The NBA All-Athletic Team

At 5-7 (5-9 in shoes) Nate is the smallest player in the league, and quite possibly the most athletic.

With an absurd 43" vertical leap and his unique muscular frame he can contort to his liking in mid-air, Nate has used these attributes to great effect in the annual Sprite Slam Dunk Contest, emerging as victor in 2006 and 2009.

It is always exhilarating to see this pint-sized sky-walker take off and jam it home, because Nate is an artist and the air is his canvas,

Honorable Mention: Baron Davis, Chris Paul.

At 6-4 D-Wade is far from small, yet somehow he manages to skillfully squeeze through a mass of bodies in what little space there is.

The levels of sheer athleticism required to successfully perform the moves he can pull off, are surpassed only by the inordinate amount of skill.

Who else in the NBA can switch hands, wriggle under a defender's arm and somehow rise again to bump the rock off the glass for an "and 1", all in mid air?

He can draw the contact and somehow throw it over his shoulder for a two.

Guards are too weak, and big men to slow to stop the seemingly floating pride and joy of Miami.

Honorable Mention: J.R Smith, Kobe Bryant, Jason Richardson, Vince Carter, Andre Iguodala, Gerald Green, James White, Jamario Moon.

Was there really any reason to make this slide? Is there really a more athletic 3 man in the league?

Arguably the best player in the league, James at 6-8, 250lb is a giant. Possessing a lethal 40" vertical, a rarity for a man of his enormous stature, he may also be one of the quickest to play the game today, a scary thought.

After expressing his wishes to participate in the 2010 Slam Dunk Contest, many NBA fans will be on the edge of their seats, stricken with uncontrollable anticipation, to witness the athletic feats he may pull off.

God knows, I am one of them.

Honorable Mention: Josh Smith, Trevor Ariza.

Thomas can use his extraordinary athleticism to explode off the floor and block shots. But Jermaine O'Neal knows he can do a bit more than that.

The 6-9, 215lb forward participated (unsuccessfully) in the 2007 Slam Dunk Contest, establishing himself as one of the more talented leapers in the league.

Strong and full of potential, we can expect alot of improvement and alot of excitement to come from the two year man.

Honorable Mention: Nene.

Never have we had a man of Dwight Howard's enormous size that also boasts a vertical leap just shy of 40 inches.

The NBA was simply not prepared for a human being as gifted as Howard, and because of that, there is alot of justified expectation resting on his very, very broad shoulders.

He conveys sublime body control and flexibility similar to that of many guards in the league, and he is agile enough to challenge shots that would be out of reach of many big men, making Howard the undisputed, Defensive Player of the Year 2009.

Honorable Mention: Amar'e Stoudemire