College Basketball Players Most Likely to Win an NBA Dunk Contest

While fans have been clamoring for LeBron James to join the list of all-time greats who treat fans to dunk contest performances, what if college players were allowed in the competition?

After all, the NBA dunk contest has gotten fairly bland recently, and a unique change up like that might spice things up a bit.

It would be a herculean task for a college kid to knock off some of the NBA’s best dunkers at their own game, but if anyone were to do it, he would probably come from this list.

Read on to see who these dunkers are and feel free to let us know who we left out.

Sam Thompson

Aaron Craft may garner more headlines in Columbus, but Sam Thompson is the most likely Buckeye to end up on SportsCenter’s Top 10 Plays.

Thompson plays the game like he is on a pogo stick, always ready to leap out of the gym to throw down an eye-popping slam.

Perhaps most impressively, some of his most memorable dunks have come at important moments in Big Ten clashes, including a critical alley-oop finish against archrival Michigan in the final minutes last year.

Sit back and enjoy.

Andrew Wiggins

I know, I know.

Unless you are a Kansas fan, you are tired of hearing about Andrew Wiggins, who has received more hype than any college player in recent memory.

But there is a reason all these accolades are being thrown his way before he even steps on the court for an actual game. He is loaded with talent, and there are few things on the floor that he can’t do effectively.

Count dunking as one of his many strengths.

Markel Brown

Marcus Smart versus Andrew Wiggins may be the game within the game when Kansas and Oklahoma State battle it out for the Big 12 title, but if it were a dunk contest, Markel Brown would be the Cowboy to send in the ring.

Brown’s hang time is what really stands out about his dunking arsenal.

In fact, he actually got thrown out of a game against Missouri for picking up his second technical foul after soaring over the defender and giving him a bit of a staredown afterwards.

Dez Wells

If Maryland is going to make any noise in the ACC this year, especially after losing Alex Len, it will be because of Dez Wells.

Fortunately for the Terps, he has the talent to potentially carry his squad to the NCAA tournament after missing out on it last year. He also has the jumping ability to carry a few defenders on his back as he goes up for a rim-rattling dunk.

Jahii Carson

Spud Webb will forever be the king of short guys putting on dunking displays, but Jahii Carson holds his own in the below 6’ category.

The Arizona State point guard is one of the most explosive players in the country and deserves more recognition than he receives.

If he can get the Sun Devils to the NCAA tournament this year, he will get just that.

For now just enjoy his aerial displays.

Follow and interact with college basketball writer Scott Polacek on Twitter @ScottPolacek.