No. 1 – Michael Jordan
The FanSided Definitive Dunk project is only for in-game dunks, but I live my life free of such oppressive rules. I present to you the single most definitive, iconic dunk in the history of all basketball. We’re spoiled to be Bulls fans, because this is everything.
Next: The Chicago Bulls' 10 Most Valuable Assets
This isn’t the most definitive dunk for on-court reasons.
As professional basketball evolves, so do the ways in which players make a living and choose their loyalties. In 2016, the biggest storyline isn’t the on-court rivalry between Steph Curry and LeBron James. The big story is how Nike let Curry slip away and now his Under Armor signature sneaker is hacking away at the Nike market share.
It isn’t just those two players, nearly every player in the league has some type of brand affiliation that makes them money above their standard playing contract.
Michael Jordan wasn’t necessarily the first, but he was, and is, the greatest. The Jordan Brand, born out of Nike, has become a self-sustaining giant. Jordan dwarfs his career basketball earnings in a single year as the head of the most iconic signature sneaker line in the history of sports.
The legend of the Air Jordan may pre-date The Dunk, but it was everything. Celtics fans may remember some very special, iconic moments with Larry Bird. Lakers fans will always have the Showtime Lakers. For every highlight play that those teams produced, nothing rings universally like The Dunk.