The NBA's All-Time Greatest Signature Dunks

Dunking. It's an art form that's slowly been crafted, mastered, and celebrated throughout basketball in the last several decades.

Once upon a time, it was banned in games (in college, at least). Now, nothing gets a crowd more fired up then a ferocious throwdown.

That's not to say it's the most important play in the game. But at the same time, a beautiful 15-pass possession that leads to a wide open three won't get crowds electrified as much as one explosive move and finish at the rim.

The truly elite dunkers developed their own move—a signature dunk, if you will. It's a move they not only used repeatedly, but perfected better than any forerunner or predecessor.

Determining what exactly a "signature dunk" is can be quite tricky. For purposes of this slideshow, we'll define it as the following: a dunk each player used multiple times throughout his career and were arguably the all time best using that particular move (i.e. moves in the Dunk Contest or ones only a player only tried once don't qualify).

That being said, let's get right into the countdown of the best signature dunks in NBA history.

Honorable Mentions

Mike Powell/Getty Images

1987: Guard Spud Webb goes up for two during the Magic Johnson All-Star Game. Mandatory Credit: Mike Powell /Allsport

Here are a few players that didn't quite make the list, mostly because they either didn't have one signature dunk or their best moments came in the Dunk Contest.

Clyde Drexler

Oh so close but he didn't have that one defining move...other than seemingly gliding through the air, of course.

Tracy McGrady

Ditto. Still one of the best dunkers of the last 15-20 years, though.

Connie Hawkins

Old school legend, but there simply wasn't enough footage of him to get a realistic depiction of his dunking style.

Larry Nance

Best moment came in the '84 Dunk Contest.

Spud Webb

If there were more in-game dunks, he could have qualified. But for this list, if your defining moment came in the Dunk Contest, it simply wasn't enough.

12. Josh Smith: Master of the Putback

Josh Smith throws down the game winning dunk as time expires against Orlando.

Already one of the best athletes in the NBA, Josh Smith displays incredible timing when going up for offensive rebounds.

Granted, I can only remember watching the NBA for the last 12-13 years (and let's just say my memory as an 11 or 12 year old wasn't photographic). Still, Smith is the best I can ever remember seeing at turning misses into dunks with one felt swoop down the lane.

In this clip, he collects a Joe Johnson miss with one hand and slams it down as time expires to lift Atlanta to an 86-84 win over Orlando. It wasn't even his first one of the year—he also had a game winning throwdown against Houston in November.

11. Jason Richardson: The 360 Spin

Jason Richardson loves using a spin move on breakaway dunks...as long he's not mauled from behind.

Maybe the most underrated dunker of this generation. He might not spring to thought in the minds of casual fans, but he uses the perfect mix of athleticism, power, and showmanship.

While he first made his name with some awesome moves in the Dunk Contest (including a semi-reverse windmill and off the glass, in-between the legs number), it's the 360 that has become his patented move.

Anytime he finds himself alone on the fastbreak, you can bank that's what he's going to do. Take this little gem against the Thunder, for example.

Sadly, his most memorable dunk is probably a miss—when a former Cav basically took his arm off from behind. Given the circumstances, he probably shouldn't have tried the move...but still, it was a foul nonetheless.

10. Dwight Howard: Cleaning Up Alley-Oops

Dwight Howard's unbelievable strength and agility make him a nightmare to defend in the pick-and-roll.

I mean this in the most complimentary way...Dwight Howard is a freak of nature.

He's tall, massive, strong, agile, athletic...how many more unnecessary adjectives do I need to use? So what if his one-on-one post moves are probably as effective as mine...in today's league, he's still nearly impossible to consistently defend.

Because there are so few defenders capable of keeping a body on him at all times, it makes him one of the best pick-and-roll players in the league (just ask anyone on the '09 Cavs). In turn, he's often the frequent target of alley-oop passes, which he gathers and finishes with ease.

He's a fringe player on this list because he needs someone to get him the ball. But after you see him rattle the rim a few times, his place shouldn't be questioned.

9. Darryl Dawkins: The Chocolate-Thunder Flying...Glass-Breaker-I-Am-Jam

The only thing as impressive as Dawkins' dunks were the names he came up for them.

Here's one trend that I'm a bit surprised didn't catch on: naming your dunks.

Think about it. Today's NBA players (superstars especially) usually do whatever they can to draw attention to themselves on the court. So what better way than unleashing one of your patented "In-Your-Face-Disgrace" jams to fire up the crowd and get Skip Bayless and Colin Cowherd talking about you nonstop?

Darryl Dawkins was the originator (and master) of this. Two times in 40 days, he threw the ball down with such ferocity that he completely shattered the backboard.

It's for what he'll be remembered most. His official name for this? The "Chocolate-Thunder-Flying, Robinzine-Crying, Teeth-Shaking, Glass-Breaking, Rump-Roasting, Bun-Toasting, Wham-Bam, Glass-Breaker-I-Am-Jam."

Now that's a signature move.

8. Shaquille O'Neal: The Spin-and-Slam

Shaq's spin move was like a freight train—you could see it coming, but good luck stopping it.

If Dwight Howard is the king of alley-oop, Shaq was definitely his predecessor.

But despite all of that success, he had another move that was near unstoppable. He gets the ball on the block, uses those massive shoulders to gain balance and inside position, then spins to the hoop and emphatically slams it home.

Sadly, as a Cavs fan, I only got to see the '09 version of this move...and it wasn't nearly as impressive as it was in his heyday. But the sheer power he used to generate with the spin was unlike anything I've ever witnessed.

In this particular video, watch what happens to poor David Robinson. His only solace is that he's not the only one to get worked like this.

7. David Thompson: The Skywalker

Anybody nicknamed "Skywalker" probably deserves a spot on this list.

He's been called the ACC's greatest player ever, the original prototype for Michael Jordan, and the most tragic victim of the cocaine and alcohol-laced era of basketball.

But in his prime, there were few like him. He earned the nickname "Skywalker" because of the way he seemingly walked through the air. The hang-time he got on his jump was unlike anything that had been seen in the previous 20-plus years of NBA basketball.

There's even urban legends that he could grab change off the top of the backboard. It might not sound overly impressive, but remember that he was only 6'4".

In this highlight reel, check out plays No. 10, No. 7, No. 5, No. 2, and No. 1 for examples of how high he got off the floor (no pun intended).

6. Kobe Bryant: Baseline Explosion

Nobody drives from the baseline corner to the hoop with more explosiveness than Kobe Bryant.

One of my biggest pet peeves in basketball is when a defender gets beat baseline. There's no real reason for it—the team defense is all in the middle, so all you have to do is put your foot on the end line and force your opponent back towards the help.

But every now and then, a player like Kobe Bryant comes along. He gets isolated the ball on the baseline and something like 99 percent of defenders start to wet their pants. He can take the jumper, beat defenders off the dribble (whether it's baseline or back in the middle), post up, hit the fadeaway...there's seemingly no end to his arsenal.

However, when he got the opportunity (especially in his prime), he'd explode baseline in the blink of an eye. His finishes around the hoop varied—maybe he'd go straight up (like he did against Yao Ming), pull a reverse windmill (something similar to a dunk he had against New Orleans this year), or go for the reverse tomahawk...like he did to Kevin Garnett and Rasho Nesterovic.

5. Shawn Kemp: Nothing but Power

There really isn't an appropriate name for Shawn Kemp's dunks...but the amount of power behind them is unmatched.

He was actually the toughest player to include on this list...not because he wasn't a phenomenal dunker, but because he had such a wide variety of slams that he didn't really have one go-to move.

But instead, let's call any two-dribble, swooping left-to-right drives capped off by a vigorous slam that leaves announcers speechless or babbling incoherently as a "Shawn Kemp." It gives him a signature dunk and proper due as one of the '90s ODs (original dunkers). Done and done.

Giving him only one highlight dunk isn't enough justice either. Make sure you look up his dunk against Alton Lister...or any of the countless other posterizations he slammed down throughout his career.

4. Julius Erving: The Tomahawk

Dr. J pretty much defined everything dunking should be in the late '70s/early '80s.

So many to choose from. The one that stands out the most is the sweeping double-clutch, rock the baby dunk in the Finals against the Lakers.

But to me, Dr. J's most defining dunk was the one-handed tomahawk. It was simple yet elegant, showy but not overstated. He just cocked it back with one hand and threw it down.

The best examples from this reel are No. 8, No. 7, No. 5, and No. 3. But No. 2 is definitely my favorite. They say he takes off about 12 feet from the hoop, but it seems like 20. He hangs through the air and has one of his best posterizing dunks of all time.

Oh, and the one from the '76 Dunk Contest is pretty good too.

3. Michael Jordan: Rock the Cradle

Michael Jordan's "Rock the Cradle" stands out as one of the more iconic dunks of his generation.

Trying to find a signature dunk for Michael Jordan is like being able to order anything you want at Hyde Park.

You could go with Lobster Bisque and Steak Cabernet. Or maybe Potatoes Gruyère Gratin with Steak au Poivre. Or go all out with calamari, Asparagus Béarnaise, and Steak a la Lobster.

Basically, no matter what you pick, it's gonna be great.

"Rock the Cradle" was selected because it was still original (only Dr. J performed one that was as memorable), hasn't come close to being matched since, and had the iconic moment of MJ sticking out his tongue while probably millions of kids across the world (myself included) did the same thing on their 6'0" Nerf hoops.

2. Vince Carter: The Windmill

Vince Carter. Windmill. Enough Said.

Hands down, the best dunker I've ever had the privilege of seeing.

And if you Google "Vince Carter" and "windmill", hours will pass before you probably realize what happened.

1. Dominique Wilkins: The Double-Pump Finish in Traffic

Dominique's up-and-under dunk in traffic simply could not be stopped.

An excerpt from The Book of Basketball...

"MJ was better at controlling his body in the air and creating impossible shots, but 'Nique was the best in-game dunker of his generation. Nobody dunked on people as consistently and violently; he made it an art form and sought out victims.

"His single most identifiable dunk was the one where he jumped in traffic off two feet, brought the ball up like he was going to dunk it right away, brought it back down again to buy himself an extra split second as the defender fell back to earth, then ripped it through the hoop. He did this over and over and over.

"Nobody blocked a 'Nique dunk. It just didn't happen."

The best dunker of all time with a move that couldn't be stopped. He had to earn the top spot on this list.

(Check out No. 9, No. 5, No. 4, and No. 1 in particular for the best examples.)