The Top 10 Dunkers of All Time (part 2)
Here’s the second instalment in the top dunkers of all time, the G.O.A.T.S., the best of the best – numbers 1-5 and the exercises that they used to get there:
5. Shawn Kemp: few big men had the hang time and athleticism of the “Rain Man” Shawn Kemp. Before he got involved in substance abuse and weight gain off court, Kemp and teammate Gary “the Glove” Payton utilized plyometric exercises as part of their regular training regime with the Seattle Supersonics.
4. Kobe Bryant: with a fluid gracefulness similar to Dr. J’s, only the G.O.A.T.s can match the 1997 Slam Dunk and 5 time NBA Champion’s speed and athleticism. Perhaps best remembered for his dunk on the head of 7’6 Yao Ming, there are few players in history who possess Kobe’s raw talent. Kobe is well known for his “666 workout schedule” – 6 hours a day, 6 days a week, 6 months a year. Few fans remember that Kobe Bryant was actually fairly lanky when he first joined the NBA straight out of high school. Since that time he has built lean muscle with a routine including upper body exercise such as the bench press, military press and bar dips as well as drills to keep his leg muscles in killer shape including jumping rope, plyometrics and 2 hours of running a day. Now as a bigger, stronger more dynamic player Kobe is arguably the most dominant player in the NBA.
3. Kadour Ziani: if you haven’t heard of this Algerian born “professional dunker” then you need to check out his videos on YouTube! He unofficially holds the world record for highest vertical jump at 60 inches – yes that’s 5 feet! – his skywalking is nothing short of astonishing! No one knows exactly where Kadour gets his gravity defying superpowers from, but you definitely need to see them to believe!
2. Michael Jordan/Dominique Wilkins: this one’s too tight to call – Dominique “the Human Highlight Film” or “his Airness”, the incomparable Michael Jordan, whose titanic battles for the Slam Dunk Championship took center stage at All Star weekend during the 1980’s and early 1990’s. Dominique was known for his powerful windmill jams while MJ became a legend for his iconic “Air Jordan” one handed, gravity defying dunk from the free throw line – which was used to defeat Wilkins for the 1988 Dunk Contest crown. Everyone knows the story of MJ being cut from his high school basketball team but legend also has it that he spent the next year building up the explosive power in his arms and legs which would make him the greatest player of all time by digging a hole in his backyard and springing in and out of it, over and over again. When the jump got too easy for him he would simply get out his shovel and dig it deeper so that he was constantly pushing his personal best further and further. You can dig a hole if you want but you can get a similar effect for your legs by doing a Box or wall jump drill and continually increasing the height as you increase the power in your quads and hamstrings.
1. Vince Carter: of all the players to play hoops professionally no one has as many highlight reel appearances and in your face “poster” dunks as Vinsanity. Although Vince Carter has always been an incredibly gifted athlete, he is also a gym rat who trains like a beast between seasons. Still hungry to win a championship ring to solidify his legacy, Vince was apparently working so hard in the offseason this year that his strength coach warned him he needed to slow down or he might injure himself. Two of the workouts which Carter uses to maintain his explosive vertical jumps are squats and deadlifts.
So there you have it, the best dunkers of all time! While natural ability and genetics obviously play a significant role, your vertical jump is one aspect of your game which you can actually drastically improve with hard work, dedication and the proper daily exercises and drills.
More articles that might interest you:
How to Dunk
Top 10 Dunks of All Time
Allen Iverson Dunks
Kobe Bryant Dunks
Michael Jordan Dunks
Vince Carter Dunks
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