.

[@erwinsusatyo]

MJ dunks r always special...coz he start it by jump than "riding the air" bfore release the dunk...thats we used to called "hangtime"

[@JC-li8kk]

Jordan was a master at palming the ball too. The ball never slips from his grip.

[@xestore]

that Kemp dunk.. so much flair nowadays, style has taken a backseat to comparing verticals..

[@xestore]

good call. indeed it was exceptional, true hung time art ..lets not forget that gangsta chain too!

[@Tr4llf4zz]

m Khan I'd argue that Dominique's 2-handed windmill dunk from the '88 slam dunk contest, was hard to pull off and was very very underrated and intentionally low-balled by the judges.

[@jeromewilliams591]

MJ elbow was inside the rim...I've always loved that dunk especially when they show how it's done in slow motion...again gotta have those huge hands to do it

[@larvancioramos9748]

KEMP No 1

[@Joseph-lz5er]

Kemp could have jumped from behind the free throw line and still made that dunk. And had he done that, this dunk would have been considered the one of best dunks of all time.

[@georgedevine4130]

That Shawn Kemp dunk was nuts. His body motion mid air was insane

[@twyz0ne]

My favorite poster is the Jordan Space jam dunk. The way his head come from underneath the rim is fire 🔥 I still say Jordan is the man on style points. The way he hangs is a thing of beauty.

[@EnduringArts]

The Dwight Howard dunk symbolizes everything wrong with the dunk content today, all gimmicks and much less about dunking.

[@abimiabim6018]

KEMP!!! Wow....no one has done that since

[@miniorek]

Shawn Kemp. My idol.

[@Morlich209]

damn Jordan jumped 42 inches while going up with the ball... I wish there was footage of him trying to do a max vertical jump without the basketball

[@j.bird68andioweya1]

48" vertical

[@digiman76]

He would probably touch the Moon

[@silvereloking6149]

Michael Jordan was so special that only the replay and slow motion show how good was dunk

[@duckncover182]

Shawn kemp was amazing

[@a6b9fu11]

I lived in Seattle and watched almost every Sonics game during the Kemp-Payton era, Shawn the Rain man kemp was the most athletic and raw dunker in the league , he dunked on Barkley, Pippen, David a Robinson, Alonso Mourning, Mitombo, Hakeem Olajuwon, etc, no one could guard him !!

[@navadimo-vas]

Kemp's dunk is wonderfully graceful, stylish and stunningly elegant. Perfection :) I just can not get enough of it.

[@andrewwilson8082]

2:34 MJ did the honey dip long before Vince did it LOK

[@at2130]

Nobody will ever be as graceful In the air as Mike! Absolute poetry in motion.

[@mattgoldberg4335]

He certainly was graceful, but I think Dr. J was more graceful and majestic.

[@ISPLITATOMS]

Shawn Kemp looked like a 'plus sign' on his dunk!!!! #flare

[@UnkleAce]

Shawn kemp on was my favorite. I remember that one like it was yesterday

[@donaldpriola1807]

That Kemp dunk is special. They all are--they happened so quickly, most people couldn't absorb what was happening.

[@youngbrevy]

That Kemp dunk was fire!

[@timelessvickdamone]

Who remembers the green white and black kemps always available at your local ROSS department store.🤘🏼

[@misterjismotivationalmessa1245]

MJ second dunk was insane. Head above rim, gliding, tilting, reverse, throws it down with his ELBOW in the basket.

[@dbizz8642]

Watch those dunks at normal speed reaction : nice dunks. Watch them in slow motion : WTF OMG Unbelievable and so on.

[@mr.z6252]

Shawn Kemp dunk was above free throw dunk, but still a great dunk though

[@MNYSHY]

you mean below

[@Phoenotype]

People focus on the free throw line distance, but it was still far and harder, what he did was almost a professionnal gym move!

[@mkingISTP]

I think you should have added Aaron Gordon's reverse where he put it behind his head before hitting the reverse.

[@ProHoopsDaily]

Yeah, that definitely could of made the list. I'm a little biased to the old school.

[@supaordie]

WTF?? I've never seen that camera angle on the 1st one before!!!!!!!!!! omg IT MAKES IT LOOK 1000 TIMES BETTER

[@damiensynq3641]

MJ's in slow motion clips look better than anyone else's- from any era.

[@LPOneThree]

Another one that could be on here is Desmond Mason's between the legs at the dunk contest. Like Kemp it wasn't the most sophisticated dunk but it was done clean and stylishly and because I'm a Sonics fan it should be on the list 😉

[@MAMP]

I liked the sticker dunk. Very creative :)

[@jemelmoore7329]

That Kemp dunk..wow

[@jacobhqsr1406]

my favs were Harold Miner and Shawn Kemp harold miner did like the most beautiful reverse pump dunk, he also had immense power there shawn kemp spreading his legs even on a one hand dunk is way too gorgeous

[@KungFuMojo]

2:30 People don't realize the athleticism MJ had. In the recent dunk contest Jericho Sims is like a 7 ft dude who's making a big deal out of stuffing his elbow in the rim. Even when Vince Carter did it, the focus of his jump was geared towards putting his elbow in the rim. In this MJ space jam dunk, he floated towards the rim and elbow being in the rim is just an afterthought or accident. There was no focus on that, but just look, his elbow is basically inside the rim.

[@AnHebrewChild]

yep and MJ is actually not even 6-5 6-4 ¾ . That was his official height measurement for 1992 Olympics

[@valentinofalcon3133]

damn the props...jump high as u can and hammer it down as hard as u can...JMO

[@bornofthesource839]

Jordan low-key put hiss arm in the rim #2.

[@waltercastillo5921]

Born OfTheSource after he put this head at the rim and after he turned anyone in the air ! MJ GOAT !!!

[@d-repaslp.]

Say I just noticed that my got damn self all this time I been watching this and I just got it

[@noonetime8478]

MJ's Space Jam dunk is so majestic. Kemp"s dunk is absolutely beautiful too. DH's dunk needs more ketchup please.

[@mikeyin7079]

Love tha nipsey fly crippin instrumental!💙

[@HadeyanUtkan]

Crazy Thing About MJ's Space Jam Dunk. It's actually a reverse double-pump elbow dunk ! Look at where is head and look at where is elbow when he dunk in it., If He didnt slow himself down (for not hitting the rim) he could've put in all of his lower arm into the rim. Amazing Dunk. I Mean , people shocked when Vince did Elbow Dunk but this is just reverse double pump elbow dunk man ! ... MJ is reaching new heights when he aint trying even :D lol. The Problem with Kemp's dunk, everyone is waiting in a free throw line dunk and he steps way ahead of free throw line, cuz of that his perfect form in the air didnt matter.

[@allopez3166]

Can't appreciate some dunks til you see them is slow motion. Beautiful!

[@despecablecreeper4378]

Alby damned i

[@mcjr1989]

Mj elbow was inside the rim...amazing

[@hankhill3272]

Sticker dunk was dope

[@lewdtaoist]

That's a reeeally freethrow line dunk! omg!

[@thessplales9287]

kemps and spacejam unforgettable

[@ralphthompson355]

Shawn Kemp, best in game NBA dunker of all time...after Vince Carter, of course!

[@henrywashington3732]

Dominique Wilkins Double hand Windmill is very underrated! Do you know how high and hang time needed for that? Don't even think the GOAT Dunker (Air Canada) did a double handed windmill.

[@ProHoopsDaily]

I agree, that was a great dunk. Probably should of been on this list, he got a 45 for it.

[@greekrebel2451]

Dominique!!! Panathinaikos!!!!

[@MrMa1981]

My fav ever

[@JohnDoe-vp4sh]

Henry Washington wrong sir, one hand windmill is waaaaay harder dunk....been there done that

[@employee0]

Love Dominique dunks ... His off the backboard dunk is one of the best dunks I've ever seen. When he catches that thing, he looks like he is WAY too far away to be able to dunk it.

[@aleksejjovanovic986]

Kemp will always be nr.1 in dunks, PERIOD!

[@beecezear6870]

Sickest dunk ever when kemp dunked on Rodman

[@chuckhardy9947]

That Jordan dunk looks unreal

[@wyldeman7]

Kemp hurdle dunk will forever be the most underrated. Its beautiful

[@silentbutdeadly3466]

I remember when I first saw that kemp dunk in slow mo I was like wtf 😳 dam that was a bad ass dunk

[@MrTJones15]

Kemp was such a beast

[@240Subhunter]

Shawn Kemp a terror when basketball was Dangerous!!!!!

[@chrisjames6327]

The Space Jam dunk is crazy. A 220 pound guy getting his head above the rim is insane. I know you see these KZbin dunkers do it, but these guys are 150 pounds. It's a different challenge to do it, and also be big/strong enough to play in the NBA

[@johnlestersunaya-rpl1958]

Bro. Jordan is 195 at this point. He is skinny until 1991 season when he bulk up

[@burns83]

Our uniform was set on the Sonics type from Kemp years

[@peponedunk23]

What a dunks!!!

[@JoeCnNd]

Shawn kemp had posters of that dunk.

[@jeromewilliams591]

Gotta have those MJ hands to do that dunk 🐐

[@musthafaluthfee3610]

Shawn Kemp dunk like a ballerina, his body is so limber.

[@RedForeman]

That space jam MJ dunk was so x rated I gotta clear my search history

[@Goxilla]

in-game-dunks are much more exciting

[@ProHoopsDaily]

Please share your comments!!! What other dunks deserve to be on this list.

[@ProHoopsDaily]

That was a great dunk!!

[@ericbauer9029]

That's a nice call, m Khan. He really wound up and completed a clean, powerful dunk that I don't think anyone has or can duplicate.

[@insertcolorfulmetaphor8520]

Look at that REIGNMAN fly!

[@mikesannitti6042]

Dwight's sticker dunk is not underrated, it could be overrated. It's a dunk contest, not a jump high contest and the dunk itself wasn't all that good or interesting. That legendary dunking panel knew how to rate it.

[@edub90]

Dwight Howard slapped a sticker on your old ladies ass

[@beefcakebrown]

Can't believe Shawn Kemp lost to that gimmick dunk Dee Brown had, but Brown sold it with the shoe pump and hiding his eyes while also being like 6'0 tall vs the 6'10 Shawn Kemp

[@bencrofoot5501]

People were so jealous of Kemp's dunking ability his own teammates wouldn't even give him a pass.

[@lilboosie5]

I'm actually surprised no one has tried to duplicate some of these. Aaron Gordon's Tomahawk reverse was underrated too

[@zowiiperry8595]

Shawn Kemp all-time great

[@ripperjones6363]

Hell yeah Shawn Kemp Got my vote Shawn Kemp where you at My impression of Charlie Wilson

[@jayson-fj5tn]

Gerald green's cupcake dunk is more underrated than Dwight's sticker dunk lol

[@Ripplin]

Darvin Ham's "playground" dunk, as they were calling it, was pretty awesome, and the judges just didn't get it. Not flashy, which was the problem, but looked difficult to pull off cleanly, which he did.

[@DanielRodriguez-gb7mi]

KEMP !! I miss You my Friend !! El 🏀☄💪🏾

[@VigilanteWilliamson]

Jordan put his elbow on the rim holy smokes

[@43captrexkramer]

I still have a pair of the Kamikaze's even though they don't fit anymore.

[@ericperry27]

That was some LITERAL Nba Jam shit. Kemp was such a damn physical beast.

[@djsash77oldmanradic]

the jordan space jam dunk is crazu

[@sdfgsdfg9549]

You know you are old when you say you've seen them all live on TV.

[@danedgar1539]

Most overrated was dee browns "no look" that beat kemps on the rise dunk!

[@88cutty]

Dan Edgar i thought dee had already clinched before he did that dunk. Besides it was different at the time. Low skill but imaginative

[@d-repaslp.]

No dice

[@dyeslo9003]

Check out Darwin ham dunk contest dunks

[@freemancarl]

*#40 The Reign Man = SHAWN KEMP!*

[@siebiesuperville7787]

Gerald Green blowing out the candle on the cupcake?

[@jeremywashington7699]

That Shawn Kemp dunk wasn't really from the free-throw line.

[@SUSHI4lyf]

2:17 isn't the "Space Jam" dunk because Space Jam didn't exist back then. That's the "brother" of MJ's "Kiss the Rim" dunk. This one is called "Skim the Rim".

[@ProHoopsDaily]

Your right, I just called it that because Zach Lavine imitated the Dunk with the Jordan space Jam Jersey and the space Jam music in the 2015 Dunk Contest. I could call it one handed reverse elbow in rim Dunk, but space Jam flowed a little better. Lol

[@robertjackson4800]

He went back in time and called it that. Jordan can do that.

[@sydgow6293]

go sonics