Best NBA Dunkers at Each Position

The game of basketball has evolved so much throughout the years that it is almost unrecognizable compared to what it once was. The NBA today has become almost entirely positionless with many other aspects of the game changing as well, but the one thing that will always remain is dunking.

Dunking has been a staple in the sport for years, and it will probably continue to be until the end of time. Fans and players alike love a good dunk, especially when it comes from these dunking pioneers.

Here are the best

NBA

dunkers from each position.

Point Guard – Derrick Rose

The young MVP whose career was cut short

The point guard position is arguably the deepest position in the league, and it has been that way for a very long time. However, the position itself is nowhere near what it once was.

Now more than ever before, point guards are on the receiving end of alley-oops dunks rather than throwing the pass themselves.

There have been many different breeds of point guards throughout the years, but none have transformed the position quite like

Derrick Rose

.

Though there were plenty of athletic guards that came before him like Baron Davis, no one popularized dunking from that position like Rose did.

There was a point in time when he was undoubtedly the best point guard in the league, beating out the likes of Steve Nash, Chris Paul and plenty of others. But not only was he better, but he did it in a fashion unlike any other.

At his size, his athletic ability was almost unheard of, and though many doubted that his aggressive style of play would translate to winning, he proved them wrong time and time again.

Sadly, because of injuries, we never got to see what the young superstar would truly become. But he helped pioneer an era of dunking point guards like

Russell Westbrook

and now

Ja Morant

, changing the league forever.

Shooting Guard – Vince Carter

Half man, half amazing

Now, unlike the point guards, it is the shooting guard’s duty to score at will. After all, shooting is in their name, but they are in no way limited to just that.

Some of the game’s greatest dunks have come from the shooting guard position, most notably being four of the greatest shooting guards of all time:

Michael Jordan

,

Kobe Bryant

,

Dwyane Wade

and Clyde Drexler.

With all that being said, the greatest dunkers from that position comes down to only two people,

Vince Carter

and

Zach LaVine

.

With all due respect to guys like Jsson Richardson, not only have the two revolutionized dunking for the entire league, but they have raised the standard so high in their respective eras that the dunk contest has been a shell of itself since.

Though Lavine is certainly an adversary worth mentioning, the title of greatest shooting guard dunker still belongs to Carter. He pulled off some incredible dunks throughout his career that continue to live on in NBA history.

Carter’s outstanding play and dunking ability are what catapulted the

Toronto Raptors

into the beloved franchise it is today, truly cementing him as the greatest.

Only time will tell if Carter is still the greatest shooting guard dunker when it is all set and down, but as of right now, “it’s over.” There is no debate who the greatest truly is.

Small Forward – Dominique Wilkins

We’ve heard “fly like an eagle.” But how about a hawk?

The small forward position is without a doubt one of the deepest positions in the league from a dunking standpoint. Not only do they possess the speed and agility of most shooting guards, but also the same strength and size that most power forwards do as well.

Of all the remarkable dunkers that the position has to offer, three names really stand out above the rest: Julius Irving,

LeBron James

and Dominique Wilkins.

Before any of the legendary dunkers of this modern era arrived, the only and only king was Irving himself. Better known as Dr. J, the basketball legend made a name for himself through his outrageous dunks and absurd athletic ability, putting the game of basketball on the map.

There is no question that his legacy as a dunker is up there with the best, but as far as pure dunking ability is concerned, James and Wilkins may have him beat.

The two were known for putting on a show with their insane talent above the rim, but even with all his immense talent, James never competed in the dunk contest.

Because of that, it is hard to view James as truly the best. Whereas Wilkins never shied away from his dunking ability.

His nickname was even “The Human Highlight Reel,” and he certainly lived up to it. Wilkins took pride in being the best dunker, and because of that, he gets the nod as the best dunker from the small forward position.

Power Forward – Shawn Kemp

The word power may be an understatement

Unlike the other positions, the power forwards don’t have many standouts because of the large pool of elite dunkers to choose from, whether it be

Aaron Gordon

, and

Zion Williamson

.

Though they are all amazing dunkers in their own right, none of them have truly been able to make a reputation for themselves as legendary dunkers.

The only power forwards who have been able to do so have been

Blake Griffin

and Shawn Kemp.

Though Blake Griffin has an unreal amount of viral, poster dunks, no other power forward lives up to their title quite like Kemp. The amount of power and sheer force he put into each dunk was unmatched.

Kemp’s entire basketball career was predicated around dunking, and during his appearance on the All The Smoke podcast, he made it clear what his objective was whenever he stepped foot on the court.

The argument between the two is definitely close, and depending on the day, Griffin could very well earn the mantle of “best dunker from the power forward position.”

However, on this day currently, it is hard to argue against the ‘Reign Man,’ Shawn Kemp.

Center – Shaquille O’Neal

Undoubtedly the best, but is he truly the greatest?

Ironically enough, with center being the tallest position on the court, one would expect them to have the most prolific dunkers, but that isn’t really the case.

Height isn’t the only factor that goes into a great dunk, and in fact, it is probably one of the least important at the NBA level.

Most centers lack the athleticism, quickness and pure jumping ability to be recognized as elite dunkers, but these select few are truly the exception:

Shaquille O’Neal

,

Dwight Howard

and

DeAndre Jordan

.

As far as star power is concerned, those guys truly take the cake, but one center that has flown under the radar is Darryl Dawkins. When it comes to pure dunking ability, there are very few centers that embody the art of dunking quite like Dawkins.

With a nickname like Chocolate Thunder, one could only imagine just how powerful each of his dunks were.

Dawkins entire career was predicated around his dunking ability, and though he isn’t as notable of a player as the others named, he is just as good of a dunker, if not better. He single-handedly forced the NBA to change the rims after breaking two backboards in only three weeks, but with all that going for him, NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal may still be the best at his position.

​​​​​​​

Some of the most incredible moments in NBA history have been immortalized through his ferocious dunks, and he even broke a few backboards himself.

The two are neck-and-neck, but because of how memorable he is, O’Neal holds the crown for now. But it is important to remember just how impactful Dawkins was and his case for being the greatest dunking center of all-time.