Where would you rank Zach LaVine's dunk contest performance?
Since we've got this break in NBA action as players recover from All-Star weekend, we can talk about the more important things in life, like did Zach LaVine put on the best dunk performance of all-time?
LaVine became the second-youngest player to win the dunk contest on Saturday night, putting on a performance that will undoubtedly stand the test of time. Afterwards, LaVine said his goal was to get a 50 on every dunk, and I've got to say it certainly looked that way. It seemed as though the only reason he didn't finish the night with a perfect score was because he made it look too easy.
Many people have begun to compare LaVine's performance to what is routinely referred to as the best dunk-contest performance of all-time: Vince Carter in 2000.
That night was certainly iconic for not only All-Star weekend, but for the NBA in its entirety. Carter had guys like Kevin Garnett, Shaquille O'Neal and Chris Webber falling all over each other as if they had lost feeling in their legs. Since that night, it was widely accepted that no one could ever top Carter's performance. At least not for a very, very long time.
Well, here we are 15 years later. Carter is still in the league, but is more of a shooter now than a dunker (although he will surprise you every now and then). On Saturday night, along came 19-year-old LaVine, scarce facial hair and all. People began to take notice of the dunks he would put on his Instagram before and after practice during his time at UCLA, so by the time he posted a 46-inch vertical at the NBA combine this past summer, LaVine's name was well known.
He gained approximately 60,000 followers after the dunk contest and cemented himself as one of the rising young stars in the NBA. We can't be sure how many more times we will be fortunate enough to watch LaVine shine on the big stage, but it's safe to say that his most recent performance will go down as one of the best we've ever seen.
Is it the best of all time? Is it better than Carter's? That's for you to decide and here's a video to help you do so.
