The Real MVP of Every NBA Slam Dunk Contest and the Sneakers They Wore
Published
An annual tradition that is somehow both the biggest and most inconsequential event on the NBA calendar, the Slam Dunk Contest has become a microcosm of the vibes of the league for any given year. If the Dunk Contest is great and features stars the fans actually want to see, everybody’s happy. When it’s the opposite, you would think the league was shutting down tomorrow. There’s been instant classics, forgettable botches, and controversies that have raged on for decades. And we haven’t even talked about Aaron Gordon yet.
The Dunk Contest has also been a showcase for sneaker brands to show out. There have been times where it feels like they’ve forgotten they had an athlete in the competition because we’ve seen the greats in general releases as well. Just like the NBA, the Dunk Contest can reflect what’s going on in sneaker culture, too.
As we approach the 2026 edition with the guarantee of crowning a new champion in a different brand (confirmed participants Jaxson Hayes and Carter Bryant rep Nike and Jordan Brand respectively), let’s take a look back at every NBA’s Dunk Contest and scientifically determine the best dunk from each year and the sneaker worn by that dunker. And by “scientifically,” I mean I rewatched every Dunk Contest on YouTube throughout the week. Tough gig, I know…
1984: Orlando Woolridge
Sneakers: Pony MVP Hi Top
Actual Winner: Larry Nance
There’s an entire generation of 80s and 90s kids who are convinced that Minnesota’s Isaiah Rider was the first player to perform a between the legs dunk on the big stage. But that honor actually goes to the late Orlando Woolridge of the Chicago Bulls during the first NBA Slam Dunk Contest. Woolridge’s dunk doesn’t get as much attention because he didn’t put the extra flair that JR did after the slam and he didn’t go on to win the competition. It’s a shame because that could have been a moment that Pony capitalized on years later when they get around to reviving the brand every ten years or so.
1985: Michael Jordan
Sneakers: Air Jordan 1 Banned
Actual Winner: Dominique Wilkins
The myth of Michael Jordan being frozen out of the 1985 NBA All-Star Game by his rivals should include an addendum that it actually began the night before during the Slam Dunk Contest. Despite a star-making performance that includes his best free throw line dunk where he placed a piece of tape to mark his takeoff point, he would lose the title to Dominique Wilkins with some questionable judging.
1986: Spud Webb
Sneakers: Pony City Wings
Actual Winner: Spud Webb
All Spud Webb had to do was make the dunks. Despite a field that included teammate and reigning champ Dominique Wilkins, the 5’7” Spud was going to be the sentimental favorite because of his size in comparison to the land of the giants. Spud not only made his dunks, but they were good enough to beat Wilkins solely on merit. Unlike Woolridge’s moment, Pony would reference Spud’s performance during a 2010s retro of the City Wings.
1987: Michael Jordan
Sneakers: Air Jordan 2 Chicago
Actual Winner: Michael Jordan
A broken foot prevented Michael Jordan from participating in the 1986 Slam Dunk Contest. That turned out to be a blessing in disguise because it would have been a travesty if Jordan lost to Spud Webb despite unveiling arguably the prettiest dunk ever conceived: a baseline dunk where he almost takes off sideways, bringing the ball up, taking it back down before unleashing a combination of power and beauty that has never been matched since.
1988: Dominique Wilkins
Sneakers: Brooks Arsenal KW
Actual Winner: Michael Jordan
Yes, I am one of “those people” who believe Dominique Wilkins won the 1988 Slam Dunk Contest. A combination of Michael Jordan being robbed in 1985 and the 1988 edition taking place in Chicago played into the “home cooking” conspiracy that even the announcers were blatantly playing into. That’s not to say Jordan did not bring his “A” game that night with iconic dunks that would become posters on the walls of kids for years to come, but Wilkins was on a mission to not only win but tear the rim off with every dunk. If a basketball rim could speak, they would be crying for help after every Wilkins power slam.
1989: Kenny “Sky” Walker
Sneakers: Converse ERX-300
Actual Winner: Kenny “Sky” Walker
Even though the field in 1989 did not have Michael Jordan or Dominique Wilkins, Kenny “Sky” Walker’s legendary performance would have rivaled the best from Jordan or Wilkins. With a spectacular array of dunks that showed off his power, he saved the best for last when he jumped from behind the rim, soaring underneath it and then bringing the ball back for the slam in his ERX-300s.
1990: Kenny Smith
Sneakers: Nike Air Flight ‘89
Actual Winner: Dominique Wilkins
Kenny Smith gets a lot of deserved flak for his curmudgeonly takes in today’s NBA, but in the 2000s, there was nobody better at bringing the fun back to announcing. A lot of that enthusiasm comes from being a competitor a decade prior and coming close a few times to winning the title. His best chance might have been in 1990 when he faced off with Dominique Wilkins in the finals. Unfortunately, the judges were set on awarding Wilkins the title despite Kenny showing off his creativity where he throws a behind the back pass between his legs from the free throw line so the ball bounces off the backboard followed by a catch and reverse slam finish and a slap off the backboard for good measure.
1991: Dee Brown
Sneakers: Reebok Pump Omni Zone II
Actual Winner: Dee Brown* (But Also Shawn Kemp)
The 1991 Slam Dunk Contest featured a fun four way battle between Kenny Smith, Rex Chapman, Shawn Kemp, and eventual winner Dee Brown. Kemp showed out like the evolution of Dominique Wilkins with his power and breathtaking athleticism, but he would ultimately succumb to Brown’s showmanship, which included pumping up his Reeboks right when the Pump gimmick was at its peak and breaking out the no look dunk to cap off a fun night.
1992: Cedric Ceballos
Sneakers: Nike Air Bound
Actual Winner: Cedric Ceballos
The argument could be made that the Dunk Contest was never the same after the 1992 edition. With Michael Jordan and Dominique Wilkins stepping down to make room for the new generation, the kids had to escalate in order to grab the people’s attention. Dee Brown was the precursor with playful use of the Reebok Pumps a year prior, but it was Cedric Ceballos who drifted into the absurd with his “blindfold” dunk. The irony is that Ceballos already sealed the win with dunks like the alley-oop to himself windmill and the blindfold dunk was just a lark to send the people home happy. Unfortunately for dunk purists, it opened the door for future dunkers to get silly and things would never be the same.
1993: Harold Miner
Sneakers: Nike Air Dynamic Flight
Actual Winner: Harold Miner
Cedric Ceballos could have learned a thing or two from Harold Miner, aka “Baby Jordan.” Instead of acting a fool with a dunk that nobody genuinely believes is possible, Miner threw down an even better version of his contest-winning cuff windmill slam even though he already had the competition wrapped because of how the scoring system worked back then.
1994: Isaiah Rider
Sneakers: Converse NBA Threat
Actual Winner: Isaiah Rider
The big difference between Isaiah Rider’s Eastbay Funk Dunk that won him the 1994 Slam Dunk Contest and Orlando Woolridge’s OG that didn’t even get him a 50 was the showmanship. Between the anticipation from the crowd, Rider creating tension by asking people to make room for him and then the flourish and pose afterwards, it was a moment in time that felt unlike anything that had come before.
1995: Jamie Watson
Sneakers: Nike Air Strong
Actual Winner: Harold Miner
Jamie Watson is to Vince Carter what Oralndo Woolridge was to Isaiah Rider. While Carter gets all the praise for his reverse 360 windmill slam that’s considered the greatest opening dunk of all time, he’s on record saying that he was influenced by Watson's dunk from 1995 that barely registered with the crowd. And it all comes back to selling. Watson’s nonplussed response versus Carter’s hyped “it’s over” declaration after the dunk is the difference between a footnote in history and having an entire chapter dedicated to the moment.
1996: Brent Barry
Sneakers: Nike Zoom Flight 95
Actual Winner: Brent Barry
Barry actually commits what should be a dunk contest sin when he does the free throw line dunk twice (aka the Michael Jordan), but the San Antonio crowd gave him a pass because it was a lackluster contest overall with a weak field and even weaker variety of dunks. Never forget this is the same contest that gave us the infamous Darrell Armstrong layup dunk.
1997: Kobe Bryant, Michael Finley
Sneakers: adidas EQT Elevation (Kobe), Nike Air Thrill Flight (Finley)
Actual Winner: Kobe Bryant
This was not a good dunk contest. The format was wonky and Kobe Bryant won with a slightly better (or slightly worse depending on who you ask) Eastbay Dunk. You know it’s bad when the two best dunks are misses: Kobe’s attempted toss into an Eastbay, and Michael Finley’s botched cartwheel dunk where nothing actually looked good but it was at least an admirable attempt. The contest was so bad that the NBA scrapped the contest for a year (remember 2 Ball?) and then the lockout prevented a 1999 edition. Thankfully what was waiting for us on the other side was worth the wait…
2000: Vince Carter
Sneakers: AND1 Tai Chi
Actual Winner: Vince Carter
We peaked as a society in 2000. Everybody was locked in to watch Vince Carter show out (except for Shaq who of course had a camcorder), media coverage was still interested in witnessing greatness instead of dropping hot takes built to enrage, and social media was still a few years away from ruining everything. On that night, the vibes truly were immaculate. Four of the five dunks Vince brought out that night are on the short list of best ever. If only there was a place or two you could have seen him beta test dunks a year prior…
2001: Corey Maggette
Sneakers: Air Jordan 16 Bred
Actual Winner: Desmond Mason
With all due respect to Desmond Mason, the deserving winner of the 2001 Dunk Contest, Corey Maggette fulfilled the promise Michael Finley made in 1997 when he successfully pulled off a front flip into a dunk. Was the dunk that followed good? Absolutely not, but that doesn’t matter because it was an entertaining break from a competition that had zero chance of even comparing to the highs of the 2000 event.
2002: Jason Richardson
Sneakers: Reebok X-Beam Franchise
Actual Winner: Jason Richardson
The underrated part of this dunk is that it was so filthy that Steve Francis ran to the locker afterwards. The legend of Jason Richardson winning dunk contests jumping almost exclusively off two feet began in 2002 when he took home the trophy in spite of the infamous Wheel gimmick where players were forced to imitate classic dunks from the past even if they hadn’t ever tried it before.
2003: Jason Richardson
Sneakers: Reebok Above The Rim Elite
Actual Winner: Jason Richardson
The legend continues with Richardson going back-to-back after a fierce duel with 2001 winner Desmond Mason. The winning dunk, to the shock of absolutely nobody, was a catch off a toss and jumping off two feet. What nobody expected was Richardson would be able to bring the ball between his legs and finish with his left hand.
2004: Jason Richardson
Sneakers: Reebok ATR Crown
Actual Winner: Fred Jones
Eastbay off the glass. Doesn’t get much better than that in 2004. And yet, Richardson’s hubris and desire to entertain would get the better of him as he attempted a number of crazy dunks that missed spectacularly - including a 360 honey dip - when a simple dunk would have made him the first three-time winner.
2005: J.R. Smith
Sneakers: adidas a3 Forum Mid
Actual Winner: Josh Smith
The 2005 dunk contest was a showcase for Josh Smith as he became the successor to Dominique Wilkins and Shawn Kemp’s philosophy of dunking so hard the rim would cry if it was sentient. However, fellow Smith (no relation) J.R. would have stolen the show had he made his behind the back dunk the first time instead of taking a few attempts to get it right. In a vacuum, it was the best dunk of the night, but in context with the event, it’s a missed opportunity.
2006: Andre Iguodala
Sneakers: Nike Air Flight Shox
Actual Winner: Nate Robinson
Never forget that the first time Andre Iguodala tried the behind the backboard dunk off a bounce pass from Allen Iverson, he mistimed his jump and his face hit the camera. Thankfully it only took him two tries to get the dunk right, unlike eventual Nate Robinson who took forever to make his final dunk. Nate channeling Spud Webb and bringing out Spud for one of his dunks was always going to get the crowd and the judges on his side, but real ones like Allen Iverson know what happened that night.
2007: Gerald Green
Sneakers: Reebok Pump Omni Zone II
Actual Winner: Gerald Green
Gerald Green going back all the way back to 1991 to pay homage to Dee Brown was a stroke of genius as he not only swapped out jerseys, but he took it to the next level and brought back the Omni Zones. Green would add his own flair by bringing in cardboard Nate Robinson before actual Nate Robinson volunteered to stand in and be the prop for Green’s no look dunk tribute.
2008: Dwight Howard
Sneakers: adidas TS Pro Model
Actual Winner: Dwight Howard
Most people focus on the Superman Dunk and debate whether or not it’s actually a dunk*, but the real focus should be on every other dunk Dwight Howard made during his star turn in 2008. Big men typically don’t do well in dunk contests because their size makes certain dunks look too easy. Howard bucked the trend by highlighting his showmanship, leaning into the big man narrative and doing dunks that nobody else could do, like bouncing the ball off the backboard in midair and then finishing with a slam.
*It’s a dunk like Darrell Armstrong’s layup was a dunk, but nobody was going against the vibes that night and the vibes dictated that the Superman “Dunk” was a dunk. But it’s not a dunk.
2009: Nate Robinson
Sneakers: Nike Foamposite Lite “Kryptonate”
Actual Winner: Nate Robinson
Dunking over Superman is going to win you a dunk contest more often than not, but swapping out your Knicks jersey for the Saint Patrick’s Day version and wearing player exclusive “Kryptonate” Foamposite Lites is basically a guarantee that you’re going home with the trophy. This was the year when the gimmicks started to chip away at the soul of the dunk contest, but Nate Robinson’s win over Dwight Howard prevented things from becoming too dire.
2010: No One
Sneakers: Shannon Brown’s NIKEiD Nike Kobe 5
Actual Winner: Nate Robinson
During the 2009 Dunk Contest, LeBron James put his name in the 2010 edition, thinking it would be at AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys. If LeBron had followed through on that promise, there is no doubt that All-Star Saturday Night would have taken place in Jerry World. But it wasn’t meant to be and the world has held this snub against LeBron even longer than Cleveland held on to The Decision. The 2010 Dunk Contest went from the most anticipated since Vince Carter’s 2000 run to a Nate Robinson showcase. None of the dunks stood out, Nate’s gimmicks had run their course, and Shannon Brown’s #letshannondunk campaign that Lakers fans pushed for was a disaster, with the exception of Shannon’s fire Kobe 5 NIKEiDs.
2011: JaVale McGee
Sneakers: PEAK Relentless
Actual Winner: Blake Griffin
There’s an argument for every player in the 2011 Dunk Contest having the best dunk of the night. Serge Ibaka pulled off a true free throw line dunk, DeMar DeRozan stunned everybody with a toss and grab into a Michael Jordan-esque reverse kiss the rim dunk, and Blake Griffin’s first miss of the night was better than anything from the 2010 edition. But JaVale McGee - who wore a different pair of PEAK Relentless PEs with every dunk - showed off his crazy athleticism by dunking on two regulation hoops simultaneously and it was madness. Sadly, Blake Griffin’s KIA-sponsored dunk content and Kenny Smith’s relentless hyping of Griffin’s average dunks prevented McGee, DeRozan, or Ibaka from even having a chance.
2012: Paul George
Sneakers: Nike Kobe 7 PE, Nike Air Flight One Galaxy
Actual Winner: Jeremy Evans
In retrospect, Paul George’s array of dunks were better than what eventual winner Jeremy Evans had for Orlando. Unfortunately, George’s dunks, including a lights out dunk where he recreated Vince Carter’s reverse windmill but with black lights and zero visibility and apparently zero sound, were too clever for their own good. Little did we know “too clever for his own good” would be a recurring theme of Podcast P’s career. Maybe if he had switched to the Galaxy Foams instead of the Air Flight One things would have been different.
2013: Terrence Ross
Sneakers: Nike Air Max Barkley Posite Area 72
Actual Winner: Terrence Ross
During one of Terrence Ross’s attempts, Kenny Smith was practically pleading with Ross or any of the participants to do something to get people interested. That was a reflection of how dire things were in 2013, resulting in a drastic change in the format the following year that you could argue was a low point in the competition.
2014: Paul George
Sneakers: Nike Zoom Crusader
Actual Winner: John Wall and the East (?)
For reasons that can only be described as throwing (expletive) at the wall and seeing what sticks, the NBA decided to turn the 2014 Slam Dunk Contest into a team competition. The first round would consist of a freestyle round with three players each from the East and West performing tandem dunks, before facing off against each other in a battle round, with the dunker of the night being decided by a fan vote. All of that’s to say Playoff P picked the wrong year to break out with a reverse 360 between the legs dunk because that would have won him a solo championship in almost any other year. John Wall would have to perform better in the aggregate and win the fan vote. Needless to say, this (expletive) was abandoned for 2015.
2015: Zach Lavine
Sneakers: Nike Kobe 10 All-Star
Actual Winner: Zach Lavine
Look, Zach Lavine is within his right to call the dunk where he throws the ball off the floor, catches it and puts it between his legs before finishing with a right hand reverse the Space Jam Dunk. All I’m saying is that a Space Jam Dunk should consist of Lavine jumping over the Monstars team and stretching his arms to impossible lengths to save the world. The dunk was so good that the only thing that people could nitpick was the name itself.
2016: Aaron Gordon, Zach Lavine
Sneakers: Nike HypeRev (Gordon), Nike Hyperdunk 2015 Low PE (Lavine)
Everybody won that night. In hindsight, a lot of the classic dunk contest duels we look back fondly upon were not as close as they seemed because of shady judging and corporate agendas. While both Aaron Gordon and Zach Lavine would go on to become stars in their own right, both came to the 2016 Slam Dunk Contest without fear of judges who might favor one over the other or large sponsorships that might skew a score or two. Picking between Gordon’s iconic leap over the Orlando Magic mascot that finished with a between both legs dunk or Lavine’s free throw line alley-oop is damn impossible, so props goes out to the judges who had make the call and hand Lavine his second straight win.
2017: Glenn Robinson III
Sneakers: Li-Ning Way of Wade 5
Actual Winner: Glen Robinson III
Most people will point to Robinson’s final dunk where he jumped over the entire population of the state of Indiana as his best dunk of the night, but I’m an easy mark for trying something that’s never been done before. And his somewhat failed attempt to do a 360 into the Dee Brown no-look dunk? That’s something that had never been done before. The only problem was the execution was a little off. But because the ball went in, there was no chance at a do-over.
2018: Larry Nance Jr.
Sneakers: adidas Crazy Explosive 207
Actual Winner: Donovan Mitchell
There’s a debate among dunk connoisseurs as to which tap dunk is better: Dwight Howard’s 2008 version or the one Larry Nance Jr. did in 2018 when he threw the ball off the backboard, jumped up to catch it only to throw it back to the backboard before catching it again and twisting ever so slightly for the two-hand flush. While Dwight’s version was more aesthetically pleasing and easier for the crowd to recognize the magnitude of the feat, Nance Jr.’s has arguably a higher degree of difficulty. I think the one thing we can all agree is that nothing Donovan Mitchell had that night could compare to Nance Jr.’s best.
2019: Hamidou Diallo
Sneakers: Under Armour M-Tag Low
Actual Winner: Hamidou Diallo
One of the unwritten rules of a dunk contest is that pushing off a prop or a person you’re trying to jump over is not cool. Even if the resulting dunk is technically impressive, like Hamidou Diallo’s leap over Shaq into a honey dip finish, fans and judges are not going to give full credit because of the assistance. However, Diallo hiding the Superman shirt under his jersey like he’s Clark Kent in a button-up deserves some make-up credit along with nearly clearing Shaq.
2020: Aaron Gordon
Sneakers: 361° Big3 California Sunset
Actual Winner: Derrick Jones Jr. Aaron Gordon
Aaron Gordon sits on the Mount Rushmore of Best Dunk Contest Participants Who Never Actually Won a Dunk Contest along with Shawn Kemp, Tracy McGrady, and DeMar DeRozan*. Two times he put up all-time performances that would have won in virtually any other year and two times he ran into an undeniable force. In 2016, it was Zach Lavine. In 2020, it was Dwyane Wade (and maybe Scottie Pippen) (allegedly). On a night full of dunks that did deserve 50s, Gordon’s dunk over 7’5” Tacko Fall should have gotten one as well if only the fact that it was at the end of the night and Gordon had to be exhausted by that point.
*Steve Francis was replaced by Gordon. Sorry, Stevie Franchise.
2021: Obi Toppin
Sneakers: Air Jordan 35 Statue of Liberty PE
Actual Winner: Anfernee Simons
With only three participants and no fans in attendance due to COVID-era protocols, this was always going to be a different kind of dunk contest. Unfortunately for everybody involved, it was not for the better as the dunks did not inspire the few people in attendance and virtual ones on the screens. Even Obi Toppin’s opening dunk that few had ever seen before was overshadowed by Zach Lavine doing the same dunk but better during warm-ups a week prior.
2022: No One
Sneakers: Cole Anthony’s Timberland 6-Inch Boot (definitely not boneless)
Actual Winner: Obi Toppin
The nerve of the NBA to post a “Best Dunks” video from this contest. Let’s move on…
2023: Mac McClung
Sneakers: PUMA Rise Nitro
Actual Winner: Mac McClung
Comparing Mac McClung to Vince Carter might sound like sacrilege, but consider the similarities. After a competition three years prior that left a lot of fans disillusioned*, the dunk contest was stuck in purgatory**. It would take a star*** and a legendary performance to bring them back. While most of Carter and McClung’s dunks fit well with the era they took place in, it’s hard to argue that McClung’s final dunk of the night, a 540-degree two-handed reverse windmill, would have looked out of place in the year 2000.
*For entirely different reasons as the 1997 contest was objectively terrible and the 2020 edition was highway robbery.
**The NBA discontinued the Dunk Contest in 1998 and 1999 while the 2021 and 2022 were dumpster fires.
***Vince Carter was an NBA star while Mac McClung was a social media star.
2024: Mac McClung
Sneakers: PUMA All-Pro Nitro
Actual Winner: Mac McClung
Mac McClung’s dominance over the event would continue in 2024 without any serious competition, although Jaylen Brown gets some credit for being the first star with championship pedigree to compete in a long time. McClung’s dunk repertoire was a step below the 2023 contest although his final dunk over Shaquille O’Neal was noteworthy because unlike others who have jumped over Shaq, Mac is a tad shorter and actually clears the Big Fella with room to spare.
2025: Mac McClung
Sneakers: PUMA All-Pro Nitro Elite
Actual Winner: Mac McClung
Stephon Castle put up a worthy fight, but when you start with the Blake Griffin car dunk and do it a bazillion times better, it’s going to be an uphill battle. McClung once again showed out with dunks that impressed both the older generation who prefer creativity over flash while getting over with the younger generation with props and gimmicks.
Tune in to the NBA Dunk Contest on All-Star Saturday Night and hit the Sole Retriever App to cop your favorite sneakers from the competition.
From video game journalism to veteran of the sneaker blog era to podcasting about well, everything, Juan is smiling through it all and can't believe this is his life. After recently getting into Formula 1, he now has hot takes about who the greatest driver of all time is. Email: juan@soleretriever.com
