No. 5 – Michael Jordan
Bonus round: you get two dunks in this highlight clip. The first is great, but we are here for the second.
Hoops Habit
First of all, poor Alonzo Mourning. Zo has already showed up once before in our list and now he’s back again. This dunk actually took place earlier, chronologically, than the Kukoc slam from earlier.
While the dunk itself is a demonstration of explosive power, this is about pure emotion. Jordan was a master of demonstrating emotion. Most of the time, it was nuanced. The right moment, the right physical response. Jordan was always perfectly weighted in how he carried himself on the court. When it was time to lean on Scottie, he leaned on Scottie. When it was time to shrug, it was time to shrug. Even his finger wave at Mutombo was a simple gesture that carried enough weight to warrant a 2000-word blog post.
So, when Jordan chooses to erupt in emotion, you take note. It doesn’t seem like much in the modern NBA, or modern sports in general. If you watch more than 17 seconds of American football, you’re bound to see at least three players run 30 yards further than necessary, launching approximately 22 percent of their protective gear into the air. A well-timed 3-pointer in the modern NBA devolves into the pre-judging phase of the Mr. Olympia bodybuilding competition.
It’s all fun, but it’s all commonplace in modern sport. This was different and it made the actual slam dunk that much more powerful.
If that wasn’t your cut of tea, this Jordan dunk against Charlotte was actually much more savage. However, it doesn’t have the power of emotion that you get from the dunk on our friend Zo. Seriously, you need to watch that dunk about 20 times right now.
Next: No. 4 All-Time Bulls Dunk