The dunk is the most thrilling, insulting, exhilarating play in basketball and the excitement it creates is like no other move on the court.
It is no surprise that the Slam Dunk Contest is the most watched event at the NBA All-Star Weekend.
Monster slam! NBA’s dunk of the year is courtesy of a Canadian player from Portland Trail Blazers
Ever since the American Basketball Association held the first dunk contest in 1976, dunkers try to one-up each other (and themselves) via creativity, difficulty, and combinations. Between the legs, elbow hangs, alley-oops, blindfolded, 360s, 540s, and more, … the sky’s the limit.
A young player performs the dunk of the year
Portland Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe threw down a vicious one-handed slam that’s already called one of the best dunks of the season, part of a career-best 36-point performance that carried his teams to a 129-121 win over the Washington Wizards.
Sharpe’s second-quarter tomahawk slam will be a lasting memory for those in the building. He swiped JustinChampagnie‘s pass just beyond the 3-point line, took one dribble, then soared above the contesting player, pulled the ball back above his head and flushed it through the rim with such force he tumbled to the ground.
Shaedon Sharpe shot 13 of 26 from the floor and and converted all four of his free throws inside the final minute as the Trail Blazers maintained a lead of at least three throughout the fourth quarter. Anfernee Simons and Scoot Henderson each added 16 points for Portland.
Sharpe’s jump takes the Blazers to new heights
“So when (Champagie) had the ball, I was watching him the whole time, so I knew he was passing the ball,” recalled Sharpe about his monster dunk. “So I kind of read and kind of cheated, so once he threw it, I knew I had the steal. And then I seen dude in the way, so I just jumped and tried to dunk it, and it went in.”
The Blazers are now 26-33 overall, 4 games out of the last play-in spot, 10-19 on the road and have won three-straight. Portland shot worse percentages than Washington from both the field and from three but converted 19 turnovers into 27 points, had 15 more points in the paint and twice as many fastbreak points to secure the win.
“Dunk of the Year, that’s all I’ve got to say,” said Toumani Camara. “The best dunk I’ve seen this year on TV, social media, wherever. Best dunk I’ve seen in 2024-2025.” Even those who had a front row seat to Sharpe’s had to see it again, and again, and again.
