Classic Vinsanity

Steve Lipofsky / Wikimedia Commons

Vince Carter is possibly one of the greatest dunk performers ever, performing ferocious dunks with ease. Vince Carter won the 2000 NBA Slam Dunk Contest held in Oakland, California advancing to the first round with 100 points and beating Steve Francis and Tracy McGrady in the finals. What made this dunk contest unique was the fact that there was a NBA lockout in 1999 which prevented that year’s dunk contest from taking place. In 2000 Carter brought back the excitement of the dunk to the crowd. There was no doubt that he would win the contest as audiences were awed by his athletic abilities. He scored 98 points, 7 points higher than second place Francis in the final round. Carter electrified the contest starting with a reverse 360 windmill and kept the momentum going to make the biggest highlight of the night with a between-the-legs dunk off an alley-oop from McGrady.

Carter’s aerial abilities allowed him to make a stepping stone for his career when he won the 2000 Slam Dunk Contest. Carter led his team, the Toronto Raptors, into their first playoff in the 2000 NBA playoff. Carter became the Raptors' franchise player and was voted into the All-Star Team starting lineup numerous times. During the 2003 All-Star game he gave up his All-Star spot so franchise great Michael Jordan could participate in his final start as an All-Star. Carter became one of only three players along with Michael Jordan and Julius Erving to lead the NBA All-Star game fan voting on at-least three occasions. Due to injuries and safety reasons, fans never got to see “Vinsanity” perform seemingly impossible dunks in the dunk contest again.