The 1987 NBA Slam dunk Contest was held on February 7, 1987 and featured some of the greatest players in the game. The competition was dominated by Michael Jordan who won both contests and the All-Star Game MVP award.
The dunk competition was an annual event at the All-Star Weekend, with the winner of each round earning 50 points. The winner of the final round was crowned the champion.
Jordan wore the Air Jordan 3 during his dunk competition, which was a breakthrough for the brand at the time as it was the first sneaker to feature Nike Air in its heel and a premium elephant print. It also had a new Jumpman logo and was designed by Tinker Hatfield, a former Nike designer.
His first dunk attempt was a from the free throw line, a running one handed dunk that he performed with plenty of room to spare. The crowd was awestruck and the judges Julius Erving, Dave Cowens and Maurice Lucas were impressed by his feat as well.
He was also known for his product endorsements and he fueled the success of Nike's Air Jordan sneakers. He was one of the most popular athletes in the history of basketball and his shoe sales are still in high demand today.
Another player who had a breakout dunk was Brent Barry. The San Antonio Spurs guard shocked the NBA by putting up two spectacular dunks that scored a perfect score from the judges.
After posing at the foul line as if it were a measuring stick for 15 feet, Barry built a full head of steam and then leapt from the free throw line to the rim. He then flipped his head backwards in midair and slammed the ball down, earning him the dunk title.
In an era where many players in the NBA favored the shot over dunking, Barry's performance showed the fans and the players that there was still hope for the future of the dunk.
There have been a lot of dunk contests over the years and it is easy to forget how good dunkers used to be. However, there are some that still stand out.
During the 1980s, some of the most famous dunks came from the sneakers and the Pumps. This was a trend that started when Dominique Willkins won the 1990 dunk contest with his custom-made sneakers that he called the "Pumps."
The pumps were a customizable inflatable chamber that the player could place in his shoes, giving them a unique look and feel. In the 90s, Dee Brown took it a step further and pumped his kicks before throwing down the famous no look dunk.
It was a big move for the Pumps and it helped them to become one of the top selling sneakers of all time, second only to Nike.
Other great dunks that were part of the Pumps include Vince Carter's from-the-free-throw-line slam in 2000, Nate Robinson's kryptonite dunk in 2008, and Dwight Howard's Superman dunk in 2008. All of these dunks have made them more memorable for the fans and it shows how much fun they can be to watch.
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