2023-2025s All-Star Saturday’s dunk contests were some of the best in recent years, with Mac McClung taking home the crown each time, after showing dunks we hadn’t seen before.
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 Los Angeles in two weeks, we’re taking a look back to 42 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.
