With the Association recently coming out with their annual All NBA Teams which featured players like Lebron, Kobe, and Dwight Howard, I thought of taking a slightly different approach to the whole All NBA thing. What about a 1st and 2nd Team listing some of the game’s best dunkers throughout the 2010-2011 season?
While I’m sure it’s been done before, I can’t remember seeing such a list in recent memory. Surely off the top of everyone’s head the teams have to include names like 2011 Slam Dunk Champion Blake Griffin, former dunk champ Dwight Howard, and Lakers’ high flying guard Shannon Brown….right? Well what are you waiting for?
Without further ado, here are my 2011 All NBA Slam Dunk Teams:
1st Team
PG – Derrick Rose
Chicago Bulls
Not many players, if any, at the point guard position possess the kind of ups that the newly crowned league MVP D. Rose has. In contrast to most uber athletic guards, Rose prefers to take off with two legs, a la Dominique Wilkins style, giving him much more power than your average dunker. His signature jam has to be the two footed, two handed hammer dunk that seems to both marvel and mystify opposing defenses as to just how he’s able to do that in a 6’2 inch frame.
Check out Rose’s top 10 Career Dunks(‘10-’11 included):
SG – JR Smith
Denver Nuggets
Yes. He at times can be a self admitted knucklehead. But man-o-man can he excite the crowd with his freakish athleticism and highlight reel dunks. This season, he must have gotten bored after posterizing half the league since he has added the 360 layup to his arsenal in trying to get on Sportscenter. Before possibly earning himself a ticket out of Denver for his constant quarrels with George Karl throughout the season, Smith has been known to try and dunk on everyone that gets in his path to the rim. As many of his victims can testify, the former Slam Dunk Contest participant has as much hops as any player in the league……..and as much swagger.
Check out JR Smith’s Top 10 Dunks of ’10-’11:
SF – Andre Iguodala
Philadelphia 76ers
Despite the lack of a steady jump-shot, “Iggy” continues to arguably be the NBA’s most entertaining dunk artist. Although he was robbed of the 2006 Slam Dunk crown by Nate Robinson, Dre has the best pure combination of leaping ability, athleticism, and power currently playing in the league. He seemingly serves up a breath-taking jam at least once every game that makes fans get up out of their seats in amazement of what just took place. Although he never quite could live up to the immense pressure of succeeding future Hall of Famer Allen Iverson in the “City of Brotherly Love” Iggy Pop sure does provide a reason to watch Philadelphia basketball once again.
Check out Andre Iguodala’s Top 10 Dunks of ‘10-’11:
PF – Blake Griffin
LA Clippers
This one is a no brainer as Griffin not only was a landslide winner as NBA Rookie of the Year, he also delighted the fans during All Star weekend by giving us one of the most memorable and creative Sprite Slam Dunk Contests ever. Putting the whole dunking over a car thing aside, Blake makes the list by sheer volume alone as he led the NBA in total number of dunks, flushing the rock more than 200 times over the course of the regular season. My favorite has to be the one-hander over former Knick Timofey Mozgov but let’s see which Griffin dunk ranks as #1.
Check out Blake Griffin’s Top 10 Dunks of ‘10-’11:
C – Dwight Howard
Orlando Magic
The man currently known as “Superman”(sorry Shaq) personifies the word power. You will never see Howard just laying the ball in the basket as he prefers to punish the rim, and opponents for that matter, on a flight to the basket. The former Slam Dunk Contest Champ continues to be one of the league leaders in dunks every year of his career. Now he just needs a suitable supporting cast in order to cement his legacy and win an NBA Title, securing his spot among the very best big men in league history. But for now, stay out of his way when he’s making a bee line to the hoop, or someone’s going to get hurt.
Check out arguably Dwight Howard’s best dunk of the ‘10-’11 season over Jrue Holiday:
2nd Team
PG – Russell Westbrook
OKC Thunder
SG – Demar Derozan
Toronto Raptors
SF – Rudy Gay
Memphis Grizzlies
PF – Josh Smith
Atlanta Hawks
C – DeAndre Jordan
LA Clippers
Honorable Mention
PG – Lebron James
SG – Shannon Brown
SF – Josh Smith
PF – Serge Ibaka
C – Javale McGee
Allen Moll has been a lifelong NBA and NCAA College Basketball fan who watches and studies games religiously, and coaches youth basketball in his native Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania. Allen also provides content to Bleacherreport.com, Upperdeckblog.com, in addition to being a tenured NBA and NCAA columnist for TheHoopDoctors.com.
