Bleacher Report’s ranking of the NBA’s 50 greatest dunkers is a reminder of just how much aerial talent has passed through Brooklyn and New Jersey over the years. Six current or former Nets cracked the list, and three of them landed in the top five.
Vince Carter led the way at No. 1, with Julius Erving right behind at No. 3 and Blake Griffin at No. 5.
Darryl Dawkins checked in at No. 12, Gerald Green at No. 20 and DeAndre Jordan at No.
Carter’s case was never going to be complicated. “Vinsanity” was the rare player whose dunking mixed power, creativity and pure showmanship in a way that changed the conversation. Bleacher Report pointed to his unforgettable 2000 Slam Dunk Contest performance, when he unveiled a string of dunks that helped redefine the event, as well as his famous “Dunk of Death” over 7-foot-2 French center Frédéric Weis at the 2000 Olympics.
By the time Carter arrived in New Jersey, the legend was already built. But he still gave the Nets plenty of highlight material over five seasons from 2004-09, teaming with Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson on one of the league’s most entertaining fast-break groups while making three All-Star teams in a Nets uniform.
Erving’s place near the top carries a different kind of weight. Before he became an NBA icon with the Philadelphia 76ers, he was starring for the New York Nets in the ABA and leading the franchise to two championships. Bleacher Report cited his role as one of the pioneers of above-the-rim basketball, along with signature moments like his free-throw line dunk in the 1976 ABA Slam Dunk Contest and his “Rock the Baby” finish against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Griffin’s ranking at No. 5 reflects how electric he was at his peak. He made his name with the Clippers’ “Lob City” attack, where forceful finishes and posters turned him into one of the league’s biggest attractions.
His dunk over Kendrick Perkins and his car-leaping slam to win the 2011 Slam Dunk Contest became defining images of the 2010s. By the time he reached Brooklyn in 2021, injuries had taken some of that explosion away, but the resume was already strong enough to place him among the game’s best dunkers.
The rest of the Nets’ group covers a wide range of styles and eras. Dawkins, at No. 12, earned his spot as one of the most physically intimidating finishers ever, with the backboard-shattering dunks in 1979 that helped push the NBA toward breakaway rims. He spent more than five seasons with the New Jersey Nets after coming over from Philadelphia, carrying the “Chocolate Thunder” reputation with him.
Green landed at No. 20 after building a reputation on elite athleticism and creativity. He won the 2007 Slam Dunk Contest, then followed it with one of the event’s most memorable moments a year later when he blew out a candle on the rim during a dunk. His stint with the New Jersey Nets in 2010-11 lasted just 31 games, but his leaping ability was already the stuff of legend.
Jordan rounded out the Nets on the list at No. 26.
He built his career on alley-oop finishes, especially during the Clippers’ “Lob City” years alongside Griffin and Chris Paul. Bleacher Report also noted that more than half of his points during his first 10 NBA seasons came on dunks.
Jordan spent two seasons in Brooklyn from 2019-21 as the team’s veteran center during the early Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving era.
From free-throw line jams to lob finishes to backboard-breaking power, the Nets have had a front-row seat to some of the most memorable dunkers the league has ever seen. Six names on Bleacher Report’s top-50 list is notable enough. Having three inside the top five is the kind of company that says plenty about the franchise’s high-flying history.
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