Ranking the 25 Highest Risers in the NBA

One of the best ways to gain momentum in the NBA is by throwing down a big dunk. Some of the best dunkers are superstars, while others are role players who thrive in athletic situations. 

While I would have loved to include Vince Carter on this list, he is not the same player he once was. With apologies to Derrick Williams, Carmelo Anthony and Brandon Jennings, these are the 25 highest risers in the NBA..

25. Gerald Green

Gerald Green is one of the best dunkers on this list, but has only played in five games this season. The fact that he has been on five different teams in six years means he is not producing as a player. 

If he can cement a spot on the Nets this season, he remains a feared dunker. But after only playing in five games, I can't put him higher on the list. 

24. Dorell Wright

Dorell Wright is one of the most versatile players in the league, and fits in great with the Warriors. He can step back and hit a three or run the floor and finish with a flush. 

The Warriors play a very up-tempo style of play, and Wright is the perfect role player to finish off the alley-oops. 

23. Chase Budinger

The Houston Rocket was a star volleyball player, but opted for basketball instead. Even though he ultimately lost the underwhelming dunk contest this season, there is no doubt that Budinger can hop with the best of them. 

His scoring has been very inconsistent this year, but if he can polish his offensive game, he could become one of the better dunkers in the league. 

22. Tyrus Thomas

Thomas is not having a good year for the Bobcats, but regardless of his production, Thomas can dunk with the best of them in the NBA. 

Thomas has always been good at two things in the league, blocking and dunking. He needs to become more polished on the offensive end, but in the meantime he is one of the highest flyers in the league. 

21. Amar'e Stoudemire

Even though Stoudemire has not played up to his potential this season, he is still one of the best dunkers in the game. One of the few big men on this list, he manages to make his dunks look impressive, regardless of how tall he is. 

With the addition of Jeremy Lin, the Knicks have started getting more highlight-reel plays, so don't be surprised if you see Amar'e on SportsCenter throwing down a monster alley-oop. 

20. Gerald Wallace

Gerald Wallace is one of the most versatile players in the league, and most of that comes from his athleticism. He can match up on either small forward or power forward, and can use speed and power when he plays. 

His dunks and blocks have been able to electrify crowds, making him one of the better high risers. 

19. Paul George

Paul George was selected for this year's Slam Dunk Contest, and even though he did not win, he was chosen for a good reason.

George has the ability to hammer down some monster jams, and is a very creative dunker while on the fast break. 

18. Kobe Bryant

Kobe is still one of the top players in the game and arguably of all time, but his vertical skills have gone down in the past few years. 

As opposed to the days when Kobe could throw down any dunk, he now uses it as an offensive tool to get the crowd pumped up. He knows when to take his fade away jump shot and when it is time to hammer home a dunk. 

17. Jeremy Evans

The winner of the 2012 Slam Dunk Contest, Jeremy Evans is a true high riser.

While he hasn't been able to do much other than dunk, he has impressed NBA fans with his high flying plays. If he can bulk up a bit, Evans could become one of the top dunkers in the game.

I expect the highest jump from Evans in the next year in terms of dunking. After the Slam Dunk Contest got his name out in the mainstream, if he can get some more minutes, he should become one of the more recognizable players on SportsCenter every night. 

In the above video, Evans is called for a charge, but it shows the explosiveness he holds. 

16. John Wall

John Wall is one of the more explosive point guards in the league, and if John Lucas hadn't moved out of the way, Wall would have dunked right on him. Fear not, though, Lucas will get dunked on again by the time the slideshow is done. 

With the Wizards not winning too many games this season, Wall and JaVale McGee's athletic plays have been one of the few reasons to attend a game in D.C.

15. Andre Iguodala

Iguodala has come up with some of the most creative dunks in the Slam Dunk Contest and has always been one of the most athletic players in the league. 

Even as his role has changed on the 76ers this season, he is still a viable threat to dunk and is known for his powerful slams. 

14. Alonzo Gee

Gee is a role player for the Cavaliers who is actually having a very solid year. He has increased his points, assists, rebounds and steals from his previous totals and is gaining notice for some of his dunks.

Teamed with Kyrie Irving, the Cavs have two of the more explosive players in the league, ready to throw down at any moment.  

13. Rudy Gay

Rudy Gay has been the main offensive threat for the Grizzlies with Zach Randolph being injured for most of the season. While he has been shouldering the offensive load, he has also been throwing down in spectacular style. 

A great athlete, Gay is a real force if he gets the ball in transition. 

12. J.R. Smith

J.R. Smith has found a new home with the Knicks, and now benefits from passes from Lin and Baron Davis. 

Smith does two things particularly well in the NBA, and those are shoot and dunk. When he gets hot from three-point land, he is virtually unguardable, and he is one of the most electric players on the fast break. 

11. Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant is known more as a pure shooter, as he has one of the nicest strokes in all the game. He can take it to the rack, though, and has proven to be a very valuable dunker throughout the years. 

Durant has some of the best hops in the game, and continues to show why he is almost impossible to guard with his wide variety of moves.  

10. Tyreke Evans/DeMarcus Cousins

This is technically cheating, but these two Kings both needed to be on this list. 

Evans is one of the most explosive point guards in the game, and can really take off and slam it home. 

With his dribble penetration, Evans opens up lanes for Cousins to come in and clean up with monster dunks. 

9. Dwyane Wade

While Wade's counterpart in South Beach does most of the dunking, Wade is still one of the highest risers in the league. 

Even ranked ninth on this list feels too far down for one of the games greatest players, but he relies on so much more than just dunking, that sometimes his power is forgotten. 

8. DeMar DeRozan

DeMar DeRozan is one of the most creative dunkers in the league. Even after being in multiple Slam Dunk Contests and performing very well, the fact that he plays in Toronto makes him under-appreciated. 

Now that he has gotten more consistent with his scoring, DeRozan may start to garner more attention as he continues to grow both as a player and a dunker. 

7. Josh Smith

Serge Ibaka is one of the best shot blockers in all of basketball, so the strength and jumping ability needed to posterize him is great. Josh Smith possesses both of these things in great numbers. 

His greatest asset was always his athletic ability, and when he gets on a roll he throws down some monstrous dunks. 

6. Dwight Howard

Howard often doesn't get the credit he deserves because of his size.

Besides being both the best center in the game and the best defensive player, he can throw down huge dunks as well. His athletic ability is remarkable for someone his size, and he continues to have huge slam dunks. 

5. Derrick Rose

At only 6'3'' inches, Rose is one of the smaller players on this list, but he can bring the thunder on a dunk. Better known for his layups and floaters, Rose gets most of his dunks off of alley-oop passes from his teammates. 

Even though he doesn't dunk as much as some other players, he is one of the most explosive players in the league and one of the highest risers. 

4. Shannon Brown

Brown has some of the highest hops in the league and is known for being one of the fiercest dunkers. 

Without that much playing time over his career, Brown has made it his job to be the high energy player off the bench who can convert alley-oops and hammer down dunks. 

He is also responsible for the best missed dunk ever, when he tried to jump over Jason Richardson from too far away. 

3. Russell Westbrook

Westbrook has one of the best mid-range jump shots in the game, but he also possesses the ability to throw down a serious dunk.

Not satisfied with just getting to the rim, Westbrook consistently has some of the hardest dunks in the whole NBA.

Not bad coming from a point guard. 

2. LeBron James

Here is John Lucas again, but this time he doesn't have the opportunity to get out of the way, as LeBron jumps over him for the alley-oop. 

Playing with Wade, LeBron has made the Heat into the best and most entertaining fast break team in the league. A true all-around player, LeBron can shoot the ball from anywhere on the court and is always a threat to throw one down. 

1. Blake Griffin

Whether you are getting tired of the replays or not, Griffin remains the highest riser in the NBA.

Griffin and LeBron are built as the perfect dunking machines, as they are big enough to absorb contact and get power behind their dunks, but athletic enough to be able to jump over people, cars or whatever comes their way. 

There's no sign of Griffin slowing down his dunking, and he should be at the top of the league in SportsCenter top plays for many years to come.