Brittney Griner Dunk: Baylor Star's Throwdown Doesn't Add to Her Dominance

If you have gotten to this point and don't know how great Brittney Griner is in the women's basketball game, then you just aren't paying attention. If throwing down a dunk in the NCAA tournament doesn't change that, then it never will, not for a long time anyway. 

The biggest problem with the dunk is that it's really a novelty play. This is especially true in the female game, but it's also true for the men. But just for a second, watch Griner's play. 

The dominance of that play came well before that ball was dunked. That play was made when Griner got the ball, went up, and no defender stepped up to challenge her. She could have just as easily pulled the ball back and laid it in, but chose to dunk it. That isn't to say I fault her for dunking or anything, but it's nothing more than a highlight reel sideshow. 

In general, this is the problem with a dunk. Often times, the play is made well before anyone decided whether to throw it down, or rather, lay it in. But in the men's game, it's a common enough occurrence that people actually can get up and defend it. So, if someone is able to dunk in traffic, it's a sign of his dominance and not his athletic ability. 

In the case of Griner, it's more the opposite. She got the ball in traffic, went up, and none of the three players around her did anything to stop it. That is all you need to know about how dominant she is. A dunk was nice, but it wasn't any more dominant than a layup would have been. 

Dunks are fun to talk about, especially on the women's end, but ultimately mean absolutely nothing. Griner has been an overpowering NCAA player for the last three years. Don't let this moment define her career. That would be a great disservice to Griner, who is well on her way to becoming an elite basketball player for a long time. 

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