The Art of The Dunk

What makes the dunk one of the most exciting plays in all of sports? Is it the power, explosion, acceleration, grace, style, or creativity? Over the years, we have seen some amazing dunks by the all time greats from Dr. J, Michael Jordan, and Vince Carter. What makes a dunk so special?

As basketball fans, we watch in anticipation, hoping we will see a “once in a lifetime” dunk at the games we attend.  Whether it’s on the fast break, a monster jam in a crowded paint, or a point guard challenging a 7 footer at the rim. We as fans thirst for dunks to take our breath away and blow our minds.

In a blink of an eye is all it takes for a player to launch himself off the court and thunder the ball into the basket. Early in Jordan’s career, when he would take off for a dunk it would look like a “jet soaring off into the sky”. His speed, agility, hang time and of course, the tongue.

Most of us dream as kids to be able to dunk on a 10 ft. hoop. All of us that love this game have lowered our hoops to 8 ft. in order to experience that same feeling of “soaring” through the air. We want to feel the rush of adrenaline, the raw energy that surges through your body, when you “throw it down” and hang on the rim for extra sizzle.

I think we can all agree, in order for a dunk to stand the test of time it must at least meet the following criteria:

  • Creativity: A dunk that has never been seen before.
  • Timing: When did the dunk happen? Was it during a meaningful game?
  • Who Against? Was the dunk against the best-shot blocker in the league?

Here is a list of some of the greatest dunks of all time. These dunks defy the laws of gravity and suspend belief.

Jordan Launches From The Free Throw Line

Vince Carter Dunk Over 7 Footer

Dr. J’s Cradle

If you watch the best dunkers that play ball, you can see them aggressively attack the rim, with no fear, and no hesitation. They have a single mission; to dunk the ball at all costs. Perhaps this is why the dunk evokes so much emotion and passion within us.

What are your favorite dunks of all time? Who was your favorite dunker from the past and today’s game? Let’s hear from you, leave a comment on our blog or send us a tweet!

The Art of Hoops

The Art Of Dribbling

For any first time basketball player, the first question they always seem to ask is, “What should I learn first?” The answer should always be dribbling.

When I grew up, I used to practice my dribbling skills any chance I got, at the high school gym, on the concrete courts nearby, or in my basement. My routine was simple, dribbling the ball between my legs, behind the back, Figure 8’s and power dribbles. Before YouTube, all ball players in the early 2000’s wanted to dribble like Allen Iverson (AI). Every player I knew was practicing AI’s ridiculous and “never going to happen in a real game” crossover dribble from his Reebok Ad’s on TV.

Source: Bleacher Report

AI

I believe my confidence in playing the game resulted directly from my ball handling skills. You cannot do anything in the game of basketball without being able to handle the rock. As the NBA continues to change and move towards a faster and speedier game, learning how to dribble effectively is even more important than ever.

Over the past 60+ years in the NBA (ABA), we have seen some great ballers that were able to utilize the skill of dribbling to take them to superstar levels in a game built on height.

If you want to be the best, you have to learn from the best. Here are a few players that set the “gold” standard in being able to handle the rock on the court.

  1. Pistol “Pete” Maravich: 
  2. Allen “The Answer” Iverson:
  3. Isiah “Zeke” Thomas: 
  4. Stephen “Baby Face Assassin” Curry:

Source: YouTube

Notice how the ball seems to be on a string. They were masters with the ball, and could move anywhere on the court anytime they pleased. In traffic and out of traffic, they could take the defender one on one with ease, making all seem so simple. One word I would used to classify their ball handling greatness: Unstoppable.

If you’re still playing this game, and want to improve your dribbling and ball handling skills, here is a video on YouTube that I would recommend from ProTrainingBB.com.

You could easily incorporate these dribbling drills at practice or at home. Practicing even a few minutes a day on your ball handling skills can have huge dividends on the court and whether you sit or play.

Who were your favourite all time dribblers in the game? Is it someone from the past or from today’s NBA? Post a comment below!

The Art of Hoops