Donovan Mitchell Wins 2018 NBA Slam Dunk Contest: Where Win Ranks All Time
No NBA player is hotter than Utah Jazz rookie shooting guard Donovan Mitchell.
Not only is Mitchell the leader of a Jazz team that won 11 straight games leading into the All-Star break, but he also won the 2018 Slam Dunk Contest with a strong all-around performance at Staples Center in Los Angeles Saturday night.
Mitchell scored 98 points out of a possible 100 in both the first and second rounds. He barely held off Cleveland Cavaliers power forward Larry Nance Jr., whose double-tap dunk earned 50 points. Nance finished just two points short of tying Mitchell in the last round.
Below you can take a look at where Mitchell's performance ranks all time based off the opinions of a writer who can't jump over a dime. Then you can see all of Mitchell's dunks in addition to the slams by Nance and Dallas Mavericks point guard Dennis Smith Jr. that earned perfect 50-point scores.
A note before proceeding: Orlando Magic power forward Aaron Gordon's 2016 performance and former Atlanta Hawks power forward Dominique Wilkins' 1988 contest were too good to leave off this list, even though they finished as runners-up to then-Minnesota Timberwolves guard Zach LaVine and Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan, respectively.
While LaVine and Jordan ended up winning on those nights, Gordon and Wilkins were so good they could have been considered co-champions.
Where Mitchell Ranks All Time
17. Donovan Mitchell: 2018
16. Gerald Green: 2007
15. Josh Smith: 2005
14. Dominique Wilkins: 1990
13. Michael Jordan: 1987
12. Dee Brown: 1991
11. Jason Richardson: 2003
10. Zach LaVine: 2015
9. Dwight Howard: 2008
8. Dominique Wilkins: 1988
7. Dominique Wilkins: 1985
6. Blake Griffin: 2011
5. Spud Webb: 1986
4. Michael Jordan: 1988
3. Aaron Gordon: 2016
2. Zach Lavine: 2016
1. Vince Carter: 2000
Mitchell's Winning Dunks Plus 2 Other Perfect Scores
Mitchell opened the night with an interesting dunk involving two baskets, throwing the ball off one backboard before slamming it in the second hoop:
The crowd (and commentators) seemed confused as to what was happening at first, but when Mitchell pulled off the dunk, he rightfully received applause and praise.
The Jazz rookie then shook things up for his second dunk. He tried a different jam that bounced off the rim for his first attempt before altering strategy and going with a different idea for his second shot.
This one involved comedian Kevin Hart, his son Hendrix and Mitchell's sister Jordan. Mitchell leaped over all of them, scoring 50 to move into the finals:
Once there, Mitchell opened things up with a deep windmill dunk to earn 48 points:
He then paid homage to former Toronto Raptors wing Vince Carter's jaw-dropping 2000 Slam Dunk Contest by donning his jersey and throwing down a reverse 360-degree slam:
Mitchell needed a high score on that dunk, as Nance's final attempt may have been the best individual slam of the night. No one seemed to realize it until the replay, but Nance double-tapped the backboard with this dunk to earn a perfect score:
However, Mitchell responded with the Carter slam and took home the trophy.
Although Smith didn't make the finals, he still wowed the crowd with this reverse, between-the-legs 360-degree dunk that rivals Nance's slam as the best effort of the night:
Overall, it was an entertaining dunk contest filled with creative slams. While it probably won't go down as one of the best or most memorable events in history, this year's edition still provided a handful of incredible moments.
