2021’s All-Star Saturday’s dunk contest was one of the best in recent years, with Mac McClung taking home the crown, after showing dunks we haven’t seen before that night in Salt Lake City. Then, last year, it was back to some rather disappointing ways.
Granted, Dunk contests filled with NBA superstars, like Kobe Bryant, Dominique Wilkins, Vince Carter or Michael Jordan are long gone, but even without superstars, a great dunk contest is more than possible – just ask McClung, Aaron Gordon, Derrick Jones Jr. and Zach LaVine.
Before this year’s contest takes place in San Francisco next month, we’re taking a look back to 41 years ago today. This is when the NBA’s first All-Star Saturday took place in Denver at McNichols Arena.
The inaugural Slam-Dunk contest was won by Larry Nance, who used a two-ball windmill dunk to beat favorites Julius Erving and Dominique Wilkins.