All-Time Best Backboard Breaking Dunks

Nothing can validate an athlete’s manhood quite like going up for a slam dunk and coming down with the rim still gripped in between your fingers. 

As bits of glass from the shattered backboard rain down over the paint, fans stand and clap and cheer like they just won the lottery. 

The only thing better than a high-flying, electrifying dunk is one that ends with total destruction of the hoop. 

Take a look back at some of the most exciting backboard breaking dunks of all time. 

10. Jerome Lane Won't Apologize for Being a Man

University of Pittsburgh star Jerome Lane sends it home during a 1988 game against Providence College. 

As Lane sprints down the court and receives a pass from teammate Sean Miller, you can see the defender realize what’s happening a second too late and start to backpedal. 

Unfortunately, it was too late for him, as Lane sails over his head, knocks him flat on the ground and practically tramples over him. 

At least help the guy up.

9. Shaq When He Was Little

At the NBA Draft combine, a fresh-faced Shaquille O’Neal plays a little one-on-one with a man who apparently just came from the set of the “Super Bowl Shuffle” music video. 

The man yells at Shaq, “Give me your best!” 

Shaq does and rips the hoop right off of the glass like it was glued on. 

The bigger they are, the harder they fall.

8. Tiny Gallon's Huge Play

You wouldn’t expect this sort of brute force from a guy named “Tiny.” 

While losing during a game against ranked opponent Gonzaga, Gallon takes his frustration out on the hoop. 

A pass from a teammate goes wild, but Tiny could care less. He plays to the whistle and decides, whether he has the ball or not, he is going to ruin the game for everyone by shattering the backboard. 

Mission accomplished.

7. LeBron Is OK; Head Broke the Fall

It’s nice to see NBA superstar and marketing juggernaut LeBron “King” James going full speed at this scrimmage with his team. 

In this clip, James decides to end practice a little early by exploding the glass and falling like a bag of bricks to the court. 

Luckily, his head broke the fall. 

6. Darvin Ham Hams It Up

Texas Tech star Darvin Ham comes out of nowhere to turn a defensive rebound into a backboard homicide. 

While the players from the University of North Carolina pace around in defeated awe, Ham revels in surging testosterone and celebrates the destructive feat. 

But like the commentator says, at least, “Everyone was OK.”

5. Backboard Strikes Back

Shaquille O’Neal is known as one of the most frequent backboard breakers in NBA history. 

In this Orlando Magic game, O’Neal pulls off another monster dunk and rips the entire backboard off of its frame. 

The shot clock gets the last laugh, however, as it smacks Shaq in the back of the head.

4. Jason Keep Can't Believe It

OSU forward Jason Keep hangs on for dear life during a contested dunk in this moment. 

When the glass comes down, Keep responds the best way teenage boys know how. He waves his hands around wildly in a fit of excitement and looks to the cheering crowd for reassurance of his sheer awesome-ness. 

They love you, Jason.

3. Paging Dr. Dunk, a Tribute to Chocolate Thunder

Darrel Dawkins was a force to be reckoned with on the court. 

Before Shaq played travel ball, Darrel Dawkins was breaking backboards with authority on a regular basis. 

In this clip, Dawkins show us how you earn the right to be called something like “Chocolate Thunder.” 

The nickname is bizarre and confusing, sure. When you watch him decimate backboards and opponents, it actually kind of makes sense.

2. MJ Goes Hard in Exhibitions

In the 1986 Nike Exhibition, Michael Jordan put up a usual display of athletic prowess and scored 30 points in what was supposed to be a nice vacation in Italy for Jordan. 

I mean, it’s just an exhibition. 

Michael Jordan never relaxes and instead shows the world why he is the greatest of all time. 

It’s hard to argue that when you have chunks of Plexiglas showering over your head. 

1. Shaq Fu

No surprise to see the absolute monstrosity of a specimen Shaquille O’Neal make multiple appearances on this list. 

In the moments before, the backboard breaking was quick and exciting. Glass shattered while the rim and, maybe, shot clock fell to the ground. 

What makes this moment particularly great is the amount of infrastructure damage O’Neal does to the entire hoop area.

When it was all said and down, the glass was actually fine. 

It was the metal support beam that took most of the hit.