For nearly 50 years, the NBA Slam Dunk Contest has produced some of the most iconic moments in All-Star history. The Dunk Contest, in particular, has built a legacy of record-breaking performances and perfect scores. Over the years, the event has been steeped in history and unforgettable performances.

Focusing on the Dunk Contest, a four-player field has been announced. The contest is set for Saturday, Feb. 14 at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT. It is the third event of the night in Inglewood, California. Few All-Star events generate as much awe as the Dunk Contest, where elite athletes push the limits of creativity and explosiveness.

What Is the NBA Slam Dunk Contest?

The Slam Dunk Contest is one of the main attractions of All-Star Weekend. It was originally started by the ABA for the 1976 ABA All-Star in Denver, and Hall of Famer Julius Erving won the inaugural event. Over the years, the event has transformed multiple times, but the excitement around the event remains unmatched.

The event is a showcase of explosiveness, artistic athleticism, body flow, and execution. A flawless dunk earns a full 50 points from the judges.

Coming to the rules, the players get two dunk entries in the first round, and the four judges will score them on their dunks. A minimum score of 30 and a maximum of 50 can be handed out by the judges. Every player gets a total of three attempts for each of their dunks in both rounds. At the end of the first round, the top two participants will progress to the final round. The same rules apply for the final round, with the judges taking the final call in case of a tie.

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Who Holds the Record for the Most NBA Slam Dunk Contest Wins?

There’s hardly any other event during the All-Star Weekend that is as thrilling as the Dunk Contest. While the importance of the event has gone down in this decade, with top players ignoring such events, the excitement around it has remained intact.

Off late, the event has been owned by Mac McClung, who has won it consecutively in the last three years. He became the first player to do it in three back-to-back years and holds the joint record for the most Slam Dunk Contest titles along with New York Knicks guard Nate Robinson. He won his titles in 2006 first and followed it up with consecutive wins in 2009 and 2010.

Other players with multiple Slam Dunk Contest titles are Dominique Wilkins (Atlanta Hawks), Jason Richardson (Golden State Warriors), Harold Miner (Miami Heat), Michael Jordan (Chicago Bulls), and Zach LaVine (Minnesota Timberwolves).

Jordan was the first player to win the title in consecutive years (1987, 1988), followed by Warriors star Jason Richardson (2002, 2003). Zach LaVine, Nate Robinson, and Mac McClung also joining him, with the latter two also making it three.

How Many Perfect Scores Have Been Awarded in the Contest’s History?

The tougher the better. Each of the five judges can score from 0 to 10 based on every dunk. If all of the five judges decided to rate perfect 10s, then the 50 points would be considered a perfect score in the Dunk Contest.

Overall, Aaron Gordon and Mac McClung are tied for the top spot with eight perfect scores in the history of the NBA Dunk Contests. However, Gordon has secured the perfect score five times in a single contest, while McClung has achieved the maximum of four perfect scores.

Memorable Slam Dunk Contest Moments

The Slam Dunk event happens to be one of the most-watched events throughout the All-Star Weekend. Over the years, there have been several iconic moments, rivalries, and victories. From the 1980s to the present day, the contest never gone out of excitement or drama.

It all started with the rivalry between Dominique Wilkins and Michael Jordan. It was a rookie Jordan who was up against Wilkins, known as a ‘Human Highlight Reel’ because of his acrobatic dunks. He brought all of that to the Contest. Jordan also was up to the task with a below-the-rim reverse move to Wilkins’ jaw-dropping two-handed windmill dunks. Wilkins walked away as the winner, only to face Jordan for another round in 1998. The Contest has been etched in the memory of the fans for Jordan’s iconic ‘Air Jordan’ moment, where he left everyone speechless with a free-throw line jam. He was extra motivated for the event as it was in Chicago and he exacted revenge from Wilkins with a dominating win.

Then came Vince Carter’s heroics in the 2000 Dunk Contest as he secured a perfect 50 when he unleashed a reverse 360 windmill dunk. Vinsanity followed it up with a 180 windmill and then capped it off with the best, the never-before-seen ‘elbow dunk’. Not many people have managed to match Carter’s athleticism and panache.

Then came the rivalry between Aaron Gordon and Zach LaVine in the 2016 NBA Dunk Contest. Two rising stars of the game, known for their scoring and athleticism, went head-to-head. LaVine, who won the contest in 2015, was super confident as he started off with some great free-throw line and behind-the-back jams. On the other hand, Gordon was also at his best. It was the day when ‘Air Gordon’ came into existence because of the iconic jam where he defied gravity with the help of the Orlando Magic mascot. Both players traded perfect scores, and it felt like fans got to experience the Wilkins-Jordan rivalry in the contest in this era. Eventually, LaVine held his nerve and made it two in two.