Bracketology Dunk Contest: It's LeBron vs. the All-Time Greats

This March Madness-style tournament is unlike any other that you've seen before.

It is a tournament that features the 16 greatest dunking legends in the NBA and the 16 greatest dunking stars playing today, going against each other in a one-on-one, single-elimination dunk contest for the ages.

This tournament will not only be the platform for LeBron James first NBA dunk contest, it will also feature such epic showdowns as Larry Nance vs. Michael Jordan, LeBron James vs. Vince Carter, Dr. J vs. J.R, Smith, Blake Griffin vs. David Thompson and more.

Read on to find out the specific rules of this once-in-a-lifetime, 32-man tournament and find out which celebrities have been picked to judge this classic event.

How the Dunk Contest Works

This epic dunk contest is set up in a March Madness-style bracket, with 16 legends and 16 current stars being selected to participate.

Each matchup is a single-elimination dunk contest between the two players involved.  The rules of the dunk contest are as follows:

1.  Each player gets three dunk attempts in each specific matchup.

2.  Each member of the celebrity judging panel will judge each participant's dunk on a scale from 0-10 (0 being the lowest, and 10 being the highest).

3.  The players' dunk attempts will alternate. (i.e. Player X goes first with his first dunk attempt, followed by player Y's first attempt, and so on.)

4.  At the end of each matchup, the player with the higher point total will move on to the next round, while the other player is eliminated.

5.  The highest possible score for each round is 150 points.

Now that the rules are set, let's meet this tournament's celebrity judge panel. 

Celebrity Judging Panel

Shaquille O'Neal—You can't have a dunk contest without "the big diesel" anchoring the judging panel. O'Neal is one of the greatest players of all time.  Enough said. 

Kenny "The Jet" Smith—Kenny Smith earns a spot because he's been around the league as a player and an announcer for quite some time. He's such an eccentric personality. Got to have him. 

Will Ferrell—If you're wondering why Ferrell is one of the judges, just check out this video of him introducing the players for a Bulls vs. Hornets game.

Charles Barkley—Not only is Charles Barkley one of the best basketball players of all time, he's also one of the craziest personalities in the game. That's why he earns a spot.

Skip Bayless—The only way to make this the greatest dunk contest of all time is to have one of the most- hated sports personalities of all time judging it, and that man is none other than Skip Bayless.  I could write a book on how much Bayless would benefit this tournament, but I won't. 

Contestant Announcement

Legendary Dunk Artists 

No. 1 Vince Carter
No. 2 Michael Jordan
No. 3 Julius Erving
No. 4 Dominique Wilkins
No. 5 Shawn Kemp
No. 6 Clyde Drexler
No. 7 David Thompson
No. 8 Larry Nance
No. 9 Spud Webb
No. 10 Connie Hawkins
No. 11 Scottie Pippen
No. 12 Harold Miner
No. 13 Isiah Rider
No. 14 Darryl Dawkins
No. 15 Ricky Davis
No. 16 Steve Francis 

Current Dunk Artists

No. 1 Blake Griffin
No. 2 Dwight Howard
No. 3 LeBron James
No. 4 Josh Smith
No. 5 Andre Iguodala 
No. 6 J.R. Smith
No. 7 Derrick Rose
No. 8 Jason Richardson 
No. 9 DeMar DeRozan
No. 10 Rudy Gay
No. 11 JaVale McGee
No. 12 Nate Robinson
No. 13 Amare Stoudemire
No. 14 Russell Westbrook
No. 15 Serge Ibaka
No. 16 Jeremy Evans 

North Division Seeding and Matchups

North Division Seeding

No. 1 Vince Carter
No. 2 LeBron James
No. 3 Shawn Kemp
No. 4 Derrick Rose
No. 5 Spud Webb
No. 6 Amare Stoudemire
No. 7 Isiah Rider
No. 8 Jeremy Evans

North Division First-Round Matchups

No. 1 Vince Carter vs. No. 8 Jeremy Evans
No. 2 LeBron James vs. No. 7 Isiah Rider
No. 3 Shawn Kemp vs. No. 6 Amare Stoudemire
No. 4 Derrick Rose vs. No. 5 Spud Webb 

South Division Seeding and Matchups

South Division Seeding

No. 1 Blake Grffin
No. 2 Julius Erving
No. 3 Andre Iguodala
No. 4 David Thompson
No. 5 DeMar DeRozan
No. 6 Scottie Pippen
No. 7 Nate Robinson
No. 8 Ricky Davis

South Division First-Round Matchups

No. 1 Blake Griffin vs. No. 8 Ricky Davis
No. 2 Julius Erving vs. No. 7 Nate Robinson
No. 3 Andre Iguodala vs. No. 6 Scottie Pippen
No. 4 David Thompson vs. No. 5 DeMar DeRozan 

East Division Seeding and Matchups

East Division Seeding

No. 1 Michael Jordan
No. 2 Josh Smith
No. 3 Clyde Drexler
No. 4 Jason Richardson
No. 5 Connie Hawkins
No. 6 Russell Westbrook
No. 7 Darryl Dawkins
No. 8 Serge Ibaka

East Division First-Round Matchups

No. 1 Michael Jordan vs. No. 8 Serge Ibaka
No. 2 Josh Smith vs. No. 7 Darryl Dawkins
No. 3 Clyde Drexler vs. No. 6 Russell Westbrook
No. 4 Jason Richardson vs. No. 5 Connie Hawkins 

West Division Seeding and Matchups

West Division Seeding

No. 1 Dwight Howard
No. 2 Dominique Wilkins
No. 3 J.R. Smith
No. 4 Larry Nance
No. 5 Rudy Gay
No. 6 Harold Minor
No. 7 JaVale McGee
No. 8 Steve Francis

West Division First-Round Matchups

No. 1 Dwight Howard vs. No. 8 Steve Francis
No. 2 Dominique Wilkins vs. No. 7 JaVale McGee
No. 3 J.R. Smith vs. No. 6 Harold Minor
No. 4 Larry Nance vs. No. 5 Rudy Gay  

North Division First Round: No. 1 Vince Carter vs. No. 8 Jeremy Evans

Vince Carter's Top Dunk: Vinsanity hops a seven-footer.

Jeremy Evans' Top Dunk: Two-Ball Dunk

2012's NBA Dunk Contest champion stands absolutely no chance of making it past Vince Carter, as Carter is a much more explosive athlete.

Sure, Jeremy Evans dunked two balls at once, but I'm sure if Carter wanted to he could probably dunk three balls, or four balls or...you get the point.

Carter can also throw the ball down with some serious force, which makes dunk-contest dunks that much more exciting, and that's something that Evans can only dream of.  Carter would own every dunk of this first-round dunk battle.

Dunker Moving On: Vince Carter

North Division First Round: No. 2 LeBron James vs. No. 7 Isiah Rider

LeBron's Top Dunk: LBJ Hops Over a Human Being

Isiah Rider Top Dunk: Original Through-The-Leg Dunk

LeBron James finally enters his first dunk contest as an NBA player, and it certainly doesn't disappoint.

Isiah Rider isn't a pushover. Rider could get up with the best of them during his day, but there's no way that he can compete with the strength and hops of LeBron.  LeBron can jump as high, if not higher, than Rider, and he has a three-inch height advantage, which gives him the easy advantage here.

In LeBron's first dunk-contest round, he will cruise to an easy victory, with maybe a 360 windmill dunk, a through-the-legs dunk and a reverse double-pump dunk.

Dunker Moving On: LeBron James 

North Division First Round: No. 3 Shawn Kemp vs. No. 6 Amare Stoudemire

Reign Man's Top Dunk: The Dunk and Point-Over Lister

Amare Stoudemire's Top Dunk: Stoudemire Posterizes Tolliver

The one thing that Shawn Kemp has that Amare Stoudemire doesn't is a resemblance of a personality.  Just watch the reign man's video link above to see his personality shine through.

With that being said, Stoudemire is still a solid dunk artist, relying on his ability to throw the ball down with serious power.  Kemp will neutralize that advantage with the strength and freakish athleticism he displays when dunking the ball.

This matchup will come down to which player can be more creative, and that player will certainly be Kemp, as he's the more eccentric personality.

The judges will make this one close, but Kemp will ultimately come out on top.

Dunker Moving On: The Reign Man  

North Division First Round: No. 4 Derrick Rose vs. No. 5 Spud Webb

Derrick Rose's Top Dunk: D.Rose Destroys Goran Dragic

Spud Webb's Top Dunk: Reverse Dunk for the Win 

Derrick Rose against Spud Webb will be an incredibly exciting matchup, as Webb has that "wow" factor, with his incredible hops and 5'7'' frame.

Rose, on the other hand, is one of the most athletic players in the league, with a ridiculous ability to get to the rim with ease.  While Webb has the advantage with his small size, which adds a certain level of amazement as he flies to the rim, Rose will equalize that with his ability to out-jump Webb.

In the end, Rose will come out victorious, as he's just too freakish of an athlete to not move on, even against an awe-inspiring player like Webb.

Sorry Spud, Derrick Rose is a hurdle you can't clear.

Dunk Artist Moving On:  Derrick Rose

South Division First Round: No. 1 Blake Griffin vs. No. 8 Ricky Davis

Blake Griffin's Top Dunk: Perkins Gets Owned  

Ricky Davis's Top Dunk: What Just Happened?!

Ricky Davis certainly has the athleticism it takes to hang with Blake Griffin in a dunk contest, but the one thing that sets Griffin apart here is his ridiculous strength.

Fans always love rim-rattling jams, and that's exactly what Griffin brings to this dunk contest.

To win this round of the dunk-bracketology contest, Griffin will get Davis out on the court and simply dunk over him.  Unfortunately, finesse won't carry Davis through this matchup.

Dunker Moving On: Blake Griffin

South Division First Round: No. 2 Julius Erving vs. No. 7 Nate Robinson

Dr. J's Top Dunk: Rock The Baby Dunk

Nate Robinson's Top Dunk: Goodbye, Dwight Howard

This one's tough to pick, only because dunk-contest judges and fans always love when short players elevate and slam the ball with some authority.

With that being said, Julius Erving certainly has what it takes to equalize the advantage that Nate Robinson has because of his height.

Dr. J won't let Robinson beat him like Dwight Howard did a few years ago.  Dr. J will use his patented "rock the baby" dunk to seal the victory over Robinson.

Dunk Artist Moving On: Julius Erving 

South Division First Round: No. 3 Andre Iguodala vs. No. 6 Scottie Pippen

Andre Iguodala's Top Dunk: Behind The Back Dunk

Scottie Pippen's Top Dunk: Patrick Ewing's Facial

Iguodala and Pippen are similar dunk artists who know how to throw the ball down with some serious power. 

The main difference is that Iguodala has a bit more hops and creativity in his approach.

Pippen won't be able to knock off Iguodala because he's just not creative enough.  Maybe he could win if Patrick Ewing was standing in the paint so that Pippen could posterize him.  Either way, Iguodala moves on, as his insane athletic ability and creativity is just too much to overcome.

Dunk Artist Moving On: Andre Iguodala 

South Division First Round: No. 4 David Thompson vs. No. 5 DeMar DeRozan

DeMar DeRozan's Top Dunk: DeRozan Jumps Through the Roof

David Thompson's Top Dunk: David Thompson Owns Everyone

If you've never seen David Thompson dunk, do yourself a favor and check out his dunk montage that's included above.

While DeMar DeRozan is certainly a high-flyer and a creative dunker, he's never truly realized his potential. That's why Thompson will easily knock him out of this tournament.

Thompson was one of the first true "high-fliers" of his day, and his ability to get to the rim with serious ease is more than impressive to watch.  Thompson proves that he's a legitimate contender in this tournament, with a decisive win over DeRozan.

Dunk Artist Moving On: David Thompson 

East Division First Round: No. 1 Michael Jordan vs. No. 8 Serge Ibaka

Michael Jordan's Top Dunk: Free-Throw Line Slam

Serge Ibaka's Top Dunk: Ibaka's Best MJ Impersonation

Here's a first-round matchup that might be a lot closer than you'd think.  Just check out Ibaka's MJ impersonation in the link above, and you'll see the potential that Ibaka has as a dunk artist.

The only problem for Ibaka is that his dunks look less impressive because of how tall he is.

If Jordan and Ibaka do the exact same dunks, Jordan will win, because his dunks will look more polished and more impressive.  Jordan will get a scare, thanks to Ibaka's freakish athleticism, but ultimately, "Air Jordan" will come out on top.

Dunk Artist Moving On: Michael Jordan 

East Division First Round: No. 2 Josh Smith vs. No 7 Darryl Dawkins

Josh Smith's Top Dunk: Don't Mess with Josh Smith 

Darryl Dawkins' Top Dunk: Breaking Rims Like a Boss

Darryl Dawkins's greatest strength, his ridiculous power when dunking the ball, will also be his greatest weakness in this first-round matchup with Josh Smith.

Smith's ability to jump out of the gym with his 6' 9'' frame will be enough to carry him past Dawkins.

Dawkins will certainly put up some impressive power dunks, but Smith has a rare mix of finesse and power, and that's what will carry him past Chocolate Thunder in this matchup.

Dunk Artist Moving On: Josh Smith 

East Division First Round: No. 3 Clyde Drexler vs. No. 6 Russell Westbrook

Clyde Drexler's Top Dunk: Sean Elliot Gets a Face-Full

Russell Westbrook's Top Dunk: Westbrook Rises to the Occasion

This is a really tough matchup to pick, as both Clyde Drexler and Russell Westbrook know how to put on quite a show when it comes to dunks.

While Drexler is without a doubt one of the best dunk artists in the history of the NBA, he's not necessarily the most creative.

Westbrook, on the other hand, has the "small-man with massive hops" factor in his favor.  While Westbrook's never been in a dunk contest, he's shown with in-game dunks that he's more than capable of throwing down some nasty slams.

 Westbrook scores the first upset of the tournament with a big win over Clyde the Glide.

Dunk Artist Moving On: Russell Westbrook 

East Division First Round: No. 4 Jason Richardson vs. No. 5 Connie Hawkins

Jason Richardson's Top Dunk: Reverse Through the Legs

Connie Hawkins' Top Dunk: High-Flying Hawkins

Jason Richardson only being a No. 4 seed might be a little low. He's one of the most exciting dunkers in the game. Well, at least he used to be in his prime.

Either way, Connie Hawkins will have his hands full trying to knock off Richardson, who can absolutely fly.

Richardson's biggest advantage is that he's participated in many dunk contests in his years in the NBA. Richardson knows what it takes to win, and he'll certainly make it out of the first round against Hawkins.

Dunk Artist Moving On: Jason Richardson 

West Division First Round: No. 1 Dwight Howard vs. No. 8 Steve Francis

Steve Francis' Top Dunk: In-Game Self Alley-Oop

Dwight Howard's Top Dunk: The Man of Steel

I hate to do this, but Steve "Franchise" Francis is going to knock off the mighty Dwight Howard, and he's going to do it much like Nate Robinson did a few years ago.

Francis will beat Howard because he has the "David vs. Goliath" advantage.

Every dunk that Francis does will be valued higher than D12's because of how amazing it is to see such a small player fly through the air with such ease.  Unlike Robinson, Francis is actually a pretty fierce dunker, and that, mixed with his ability to jump out of the gym, will help him knock off Howard, the No. 1 seed.

Dunk Artist Moving On: Steve Francis

West Division First Round: No. 2 Dominique Wilkins vs. No. 7 JaVale McGee

Dominique Wilkins' Top Dunk: Top 10 Wilkins' Moments

JaVale McGee's Top Dunk: First Double-Dunk

JaVale McGee had one of the best dunks in NBA dunk-contest history when he dunked two balls in separate baskets.

Aside from that, though, McGee hasn't had too many spectacular dunks.  He's certainly had his fair share of amazing missed dunk attempts, though.

Dominique Wilkins will have absolutely no trouble outperforming McGee. Wilkins is the more explosive athlete, and he's also the more exciting dunk-contest performer.

Dunk Artist Moving On: Dominique Wilkins

West Division First Round: No. 3 J.R. Smith vs No. 6 Harold Minor

J.R Smith's Top Dunk: Ridiculous 360 Alley-Oop 

Harold Minor's Top Dunk: Showing Off the Double Pump

J.R. Smith and Harold Minor aren't extremely different players, aside from the ridiculous number of tattoos that Smith has.

Unfortunately for Minor, these players have different dunking styles, with the advantage going to Smith. Smith is not only the more creative dunker, he's also the more explosive dunker, and that's why he has the advantage.

With Smith harnessing his athletic talent, he will outperform Minor in this first-round "dunk-off".

Dunk Artist Moving On: J.R. Smith 

West Division First Round: No. 4 Larry Nance vs. No. 5 Rudy Gay

Larry Nance's Top Dunk: Nance Hopping Out of the Gym

Rudy Gay's Top Dunk: He Dunked from Where? 

Enter two of the most explosive and athletic players in the history of the NBA in terms of pure dunk-ability.

If you've never seen Larry Nance dunk. do yourself a favor and check out the video included above.

Nance's patented hook-cradle dunk will amaze the crowd and the judges, because he can take off from so far away from the rim.  Nance's dunking abilities may be one of the most underrated in the game, but that won't be the case here as he takes down Rudy Gay in this first-round matchup.

Dunk Artist Moving On: Larry Nance 

Sweet 16: No. 1 Vince Carter vs. No. 4 Derrick Rose

Vince Carter against Derrick Rose will be an absolutely epic dunk-off, as both players are extremely explosive around the rim.

The one advantage that Carter has, aside from his length, is that he's been in dunk contest before.

While Rose certainly has impressive jumping ability, Carter showed in the 2000 dunk contest that he knows what the fans like when it comes to creative and original dunks.

In their primes, both players could win this matchup, but I'm giving the edge to Carter, because if he needed a dunk to carry him out of this round, he could just bring out a seven-footer and clear him like he did in the video above.

Dunk Artist Moving On: Vince Carter

Sweet Sixteen: No. 2 LeBron James vs. No. 3 Shawn Kemp

LeBron James vs. Shawn Kemp is a battle of two ridiculously athletic players who have a freakish ability to absolutely own the rim.

The advantage is the versatility that exists within LeBron's dunking.  While Kemp certainly can hang with LeBron's ability to slam the ball down with serious force, he won't be able to hang with LeBron's insane ability to jump from nearly anywhere on the court.

LeBron is a better athlete than Kemp, and he's certainly a more prolific dunk artist. His ability to get up off the floor is like no other player in the NBA today.

I wouldn't be surprised if LeBron tried to jump over the Reign Man in this Sweet 16 matchup, because he certainly has the ability and the unharnessed athleticism to do that.

Dunk Artist Moving On: LeBron James

Sweet Sixteen: No. 1 Blake Griffin vs. No. 4 David Thompson

David Thompson enters this matchup with Blake Griffin as the major underdog, but that doesn't mean that he won't come out victorious.

Remember that time Griffin jumped over the hood of a car?  Well, it's quite possible that Thompson could actually jump over the biggest part of that same car, because he's just that athletic.

The one advantage that Griffin has is how ridiculously hard he slams the basketball.  Thompson, however, will counter that with the finesse and ease that exists in the way he dunks.

I know there's going to be some hate on this one, but Thompson is going to knock off the mighty Griffin, and he's going to do it with an impressive level of fluidity and finesse that defines the way he dunks the ball. Sorry, Blake Show, your time here is done.

Dunk Artist Moving On:  David Thompson

Sweet Sixteen: No. 2 Julius Erving vs. No. 3 Andre Iguodala

Here's a battle between two of the best dunk artists ever to put on Philadelphia 76ers jerseys—Andre Iguodala and Julius Erving.

Iguodala and Dr. J are very similar dunkers. Both are ridiculously athletic and around the same size.

The biggest advantage in this matchup is Dr. J's ridiculously impressive "ease of flight" as he ascends toward the basket.  Erving almost makes his dunks look effortless, which is to his advantage.

While both players have been in their fair share of dunk contests, Dr. J will come out victorious as his dunks look more athletic and fluid than Iguodala's.

Dunk Artist Moving On: Julius Erving

Sweet Sixteen: No. 1 Michael Jordan vs. No. 4 Jason Richardson

Michael Jordan has that rare mix of strength and athleticism that helps set his dunks apart from others on this list.

While Jason Richardson is also a ridiculously athletic player, with an impressive ability to dunk the ball, he's not on the same level as Jordan.

This would be a classic showdown between two of the greatest dunkers to ever play the game, but ultimately, Jordan would come out on top.

With a little bit of help from his teammates/friends around the league, Jordan could come up with some creative dunks that not many other players in the league could match.

Dunk Artist Moving On: Michael Jordan 

Sweet Sixteen: No. 2 Josh Smith vs. No. 6 Russell Westbrook

Josh Smith has the slight advantage over Russell Westbrook, since he's been in numerous dunk contest.

While Westbrook has the ability to get to the rim like no other player his size in the NBA, Smith has the ability to complete more athletic dunks, based on his sheer size and strength.

Like another dunker on this list, Larry Nance, Smith has a freakish ability to dunk with impressive finesse, while also being able to dunk with serious strength—as evidenced by the video above.

Overall, Smith's 6' 9'' frame and his ability to jump out of the gym will be too much for Westbrook  Smith's just too freakish of an athlete to get knocked out by Westbrook.

Dunk Artist Moving On: Josh Smith 

Sweet Sixteen: No. 2 Dominique Wilkins vs. No. 3 J.R. Smith

Aside from being one of the most explosive dunkers in the game, J.R. Smith is also one of the best receivers of the alley-oop as well.

If you're questioning why I think Smith is a more athletic dunker than the great Dominique Wilkins, just fast forward to the No. 1 dunk in the video above and you'll understand why.

While Wilkins is a great dunk artist, any dunk that he can do, Smith can do as well. So in this matchup, the fact that Smith is a little bit smaller than Wilkins gives him a big advantage.

To overcome Wilkins, Smith will have to show off his amazing "oop" abilities and throw down some impressive 360 windmill alley-oops.  Yep, he can dunk like that.  Well, at least the 360 alley-oop part.

Dunk Artist Moving On: J.R. Smith  

Sweet Sixteen: No. 4 Larry Nance vs. No. 8 Steve Francis

After knocking off the mighty Dwight Howard in the first round, Steve Francis finds himself in a truly difficult matchup against one of the most underrated dunkers of all time, Larry Nance.

While Francis still has the "little man" advantage, there's no doubt that Nance has one of the sickest vertical leaps to ever have been in the NBA.

The ease with which Nance dunks is unlike anything that came before him. Only a few other players in the history of the NBA have that same ability.

Once again, Nance will wow the crowd and the judges with his ridiculous dunking abilities, knocking off the upset-minded Francis.

Dunk Artist Moving On: Larry Nance

Elite Eight: No. 1 Vince Carter vs. No. 2 LeBron James

Here's the dunk-off that every NBA fan wants to see—LeBron James against Vince Carter.

There's no doubt that both players could win this matchup. Both are freakishly athletic and have some of the biggest vertical leaps in the game.

While we've never had the privilege of watching LeBron in a dunk contest, there's no doubt that he could do great things, especially since he pulled off a between-the-legs dunk during a game back in high school.

Every dunk that Carter can do, there's no doubt that LeBron could do it as well. Based on the fact that LeBron dunks with more veracity than Carter, the nod goes to LeBron this time.

This would certainly be one of the most exciting dunk contest matchups of all time.

Dunk Artist Moving On: LeBron James

Elite Eight: No. 2 Julius Erving vs. No. 4 David Thompson

Julius Erving and David Thompson faced off against each other numerous times in their NBA careers.

While they never had a one-on-one dunk contest, this matchup would certainly be one of the most exciting to watch.

Dr. J is just an absolutely gifted athlete, who looks like he floats on the court at times. While Thompson is a similar-style dunk artist, he just doesn't have the pure finesse that Dr. J has, and that ultimately will be what helps Dr. J make it into the Final Four of this tournament.

Erving will prove that he's one of the best dunk artists of all time with an impressive win over David Thompson in this Elite Eight matchup.

Dunk Artist Moving On: Julius Erving

Elite Eight: No. 1 Michael Jordan vs. No. 2 Josh Smith

If you read my 64-player, power forward tournament article, you might think I'm going to pick Josh Smith in this matchup. But fortunately for all you MJ fans, I just couldn't do it.

Jordan just has way too much finesse and polish in his dunks for Smith to even be on the same level as him.

Just watch some of Jordan's dunks in the epic dunk-contest video above, and you'll understand what I'm saying.

Smith will keep this matchup competitive, but he won't be able to knock of "His Airness" himself.  Jordan will finish off Smith with the classic reverse, one-handed, scoop slam like he used against Dominique Wilkins back in the day.

Dunk Artist Moving On: Michael Jordan 

Elite Eight: No. 3 J.R. Smith vs. No. 4 Larry Nance

Watch the video of Larry Nance dunking in the 1984 slam-dunk contest and try to tell me that J.R. Smith could beat him.  Yea, it's not happening.

Like I've said before, Nance's dunking abilities rival the best to have ever played the game. He's such a pure athlete with an incredible ability to rise above the rim.

J.R. Smith is an exciting dunk artist, but he's nowhere on the same physical and athletic level as Nance, and he certainly won't be able to handle him in this dunk-contest tournament.

Nance will run over Smith, as he's hands down the better dunk artist.

Dunk Artist Moving On: Larry Nance

Final Four: No. 2 LeBron James vs. No. 2 Julius Erving

LeBron James vs. Julius Erving would be a dunk-contest matchup for the ages.

It's hard to pick a winner. Both could feasibly win this one each and every time. But being forced to pick a winner, I have to go with LeBron.

Dr. J might be the more "fluid" dunk artist, but he lacks the power and intensity that fans and judges love in the way that LeBron dunks the ball.

The main reason why LeBron beats Dr. J is because not only does LeBron have incredible power in his dunks, he also is nearly on the same level as Dr. J when it comes to finesse and pure jumping ability.

LeBron moves on to the tournament finals with an impressive win over Dr. J, finishing with his best Dr. J impersonation of his rock-the-cradle dunk.

Dunk Artist Moving On: LeBron James

Final Four: No. 1 Michael Jordan vs. No. 4 Larry Nance

I hate to do it, but Michael Jordan is getting sent home in this Final Four matchup, courtesy of Larry Nance.

While Jordan is certainly one of the most prolific and explosive dunkers in the history of the NBA, so is Nance, and Nance has the advantage in that he has a four-inch advantage over Jordan while having the same amount of athletic talent.

Nance is one of the few players that I could see hanging with Jordan in a dunk contest, the others being, LeBron James, Dominique Wilkins (of course) and Julius Erving.

Every dunk that Jordan did in his career is a dunk that Nance could do as well, and he would be able to do it with a slightly elevated level of ease and finesse.

Don't kill the messenger here.  It's not my fault Nance made this such a challenging pick to make.  "His Airness" is finally dethroned, by Larry Nance.

Dunk Artist Moving On: Larry Nance

Tournament Championship: No. 2 LeBron James vs. No. 1 Larry Nance

This matchup is as hard, if not harder, to pick than choosing between Michael Jordan and Larry Nance.

While there's no doubt that Nance has the purer jumping ability, LeBron is nearly on the same level, and he also has a freakish ability to throw the ball down with serious force.

LeBron isn't a mirror image of one dunk artist, he's a conglomeration of many, and that's what makes him such a special player and such a special dunk artist in the game today.

This dunk-contest finals would come down to which player can get the crowd involved more, and I think, with his insane athletic abilities, that player is LeBron James.

LeBron won't win this dunk contest because he's the purer dunker.  Instead, he will out-dunk Nance, because he is such a versatile dunk artist.  Where Nance relies on athleticism and finesse, LeBron relies on strength, versatility, athletic ability, finesse and power, and that's too much for Nance to handle.

LeBron wins with his patented right-handed extension dunk (0:25 mark) from the foul line.

Dunk Contest Champion: LeBron James

Tournament Champion: No. 2 LeBron James

There you have it.  LeBron James is the 2012 Bracketology Dunk-Contest Champion.

The main reason why LeBron wins is that he's not simply a one-dimensional dunk artist.  He's truly a conglomeration of so many legendary dunkers that have gone before him.

What do you think?

Should LeBron have taken the crown, or does someone else deserve to be the victor of this legendary tournament?

Let the debate begin in the comment section below.