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10 underrated performances in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest
Even in defeat, Andre Iguodala put on quite a show at the 2006 NBA Dunk Contest. Nathaniel S. Butler/Getty Images

10 underrated performances in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest

The NBA Slam Dunk Contest is one of the biggest hit-or-miss sporting exhibitions in the world. When it goes right, the Dunk Contest leaves an indelible impression on the minds of those watching it. When it goes wrong, it’s one of the most painful events in sports to witness.

Over the past 30 years, however, there have been some performances that have been wrongfully forgotten. Here are 10 of the most underrated NBA Slam Dunk Contest performances of all time with the news of the 2016 participants breaking this week.

1) JaVale McGee, 2011

The punchline to many basketball jokes, JaVale McGee’s performance in the 2011 Slam Dunk Contest was anything but comical. McGee dunked on two baskets at the same time and even dunked three basketballs on one jump.

He would lose in the final round to Blake Griffin, but the ingenuity the former Wizards center showed off that night should not be forgotten.

2) Serge Ibaka, 2011

Also overshadowed by Blake Griffin in the 2011 Dunk Contest was Thunder power forward Serge Ibaka. He shouldn’t have been, though. Ibaka pulled off a legit, jaw-dropping, behind-the-free-throw-line jam — quite possibly the longest free throw line dunk in a competition.

Ibaka even found the time to save a young child’s teddy bear dangling from the net on his final dunk. Still, the impressive performance from Ibaka wasn’t enough to thwart Griffin or McGee.

3) Jason Richardson, 2004

Attempting to three-peat as dunk contest champ, former Golden State Warriors guard Jason Richardson came up just short against Fred Jones in the final round. That being said, Richardson did pull of one of the greatest dunks in the history of the competition.

For his second dunk, Richardson threw the ball of the backboard, then put the ball between his legs in midair and slammed it down with authority. It was easily one of the five greatest dunks in the history of the contest.

4) Amar’e Stoudemire, 2005

Along with an in-between-the-legs reverse dunk, the basketball world saw Amar’e Stoudemire pull off perhaps the most unique jam ever seen in a dunk contest. With the help of former Suns teammate Steve Nash, Stoudemire threw the ball of the backboard, to which Nash then headed the ball back to Stoudemire (soccer-style), who then threw down a reverse slam.

Although Stoudemire would fall to Josh Smith in the final round of the competition, the Stoudemire-Nash slam was the dunk of the night.

5) Andre Iguodala, 2006

Former 76ers and current Warriors forward Andre Iguodala should have been the winner of the 2006 Dunk Contest. Instead, the award was given to little Nate Robinson after he had about 20 attempts to complete his final dunk of the competition.

Iguodala pulled of an amazing slam from behind the backboard, as well as a ball-behind-the-back dunk that he pulled off to perfection.

Still, somehow, someway, Nate Robinson won that night.

6) Steve Francis, 2000

Former Rockets guard Steve Francis absolutely jumped out of the building during the 2000 Dunk Contest. Francis repeatedly dunked the ball off of one-hop bounce passes to himself from the half-court line.

Along with those incredibly well-measured dunks, Francis threw down a vicious windmill and a reverse slam dunk.

Unfortunately for “Stevie Franchise,” some guy named Vince Carter was also competing that night.

7) Tracy McGrady, 2000

Just like Steve Francis, Tracy McGrady was overshadowed in the 2000 Dunk Contest by Vince Carter. The 20-year-old McGrady pulled off a powerful reverse slam off of a bounce and one of the best 360-degrees dunks you’ll ever witness. McGrady even got his cousin Vince (yes, Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady are cousins) to assist him on a spectacular windmill dunk.

Nevertheless, the night belonged to cousin Vince.

8) Gerald Green, 2008

The winner of the 2007 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, Gerald Green nearly repeated as champion as a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2008. In the 2008 contest, Green somehow blew out the candle on a cupcake laying on the back of the rim, WHILE DUNKING. The dunk itself was nothing special, but the fact that Green could get his head up that high to blow out the candle and not have the cupcake fall off the rim was amazing.

Green lost to Dwight Howard that year in the final round of the competition.

9) Terence Stansbury, 1987

In the midst of one of the greatest dunk contest performances ever by Michael Jordan in 1987, Seattle SuperSonics guard Terence Stansbury quietly had a strong showing himself. Stansbury pulled of a perfect 360 dunk, a self alley-oop jam and a two-handed reverse windmill.

Stansburry was taken out in semi-finals by none other than “Air Jordan” himself. Still, for a guy who only played three seasons in the NBA, for Stansburry, his performance in the 1987 Dunk Contest is something worth showing to his grandchildren.

10) John Wall, 2014

Change isn’t always a good thing, and this couldn’t have been more evident in 2014 when the NBA royally screwed up the Dunk Contest format. Instead of having it be an individual competition, it was changed to conference versus conference.

In theory, it sounded good, but in practice it was awful. The 2014 Dunk Contest ended up being the most confusing and bizarre event ever to grace an NBA All-Star weekend.

That being said, John Wall had a dunk in the final round worth remembering. Wall took a hand-off midair, over the head of the Wizards mascot, and threw down a reverse jam that stole the show.

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