NBA: Most Mammoth High-Flying Leaper on Every Team

Often slow and relatively immobile, watching the athletic ability of your average power forward or center could be an ugly sight to see.

Especially in his later years, watching a seven-footer blow a wide open dunk off of vertical is one of the saddest sights you could possibly watch.

We're tired of celebrating the dunkers that appear on highlight reels every day.

Forget the athletic point guards and shooting guards that have seemed to take the NBA over today, and let's focus instead on the power forwards and centers that take advantage of their height by dunking over any player when they get the chance.

Not every big man can partake in these activities, but those that possess the athleticism to jump with the best will find themselves here.

Those that have the athleticism and have the height of a power forward or center can complete dunks that many other players cannot, as they can get eye level with the rim much easier than the 6'5" guard who has a 45" leap.

To make this list, the qualifications are that the player must either stand at 6'9" or taller or weigh in at 250 pounds or more.

From the 1960s to today, we have found every great dunking big man in the history of each franchise, and we now offer you a chance to observe just how athletic these behemoths actually were.

Atlanta Hawks: Josh Smith

Standing at 6'9", Josh Smith is one of the game's best big-men dunkers as well as one of its best dunkers overall.

Smith has participated in and won a dunk contest and is mostly known around the dunking world as one of its esteemed creators of a poster dunk.

Boston Celtics: Kevin Garnett

It's not the Kevin Garnett of his Minnesota Timberwolves days, but it's Kevin Garnett nonetheless, and he's still shown a great deal of athleticism despite joining the Boston Celtics at the age of 31.

At 6'11", Garnett has always been one of the league's top dunkers and is still among the best in terms of dunking at such a height.

Charlotte Bobcats: Tyrus Thomas

The Charlotte Bobcats don't have too much of a history to look back on, but they do currently possess one of the NBA's top dunkers in Tyrus Thomas.

Thomas is a superb defender and shot blocker but is greatly limited on offense, mainly using his athleticism and extreme vertical leap for the majority of his points.

Averaging 10 points per game in his first full season with the Bobcats, Thomas may have actually found his new home after being traded from the Chicago Bulls after a few disappointing seasons.

Chicago Bulls: Tyrus Thomas

Of course, before joining the Charlotte Bobcats, Tyrus Thomas was a part of the Chicago Bulls after being traded on draft day by the Portland Trail Blazers.

LaMarcus Aldridge did turn out a whole lot better, but hey, who can say that he's on the best dunking big men in history list twice?

That's right, Tyrus Thomas can.

Standing at 6'9", Thomas has an unbelievable deal of athleticism that he has yet to translate into being a legitimate NBA player. He only spent three and a half seasons with the Bulls before being traded after failing to average anything more than 10 points or six rebounds per game.

His two-handed power slams are by far the staple of his career.

Cleveland Cavaliers: Larry Nance

Arguably the best big man dunker in NBA history next to Seattle's Shawn Kemp, Larry Nance spent the second half of his career with the Cleveland Cavaliers after enjoying his prime with the Phoenix Suns.

Nance was a stud with the Suns, and he saw his best dunks come with them, but he was no slouch with the Cavs either, as he would put on some more aerial assaults from above the rim.

At 6'10", it's extremely difficult to find a player with the athleticism and vertical leap that Nance possessed during the prime of his career.

Dallas Mavericks: Dirk Nowitzki

Not only is he the reason why the Dallas Mavericks are the current NBA champions, but Dirk Nowitzki also just happens to be the best dunking big man in the history of the franchise.

Yeah, the Mavericks have just been littered with dunking big men as you can tell. This was a tough choice between Nowitzki, Shawn Bradley and Raef Lafrentz.

To the surprise of many, though, Nowitzki was actually a great dunker for his height at 7'0" and can hold his own among the best dunking big men that play today.

Denver Nuggets: Kenyon Martin

A terrible attitude? Sure.

But let's not deny the fact that Kenyon Martin has been one of the most aggressive dunking big men over the past decade and has pulled off some of the sickest posters that the NBA has seen since being drafted with the first pick of the 2000 NBA draft.

Martin has always been regarded as a terrific athlete, and he proves it each and every time he decides to take a trip through the air.

Detroit Pistons: Rasheed Wallace

One of three other players on this list to be associated with two teams in regards to their dunking prowess, Rasheed Wallace makes his first appearance as a member of the Detroit Pistons.

Winning a title with the Pistons in 2004, the 6'10" Wallace was scary on both ends, as his incessant trash talking would constantly send his opponents into fits on defense before running down to the other end, where he'd hit his patented mid-range jumper or throw down a slam.

His best dunking days came with the Portland Trail Blazers, but Wallace was still a force to be reckoned with even in his later days with Detroit.

Golden State Warriors: Wilt Chamberlain

Taking it back old school, as we give the nod to Wilt Chamberlain as the Golden State Warriors' top dunking big man.

What? You were expecting David Lee?

Chamberlain was as close to complete domination as the NBA will ever see.

He stood at 7'1", weighed in at 275 pounds and reportedly benched 500 pounds during the prime of his athleticism.

He was too tall, too strong and too big for anyone to handle, and it meant a lot of scoring for Chamberlain and whichever team he graced his presence with.

Houston Rockets: Hakeem Olajuwon

The most talented big man to ever play the game, Hakeem Olajuwon was nearly impossible to stop because of the wide array of post moves that he possessed.

Equipped with "the dream shake," among other moves, Olajuwon utilized his feet more than any other part of his body, and it resulted in him leading the Houston Rockets to two titles as well as being known as arguably the greatest center to ever play the game.

Olajuwon wasn't too bad of a dunker, either.

Those feet of his would get Olajuwon a lot of easy dunk opportunities, and he'd take advantage of it from time to time with some impressive jams.

Indiana Pacers: Jermaine O'Neal

Before being recognized as the Boston Celtics center that could barely move or get off the ground, Jermaine O'Neal was actually one of the game's best athletes in the early 2000s.

When he was a member of the Indiana Pacers, O'Neal would be in MVP and Defensive Player of the Year conversations as well as keeping his team in championship contention year after year.

O'Neal was a superb athlete that could throw down with the best of them.

He was extremely strong and athletic in his heyday and would actually put opposing players on posters rather than ending up on the opposite end of them as he has seemed to become accustomed to lately.

By the way, it was extremely difficult finding videos of O'Neal dunking since the first five pages on YouTube after searching "Jermaine O'Neal dunks" are of him being dunked on.

Los Angeles Clippers: Blake Griffin

After only one year, Blake Griffin has already found himself at the top of the dunking big men list for the Los Angeles Clippers franchise.

Here's 214 reasons why.

Los Angeles Lakers: Shaquille O'Neal

During his time with the Los Angeles Lakers, Shaquille O'Neal was unstoppable.

He was 7'1", teetering at excess of 325 pounds and had the post moves and footwork to know how to throw his weight around to his advantage.

O'Neal was brilliant when it came to knowing how to use his body.

Unlike the majority of big men his size, who would foul out in 10 minutes, O'Neal would use his size to his advantage by forcing his opponent to foul as not to let him get the easy two points.

Anyone given the assignment of defending O'Neal was in for a long night, as the Lakers worked the ball through him for all three of their championship runs.

He also dunked on a lot of people, including Chris Dudley, Shawn Bradley and David Robinson, just to name a few.

Memphis Grizzlies: Stromile Swift

Many NBA fans don't remember Stromile Swift because, well, who would?

Swift was taken with the second pick in the 2000 draft and turned out to be a huge disappointment for the Grizzlies franchise, as the most he'd ever average would be 12 points, six boards and two blocks per game, which came in his second season.

Following that dream season, Swift would average over 10 points per game one more time and would be out of the league by the time he was 29 years old.

Swift didn't have much going for him, but boy could he dunk.

His athleticism is on par with some of the greatest athletes today and actually has one of the most memorable poster dunks in history with his slam over Tyrus Thomas.

At 6'9", Swift could have been among the best big men in the league had he possessed an offensive repertoire or any commitment to defense or rebounding.

Miami Heat: Shaquille O'Neal

Following his stint with the Los Angeles Lakers, Shaquille O'Neal would take his talents to the Miami Heat, where he would help lead the team to an NBA championship in 2006 and a momentary reign at the top of the Eastern Conference.

O'Neal wasn't as dominant as he was with L.A., but he carried the same influence in Miami, as he would attract constant double and triple teams.

Even with the hounding defense, O'Neal was still a force, and he'd still be able to finish over any defender that attempted to deter him. 

Milwaukee Bucks: Larry Sanders

Not much of Larry Sanders was seen last year. He only appeared in 60 games in his rookie season, and appropriately so, because he only averaged four points and three boards per game in the short amount of time he got to prove himself.

Sanders wasn't much of a jump shooter, but he was a solid defender and a terrific athlete that has the potential to become one of the NBA's top dunking big men.

At 6'11", Sanders has the athletic ability of a shooting guard compressed into the frame of a center who has a wingspan that stretches to the ceiling.

He didn't get much playing time, but he did manage to put on a show whenever he got the chance.

Minnesota Timberwolves: Kevin Garnett

During his days with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Kevin Garnett was the last big man you ever wanted to see driving towards you.

He was wiry thin, but Garnett was insanely strong and intense and would let that intensity out whenever he threw down one of his trademark power slams.

Garnett was just too strong for most players to defend, and that mid-range jumper he had only allowed him to enter the paint easier, since opponents have to focus on his consistent jump shot as well.

New Jersey Nets: Derrick Coleman

One of the league's most underrated big men of the early 1990s, Derrick Coleman was one of the NBA's double-double machines, as he managed to average one in four of his first five seasons in the league with the last one occurring two years later, where his career would begin its steep decline.

Coleman was incredibly strong and had a lot of size on a frame that was listed at 6'10", 230 pounds.

With his body type the way it was and his ability to hit from mid-range and in the post, Coleman was one of the league's more difficult power forwards to contain.

He's one of the few players in the past two decades to dunk on Shaquille O'Neal and to actually send David Robinson to the ground.

New Orleans Hornets: Larry Johnson

He might have kicked Alonzo Mourning out of Charlotte, but it didn't matter much to the Hornets fanbase once they saw the high-flying, athletic ability of Larry Johnson.

Surprisingly, Johnson's listed at a mere 6'6", but he makes up for it with a bulky 250 pounds.

He played the power forward position extremely well, despite being undersized, and he would finish his career averaging 16 points and eight boards per game at the end of his 10-year career.

Johnson was one of the league's strongest and fiercest players as well as one of its most athletic. He possessed a great deal of athleticism and let it be known with a dunk contest appearance and a few poster jams.

New York Knicks: Patrick Ewing

One of the greatest dunking centers in NBA history, Patrick Ewing was as intense on offense as he was on defense,and he always made sure to let his opponents know just how strong he was with his ferocious slams.

Ewing was averaging as many as 29 points per game in the early 1990s and was an absolute handful to contain due to his understanding of how to play in the post and his ability to hit the mid-range jumper.

He was talented in many ways, but his best offensive threat was his strength and athleticism.

While he may be remembered for getting dunked on by two of the NBA's greatest players, he's also had his fun with a few poster slams of his own.

Oklahoma City Thunder: Shawn Kemp

The greatest dunking big man ever, and it's really not even close.

Shawn Kemp had the athleticism of a small forward in the body of a 6'10" power forward, which conjures an excellent combination.

With a vertical leap so unbelievable that his flat top grazed the top of the Key Arena and strength that could have literally carried the Seattle Supersonics to the NBA Finals, Kemp was one of the most dangerous players you could have possibly faced in the 1990s.

Coupled with point guard Gary Payton, these two hooked up for more alley-oops than you could ever imagine.

Kemp had so many memorable dunks during his NBA career that we don't even know where to start. You could probably begin with his legendary slam over Alton Lister or maybe even his facial on Alonzo Mourning. Perhaps you could even take his dunk over Dennis Rodman during the NBA Finals into account.

Forget it, just watch a compilation of all of them.

Orlando Magic: Dwight Howard

There aren't many centers in the league with a talent level similar to the likes of Patrick Ewing or Hakeem Olajuwon, and it's rather depressing to think about how the center position has evolved into a meaningless job that basically has a seven-footer (that can barely move) blocks shots and end up on posters.

Dwight Howard is one of the few exceptions.

He's an excellent defender, an elite shot blocker and one of the league's top rebounders. His offensive repertoire is limited, but he makes up for it with a great deal of athleticism that is matched by no other center.

His 2008 dunk contest performance was one of the best that the competition has seen since the Jason Richardson days, his ability to throw down the alley-oop with ease has captivated audiences from all over the country and his overall ability to just plain posterize defenders is always an exciting sight to see.

Philadelphia 76ers: Darryl Dawkins

He broke so many glass backboards that Philadelphia created recycling plants to take advantage of all the carnage that Darryl Dawkins caused over his career.

Standing at 6'11" and weighing in at 250 pounds, Dawkins was a load to handle, and it sometimes resulted in the center breaking a backboard or two. He did it on so many occasions that the NBA had to change the backboards from glass to plastic just so Dawkins would stop breaking them.

Shaquille O'Neal would then render the entire backboard support system defunct a few years later after he brought down a few too.

Despite pushing 7'0", Dawkins was athletic, as he would throw down some impressive jams over a career that spanned 15 years.

Phoenix Suns: Amare Stoudemire

He's already proven that he doesn't need Steve Nash to thrive, but I'm sure that many would like to see Nash and Amare Stoudemire on the same team just one more time before Nash's career comes to an end.

When the two were paired up on the Phoenix Suns, it was like watching poetry in motion.

Nash was one of the league's greatest facilitators, and Stoudemire had a keen offensive mind that always knew when to cut. Stoudemire would average as many as 26 points per game with the Suns and can attribute the majority of those points to his athletic ability.

The modern day Shawn Kemp, Stoudemire has put just about every last power forward or center in the league on a poster, and they might feel honored when getting dunked on by one of the league's top-scoring big men.

Portland Trail Blazers: Rasheed Wallace

Showing up for the second time, Rasheed Wallace gets the honor of being a franchises greatest big man dunker once again with this occurrence coming during his days as a Jail Blazer.

Overshadowed by his and his team's off-court troubles, not too many actually paid attention to just how good a player Wallace was during his time with the Blazers.

He was a stellar athlete as well as being a solid mid-range threat and played a huge role on some of the greatest Blazer teams since the 1970s.

Didn't think Wallace had it in him to be a top-tier dunker?

Take a look at some of his early NBA days then.

Sacramento Kings: Chris Webber

A fierce player that was a part of many successful Sacramento King teams, the 6'9", 245 pound Chris Webber was quite the post and mid-range threat throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Webber was averaging as many as 27 points per game in 2001 and even led the league in rebounds in 1999, when he averaged 13 boards per game. He also had the benefit of playing with two stellar point guards in Jason Williams and Mike Bibby, who always found a way to find him open for an easy shot near the rim.

He was incredibly athletic, strong and quick for his size, and it resulted in many posters.

San Antonio Spurs: David Robinson

Before Tim Duncan was busy leading the Spurs to four titles, there was David Robinson commanding the post and winning MVP awards.

He didn't bring about more success than Duncan, but Robinson did keep his team in contention every year and kept the Spurs fanbase itching for a legitimate title run.

Robinson was one of the strongest centers you'll ever find in the history of the game. He had the biceps of Joey Galloway and the overall strength of Wilt Chamberlain, which combined to form a center that was nearly unstoppable in the post.

His dunking ability was impeccable as his strength allowed him to out-muscle opponents, and his wingspan allowed him to throw down over defenders of any size.

Toronto Raptors: Chris Bosh

The Toronto Raptors have had their fair share of talented dunkers with the likes of Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady stepping through the halls of the Air Canada Centre, but not too many dunkers that also stood above 6'9" or weighed over 250 pounds.

So, by default, Chris Bosh comes out on top here.

It's not all that bad, though, as Bosh is a solid dunker that has put many of his opponents on posters. While many will criticize him for his passive play, Bosh has been successful when utilizing a finesse method and his speed to beat his opponents rather than his strength.

At 6'10", Bosh has the wingspan and speed that allow him to beat out his opponents on the majority of his drives.

Utah Jazz: Karl Malone

Aside from Shawn Kemp and Larry Nance, Karl Malone just may be the greatest dunking big man in the history of the game.

Already an impeccable offensive threat who is second in total points scored in a career, Malone would average as many as 31 points per game courtesy of a consistent mid-range game and a near unstoppable post game that was aided by his athleticism.

As you can already tell just by looking at him, Malone was strong, and he utilized that to his advantage any chance he got.

However, Malone was also surprisingly fast, and he knew how to harness that speed and athleticism in a 6'9", 250-pound frame.

Malone would help lead the Jazz to two NBA title appearances and would take home two MVPs.

Washington Wizards: Elvin Hayes

A member of one of the greatest front courts in NBA history, Elvin Hayes would dominate the paint and help lead Wes Unseld and the Washington Bullets to a championship victory in 1978.

Hayes would play with the Bullets franchise from 1972 until 1981 and would help lead the team to heights that it hasn't seen since.

He averaged as many as 24 points per game during his time with the Bullets and would use a solid mid-range game and some impressive post work to dominate down low in the paint.

Elvin is one of the most underrated players in the history of the game, and there's not much of a reason why, as he was just as explosive as any other player during his time and was on a successful team that would go as far as winning a title.