In the 1986 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, fans were looking forward to a name. Dominique Wilkins, holder of the previous year’s title and the league’s leading goalscorer, had decided to team up and try to win the title for a second time. The only problem was that his Atlanta Hawks teammate Spud Webb had something different in mind.
Just entering the tournament, Spud had already set a record by being the shortest NBA basketball player to join the dunk contest at just 5 feet 7 inches. Fans were truly shocked to see Spud Webb’s diminutive size as he lined up with his fellow dunk competitors. He was the only player standing under 6 feet. Dominique Wilkins himself towers much taller than him at 6 feet 8 inches.
As expected, the tournament immediately turned into an exciting spectacle. Two famous basketball players competed against each other while showcasing some of the best slam dunks in NBA history. But Spud Webb prevailed and took home the dunk championship that night. If you look at the reels of the video, you can see the happiness on Dominique’s face that his teammate hit him.
The Human Featured Movie
Dominique Wilkins is a joy to watch whenever she has the ball, whether it’s dribbling it, making an easy layup or nailing a thunderous dunk. Always a great scorer, he has been consistently ranked as one of the most prolific scorers in NBA history. He also holds the record for making the most free throws during a regular season game without missing a single shot. It was during an Atlanta Hawks and Chicago Bulls game in 1992 that he made 23 free throws.
Dominique Wilkins and Spud Webb’s dunk duel in 1986 wasn’t the only one for which he was best known. It was his rivalry with Michael Jordan for the Slam Dunk title that basketball fans have been treated to one of the greatest dunks in tournament history. It was during one of these matchups that Jordan made his famous takeoff dunk from the free throw line.
Dominique won the Slam Dunk Championship first in 1985 and then again five years later in 1990 against Kenny Smith.
He was drafted by the Utah Jazz in 1982, but stated his intention not to play for the team. The Jazz then traded him to the Atlanta Hawks, where Dominique played the best years of his professional career. It was during his tenure as Hawk that he was voted a nine-time NBA All Star.
After playing for Atlanta for 11 years, he then moved to the Los Angeles Clippers, followed by the Boston Celtics, a season in Greece, then the San Antonio Spurs, and then the Orlando Magic.
He was plagued with injuries that resulted in his stats being reduced in later years. But this wouldn’t be enough to mar his stellar record as the ‘Human Highlight Film’ who has dazzled fans of all generations of basketball with his sky-high dunking and scoring abilities. And of course, for that fateful night in 1986 with Spud Webb and the NBA Slam Dunk Contest.
