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- Main article: Basketball moves
- This article is about the term, "slam dunk". For the manga series, see Slam Dunk (manga).
A slam dunk (or simply a dunk) is a type of basketball shot that is performed when a player jumps in the air and manually powers the ball through the basket with one or both of his hands, then grabs the rim shortly after the ball passes through the hoop. This is a standard field goal worth two points. The term "slam dunk" was first coined by former L.A. Lakers announcer Chick Hearn [citation needed].
The slam dunk is one of the highest percentage field goals one can attempt in basketball as well as one of the most crowd-pleasing plays. Other terms for slam dunk include "jam", "stuff", "cram" or "throw down". Slam dunk contests are quite popular, and perhaps the most popular contest is the NBA Slam Dunk Contest held during the annual NBA All-Star Weekend.
Dunking was banned in the NCAA from 1967 to 1976. Many have attributed this to the dominance of the then-college phenom Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (then called Lew Alcindor) upon his entry into the NCAA. Subsequently, the no-dunking rule is sometimes referred to as the "Lew Alcindor Rule". [1]
[edit] Remarkable dunks
Michael Wilson, a former Harlem Globetrotter and University of Memphis basketball player, holds the world record for the highest dunk. On April 1, 2000, Wilson dunked a basketball on a goal set at 3,65m (12 feet) from the floor. However, Wilt Chamberlain was also known to have performed the feat on an experimental basket set up by Phog Allen at the University of Kansas in the 1950s (The Leaping Legends of Basketball, The Los Angeles Times; 12 February 1989; Scott Ostler). Chamberlain, unlike Wilson, did not have the advantage of being given an alley oop.
Candace Parker in 2006 became the first reported woman to dunk in a women's NCAA tournament game. Lisa Leslie was the first woman to dunk in a WNBA game. Other well-known female dunkers include Cheryl Miller, Charlotte Smith and Michelle Snow (who did this in the 2006 WNBA All-Star Game).
[edit] Use in popular culture
The phrase "slam dunk" is often used outside of basketball, usually to signify success or something that is easily accomplished or that has a high probability of success. For example, one could say "this case is a slam dunk," or "that was a slam-dunk performance," though this is seen by many as being colloquial.
[edit] See also
- NBA Slam Dunk Contest
- Slam Dunk Contest
- Category:NBA Slam Dunk Contest champions
[edit] External links