21 Levels of Dunking: Easy to Complex | WIRED

[@ChrisJdunks]

Was such a fun shoot! Thanks Wired!!

[@Manny-117]

You should have came out and just said "most of yall will not be able to just dunk" lol, those last few were siick

[@abechiu]

🙌🏼

[@zzz.tyrone]

How do I increase my vert

[@Tanya.2007]

Your dunks are sick (ง •̀灬•́)ง

[@chickox]

Yoooo dude this is awesome!

[@BaldOldGermanDude]

I basically have only one technique for dunking, that isnt even mentioned here: I press the left controller towards the basket and press "x" and then "square" (cause thats how i configured it) ...

[@mayb390]

For me it's holding spacebar and left clicking at the correct time

[@hammertyl9355]

Seems legit

[@tobpotat]

1000th like this was too funny

[@jsgv7935]

@@mayb390 ew you play a sports game with keyboard

[@brokeman5141]

@@mayb390 menace

[@ShiningEyeBrigade]

Love this series: eloquent, thoughtful people with analytical minds explaining their expertise. Do I care about dunking? Not before this video. But this was fascinating.

[@JohnDoe-xi1qk]

Fæk plandemic

[@futurehofer1564]

you should care about dunking, it is super cool

[@lucasseakins8920]

I’m 5’4 with a 20” vertical. I will consider it a blessing to be able to dunk in my lifetime

[@geepadoodle]

how old are you

[@lucasseakins8920]

I’m 15

[@geepadoodle]

@@lucasseakins8920 youll get there fr just grind

[@Poloskii]

@@geepadoodle I'm sorry but he'll be lucky to dunk😭 there's a small chance he has the potential but its sooooo unlikely🥲

[@pedroaugustocosta2533]

I'm a 5'8 20 years old that can dunk on a 9'5 foot rim, I will get it there, and I know you will too

[@bkcalvine]

This guy needs his own show / podcast. Great voice, so well spoken.

[@jennyneon]

WIRED, please bring Jordan Kilganon with C.J. Champion next, it would be so entertaining to see them do a dunk contest together.

[@erijak2935]

Not even a competition, no hate to cj but kilganon is in another level...ppl that can match kilganon is maybe isaiah rivera

[@Meteo_sauce]

@@erijak2935 proved his title by taking the crown in the latest dunk league

[@txcNexus]

that guy is a beast. he is like Jordan

[@erijak2935]

@@ezbEtc I'm not saying he's the best,at this moment of time I would say Isaiah rivera is the best because he just keeps hitting new crazy dunk like once every month, it's pretty hard to say who is because there's no objective ranking..but kilganon isn't slacking,just last year he's done this sort of 1 handed hide n seek,and the craziest is rev 360 hide n seek which is imo top 10 dunk all time...

[@erijak2935]

@@ezbEtc Southerland and jroth are 2 of the best 1 foot dunker, they're elevating the game because most guys choose to jump off both foot...kao is tall and have stupid long wingspan plus athletic too,but dunking is not his main priority, basketball is first for him..

[@whatwelearned]

I like how this guy communicates, deliberate and concise

[@w3sp]

Level 0: Be able to jump high enough to touch the ring.

[@Tanya.2007]

being tall is also an obstacle for me im like a dwarf playing basketball

[@w3sp]

@@Tanya.2007 Well I'm around 184cm tall or sth (6'0), so maybe slightly above average I guess, but back in high school days in sports class I was never able to jump high enough to even tough the ring. I was close though...

[@Anon.G]

@@w3sp anybody 5'10 or higher can easily dunk with some training

[@blazingexil4003]

@@Tanya.2007 how short are you? The guy in this video is 6’1 and at that height I can’t dunk.

[@Tanya.2007]

@@blazingexil4003 ima girl so dont be shocked when i tell you im 5'1

[@DunkademicsOfficial]

CJ!!!!!!!!!!

[@bball3048mmfr]

Dunking has been my favorite aspect of basketball for 30+ years. I dreamed of dunking so I asked my parents to buy me all of those jumping programs. I even got the Jumpsole plat form that you can strap onto your regular shoes. After almost 2 years of training I was never able to jump high enough to dunk a regular sized ball on a 10-foot rim. I did dunk a pickle ball at age 18 though. Then I quit after HS because my knees hurt too much. I regret quitting. If I had figured out how to heal my knees by the time I would reach my physical peak I would have succeeded but oh well... I am 43 years old (in 2023) and I have gotten back into jumping. I go to basketball courts and try to touch the rim.

[@reverplusgrand]

Nice to hear you are getting back into it! I highly recommend following Kneesovertoes guy is material. I had a similar experience to yourself where I was following the old school vert programs (Air Alert) at the age of 17 with the hopes of dunking. It did manage to increase my vert significantly but at the cost of damaging my knees. I'm 6'0 and was able to dunk a handful of times in my early twenties. But eventually stopped balling and continued with bad knees to my 30s. Discovered kneesovertoes and started following his exercises to help strenghten my knees and in the past few weeks I started playing basktetball again and to my surprise am able to dunk still and feel no pain or swelling in my knees! (Age 32 height 6'0)

[@BenPisarik]

As one of the few who can dunk, the two hand tomahawk is where it really gets challenging to do due to the movement the ball has to do

[@mohammedalzoubi9275]

I have no interest in basketball, but its so satisfying to watch somebody dunk especially when knowing the skill and complexity behind it.

[@SoulKingBK]

The most usefull video ive ever seen, for someone who can dunk but has trying to get in to trick dunks this is excelent teaching tape. He's called out mistakes ive made.

[@SolRC]

Dear Wired, use some 360 degree cameras on stuff like this , flex your gear to help us🤙. Thanks Mr. Champion for the excellent breakdown.

[@justincardwell2780]

The levels I have completed at different ages: 14 Years Old - (5'10"): 1 .... 5 15 Years Old - (6'0"): 1, 2, .... 4, 5, 6 .... 8, 9 16 Years Old - (6'1"): 1, 2, .... 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 .... 12 17 Years Old - (6'1"): 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 .... 12 DISCLAIMER: I can do three variations of jump-types: one foot (left), two feet (left-right), & two feet (right-left). I am a right-handed dunker. If you want me to update this at any time please let me know through replies. My birthday is February 27th.

[@madmaxplayzgames9452]

Yo so what can you do now that your like 17 and a bit

[@justincardwell2780]

​@@madmaxplayzgames9452 only #3 ;(.... But I've been trying to do an Eastbay off one foot lately

[@madmaxplayzgames9452]

@@justincardwell2780 I find it so much easier to do a east bay of 1 than 2 lmao each ppl are different i guess

[@justincardwell2780]

@@madmaxplayzgames9452 Yeah, I do my windmills off two feet usually. But I need the speed for the eastbay so I go off one with an alley.

[@Prederick]

That reverse pump dunk is great, but it also highlights how insane Aaron Gordon's was in the dunk contest. He combined a tomahawk and the pump and still slammed it. Ridiculous.

[@adhityapoernama940]

being 6’8 also has its advantage

[@i-man872]

@@adhityapoernama940 not really

[@SoloPerICommenti]

that might have been the most impressive dunk in the contest (and second best of the weekend) but voters didn't understand what they saw

[@BeTheEnergySteve]

LETS GO C!!!! This was an amazing video!! Thank you Wired for putting this together and you picked THE STYLISH MR. Centurion Jumperstein himself!! Who better to break it down baby?!?! DUNK LIFE!! 🚀🚀🚀🚀🔥🔥🔥❤❤❤❤🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼✨✨✨✨

[@skylarutd]

Can you do one with football freestyle. There are some elite freestylist out there

[@cheezelite1656]

@Alice--💞 t7

[@Robenson321]

I needed this vid when I was a teen and was playing basketball with friends for hours every week. But to those that still hoop...this is a great vid.

[@Jumpsbychi]

I hope you guys thanked CJ. Thank you CJ! 🙏🏽

[@amser7916]

Hearing the sound of the dunk is so satisfying, where was this in Dunk League? also CJ is a dope dunker, can't wait to see how he improves!

[@elixerhanscube9938]

My dunk evolution: 1st year: My vertical wasn't really good and I only could throw down basic dunks 2nd year: My vertical was average and I was able to throw down better dunks 3rd year: My vertical was really good and I was able to throw down impressive dunks including the 360 windmill 4th year: I had the dunk vertical similar to my idol Mj and LeBron I was able to throw down insane dunks and everyone was mindblown when they watched me I even participated in many dunk contest and won every single one of them *Message* Never give up!when I started dunking I was really bad I couldn't even reach the rim but now I am able the fly into the air and throw down insane dunks so never reach give up! I almost gave up but my coach told me to not give up

[@yourblack1463]

sure buddy

[@diseasedworm9209]

sure bro

[@RockStampPAS]

Seen a decent number of athletes try to do explainer videos and very few of them do it as well as this guy. Well done.

[@kingkraft6156]

Honestly as a 6’10 basketball player I’ve been looking for a tutorial guide for a proper windmill & eastbay appreciate it

[@Gabriel_RP19]

It’s weird not hearing the HELLO after his dunks lol

[@Syrup1]

yes indeed

[@Kali-Ikigai]

He’s so charismatic 💯

[@ohgeezreact5209]

Great video! I’m 5’9 I tap out at about a level 11 right now. Not to bad but lots of room to improve. Have not gotten a nice reverse pump yet but I’ll try and conquer that one soon. Gonna strive to maybe get to maybe like around level 17 by the summer👍🤷‍♂️

[@kamauwarrior1776]

how do you do it?

[@ohgeezreact5209]

@@kamauwarrior1776 gotta really want it bro

[@bigsmacked]

I’m 5”9 and i top out at 3, but it does feel nice to be able to dunk at all lmao

[@ohgeezreact5209]

@@bigsmacked for sure bro, better than most. U got your foot in the door just gotta keep going.

[@Krysteral]

@@ohgeezreact5209 Hey man, how do you train to increase your vert to dunk?

[@saicomatic]

Just learned dunking but have issues doing flashing dunks, i watched a lot of tutorials but your video has all the info i've been looking for, god bless you man

[@jethromelville7728]

Yea same I can’t seem to move the ball fast enough to windmill but maybe I just need to jump higher🤷‍♂️

[@Daniel_Ilyich]

I noticed that Champion only does dunks using both legs to generate height. There's a whole other category of dunks that can be done off of one leg. MJ had some spectacular dunks off of one leg (and not just the free-throw one). Also, I forget who, but someone once did a "Statue of Liberty" dunk with looks awesome.

[@475818]

The statue of liberty dunk, for a professional dunker is very very easy

[@joshido7352]

Some people are one foot jumpers and some are two foot jumpers. Michael Jordan, Lebron, Zach Lavine all great one foot jumpers. Dominique Wilkins, Vince Carter are some of the best two foot jumpers.

[@benmanutd2]

I'm curious on what level Aaron Gordon's under the legs dunk is cuz that one is literally the only dunk I vividly remember

[@broannoying8765]

Bro must've made at least 100 dunks in a day for this video. Respect to him.

[@SmusnSasketchewan]

Oh my goodness they actually added level 8 and 9 together the 360 and windmill to create 17. Dedication!

[@playstationallstars2]

we just gon pretend he didn’t wack himself in the face with the windmill? aight aight bet 6:58

[@Manny-117]

Lmao

[@thechief00]

he hit his head off the rim on level 11 lmao 8:52

[@GazOnPetrol]

As a person who used to be 5,5 i could barely touch backboard, then i grew to 6,1 and can grab ring off of standing jump is that good?

[@andybritishairways9427]

This is a great tutorial. C J is great at explaining everything 👍

[@JohnEvans]

CJ YOU LOOK SO COOL

[@DoubleITman]

I just learned that i was way to complex in trying to dunk and should have been dunking on fools for years with simple dunks .life lesson

[@W3movedOn]

I’m 5’11 and I’ve been trying to improve my vert for a while, I can almost dunk on a 9’7 rim still working on it though

[@lumina_]

gl bro

[@madmaxplayzgames9452]

How old are you tho

[@madmaxplayzgames9452]

I'm 5'10 and nearly got a alley dunk but can grab a 10ft rim, am 17 turning 18 in May

[@ajayisbetter]

@@madmaxplayzgames9452 keep going man, and also don’t be insecure about your height since at 17 you don’t grow much more

[@telepusik]

I love this series, please do an episode for snowboarding!

[@olstar9568]

I’m on level 0. Dunking on 9ft (5’9, 13 years of age)

[@DuhLeeSinguh]

my dude is actually a dunk doctor like i feel like i just took a class lmao what a beast

[@NathanGeorgeDunks]

CJ!!!!!!!!

[@HiddenLambSauce]

lets take a moment to appreciate the number of dunks Chris did in this video

[@multimj691]

dunking is already difficult..

[@sonofmando4239]

Please levels of complexity of drumming with matt garstka or benny greb or thomas pridgen or whoever you want but please I need it 💕

[@nicholastheguy321]

Well I’m probably under 5’5 and have a 25 inch vert. Being able to do the level one dunk would be incredible.

[@ajayisbetter]

if your “probably” under 6’5 that means u at least gotta be 6’3 or 6’4 with that big of a vertical you should easily be able to dunk

[@nicholastheguy321]

@@ajayisbetter oops I meant 5’5 Gotta edit that

[@orchdork775]

Man, this guy is super handsome!!

[@JohnEvans]

I second this

[@IsaiahRivera1]

@@JohnEvans I third this

[@kayekrish1989]

@@IsaiahRivera1 I fourth this

[@aryan1985]

@@IsaiahRivera1 I fifth this

[@r.m.n5436]

He will dunk on that😺

[@Walkingthrough1]

at 13:31 the editor mixed up the two names

[@sbhatakolom]

I don't know how I notcied 2 years later that the 360 and the windmill are swapped here 13:21.

[@officialocb1044]

I did aswell haha

[@charliehills9445]

i can dunk on lower rims really well except i’m right handed and a left right jumper so it gets difficult on higher rims, although i can also jump off 1 leg so i am quite fortunate

[@1.4142]

I knew it was getting serious when I heard "dunk competitions" and "big controversy in the dunk world".

[@d.norman5223]

I’m 6’2 about 220 I can hang on the rim with 2 hands and I can jump high enough but I just can’t seem to finish most of my dunks

[@181cameron]

Crazy to think that few people had ever seen level 17 (and then 18) before Vince Carter in 2000. Dominique had the power, MJ had the finesse. Vince's combination was enough to make people just pause to contemplate what they'd seen.

[@erijak2935]

No disrespect to older players,but younger ones are a lot better in dunking

[@Flo-gf8pt]

great video CJ! I think you mixed up the terminology of plant & block foot, just so people starting to dunk don't get confused :)

[@erijak2935]

Fr I thought the block foot is the last foot😂

[@Flo-gf8pt]

@@erijak2935 yeah he said his coach John Evans brings it up to this day :D

[@RiceWarrior34]

Somebody please show this video to this year's NBA dunk contest participants and teach these fools how to compete in a dunk contest!

[@The10Minas]

the 360 dunk mixed with the wind mill at 13:32 is swapped maybe fix it

[@Anon.G]

He got block foot and plant foot backwards :(

[@celtics2024]

You got the plant and block foot reversed.

[@MtbKING27]

I have a ridiculous vert but I am 5’ 3”. I almost grabbed the rim a couple days ago when I was warmed up but I barely missed it. I’m 12 tho so I have a lot of height to gain.

[@3looy]

Be careful, if you arent comfortable grabbing the rim dont force it, this is how i broke my wrist, i was grabbing it with my fingers only which made my slip and fall.

[@mateosharp5047]

I think windmill is harder then 360

[@dasmensch2317]

Thanks for video, it was very interesting

[@owenhall3855]

yeah I’m at level 6 😂 haven’t tried anything crazy yet but I am jumping higher so hopefully I will increase levels as time goes on (only a sophomore)

[@catsklok5423]

Idk if yall have heard of this. But there is something called the tornado dunk. It’s a dunk where you spin 360 while doing a scorpion

[@anzu3455]

i made my first assisted lob dunk and i can do off dribble dunk, very close to self lob dunk

[@kattievanderhall6253]

What is the name of the song at 0:03?

[@braylonfrantz9122]

okay so I can get the self lob dunk 4/5 times, but when I try to dunk with the basketball in my hands I can never do it. is there something I need to know?

[@DoFliesCallUsWalks]

when i saw level 10 was already push-off windmil, I knew 21 was gonna be insane.

[@nicholastheguy321]

I guess I’m level 0

[@larorud2663]

but the 360 is a 180 if you watch youre jump when you started to jump youre body is on the back of the hoop and faced the hoop when you finish

[@ja_morantjr12]

After watching this last year this year I participate inna dunk contest

[@Luka88908]

im 6.1 and have 28 to 30 inch vertical can palm a basketball and im 13 zers old can d.unk off drible a lob and thats it just that

[@aaradhyateotia2585]

the first dunk I did was the self lob dunk in my school practice

[@aWildAk]

im 5'7 wit like 35" inch vert i can grab a 10ft rim but with the ball i can barely dunk on 9ft i think in about a year ill get to dunkin on 10ft like its nothing fr im still young so ill even grow fr inshallah

[@Noooooooooooooooooooooo0]

13:30 those are backwards, the one on the left is a 360 and the right is a windmill

[@gotz672]

He’s the secret baby of Zach Lavine and Denzel Valentine

[@Kbullington40]

I just touched rim yesterday and I’m really going to try to dunk in the next year! So thank you!

[@nicholastheguy321]

It’s amazing how you can touch the rim considering how I can’t even scrap the net

[@Kanin_is.Beri_Good]

being 5'4 and having a 25inch vert and tried to dunk on a 6-7 feet rim it's pretty already hard just trying to not to hit the rim

[@kima5485]

I hit a double clutch reverse before I could catch a lob

[@bol8122]

What I find so funny is I can do a two hand tomohawk but all the ones before are so hard for me

[@skalawitz]

Level 12 dunk.. Aaron Gordon did a tomahawk and change his mind midway to do the reverse pump. And the ball was waaaaay down in his ankles.. he just got a 9.. 🤷‍♂️

[@yuanjeremy3107]

Great great insights！ I have learnt a lot！

[@raisingbarssince1978]

I was able to windmill it with a lot of force, but still two handed front dunk was always the most dificult for me....also note there are people who prefer to jump of one foot or two feet...that depends

[@pdboomin2]

Dunk contest between him n Zach Lavine

[@30kmask37]

13:32 is actually a reverse 360 windmill

[@EthanVictor-v1l]

At level 4 rn 6’3 and a freshman in hs Some days I can’t dunk other days I can

[@ethanthan3115]

my calves have been sore for 2 days just because i skipped rope a lil too hard, how am i gonna do this 💀

[@katarinajanoskova]

I do worry about what this says about me but when I got a notif for 21 Levels of Dunking, I wondered how many ways could there be for dunking your biscuit into your tea. I was looking forward to finding out. Maybe I've lived in UK for too long. Still. I'm not disappointed with what I got.

[@inmyexpression19]

For me the reverse windmill is easier and the reverse pump

[@TheSeanJohnston]

Well spoken dunk legend

[@TheMarslMcFly]

6'3 dude here that's never dunked before. I wonder how high I could get 🤔

[@georgerosebush9754]

I'm that height and still can't dunk

[@lucasalbertocopello484]

i did a 360 but cant do a windmill im about 6,5 i can touch the backboard with my head but im not good at doing hard dunks

[@Hops402]

Rn on lvl 7 gonna make my way up

[@gabekob]

Amazing content! Just wish he would shout out the famous 720 dunk, first made by and1 player "Air Up There"

[@Userrrname360]

How do I palm the ball like you tho. I am 6’5” at 15 and my hand length is 9” and width 8.7”

[@Jayluvhoops]

5,4 12 and i had a 26 inch vert now im wt 32 ane going into college

[@Jakecaseyy]

However the simplest dunk but on someone in game makes it the best

[@maddoxbrown0816]

Could you make a video of list for 1 foot dunkers or could someone make me a list plz

[@bovedli]

We’re increasing complexity here

[@wayin6652]

i'm 14 and 6 foot and just started touching the rim last week

[@davienrico02]

I'm a left-right right-hand jumper, would it be more comfortable to finish with my left hand?