NBA Slam Dunk Contest 2015: Highlights and Analysis of All-Star Weekend Event

If it was possible for one man to single-handedly blow breath in the proverbial lungs of the NBA Slam Dunk Contest, Minnesota Timberwolves guard Zach LaVine did that Saturday night.

The 19-year-old high-flyer ran away with the exhibition by throwing down four of the most memorable dunks you'll see. Basketball writer Chris Palmer didn't hold back when giving praise to LaVine's work: 

Here's a breakdown of the results and a closer look at all four competitors.

Position	Player	Team	Score
1	Zach LaVine	Minnesota Timberwolves	100 and 94
2	Victor Oladipo	Orlando Magic	89 and 75
3	Mason Plumlee	Brooklyn Nets	76
4	Giannis Antetokounmpo	Milwaukee Bucks	65

Mason Plumlee

Andrew D. Bernstein/Getty Images

Mason Plumlee's first slam was pretty sweet. He enlisted the help of his college teammate and current Cleveland Cavaliers star, Kyrie Irving. Plumlee caught Irving's pass off the side of the backboard and double-pumped the reverse jam through:

Considering we're talking about a 6'10" power forward/center, the agility Plumlee showed was remarkable. Unfortunately, he ran out of compelling ideas and lacked overall showmanship. That's something that can't happen for big men in this contest.

Dwight Howard had success because he had a flare and presentation with his dunks. Plumlee fell short in that area.

Giannis Antetokounmpo

Nathaniel S. Butler/Getty Images

The Greek Freak wasn't very freaky Saturday night. Much like Plumlee, Giannis Antetokounmpo's dunks lacked pizazz, and he didn't have the requisite showmanship to stand out. 

He started out strong when he emerged from the tunnel with beautiful Greek goddesses and the flag of his country. However, the dunks he threw down were rudimentary considering the format.

This slam with the help of his brother Thanasis was perhaps Antetokounmpo's best of the contest:

Maybe he'll try again next year and bring more of his personality.

Victor Oladipo

Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images

In a year without LaVine, Victor Oladipo might have won. He showed off explosive hops, showmanship and some singing chops. Check out his entrance:

He didn't disappoint with his first dunk. The dunk contest has seen a lot of slams, but no one had done a 540 before Oladipo threw it down Saturday night:

Oladipo's issues were too many missed slams and a little less hops than the otherworldly LaVine.

Zach LaVine

Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images

Instantly, LaVine's performance Saturday night ranked up there with the best in the Slam Dunk Contest's history. While I think his four slams as a package lacked some of the variation Vince Carter's performance had in 2000, it's not crazy to argue LaVine's display was on par with Vinsanity's.

It's too hard to determine which of LaVine's four slams was the best. It's better just to show all four of the world-class dunks in this tweet from the NBA's Twitter account.

Is the Dunk Contest back? It's too early to say, but LaVine surely left us entertained in the latest version of the showcase.

Follow Brian Mazique on Twitter. Basketball is awesome.