The NBA All-Star Slam Dunk Contest - is there anything more exciting during NBA All-Star Weekend except the NBA All-Star Game? High-flying, powerfully-packed, jumping over people, and hanging in the air slam dunks are standard during this contest. Check out which NBA players have been the best dunkers each year the NBA All-Star Slam Dunk Contest has been going on. Check the table below.
It all started in 1984 when Larry Nance won the inaugural competition, beating the legendary Julius "Dr. J" Erving, winner of the very first Slam Dunk Contest held by the American Basketball Association (ABA) in 1976. And as the contest went on in the NBA, we saw winners such as Michael Jordan, Dominique Wilkins, Kobe Bryant, and Vince Carter bringing the house down with their devastating dunks and nasty slams. Always a crowd favorite during All-Star Weekend festivities, check out the below table to see the past winners and where they've lifted the slam dunk championship hardware.
NOTES: The NBA All-Star Slam Dunk Contest was not held in 1998 because the NBA switched to the NBA/WNBA All-Star 2Ball competition where one NBA player and one WNBA player formed a team to take shots from various spots in the halfcourt. There were eight teams altogether with the Houston team of Clyde Drexler and Cynthia Cooper winning the only 2Ball competition.
The NBA Lockout in 1999 prevented an NBA All-Star Game and NBA All-Star Slam Dunk Contest from happening.
NBA Slam Dunk Champions
| Year | Location | Champion |
| 2008 | New Orleans, LA | Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic |
| 2007 | Las Vegas, NV | Gerald Green, Boston Celtics |
| 2006 | Houston, TX | Nate Robinson, New York Knicks |
| 2005 | Denver, CO | Josh Smith, Atlanta Hawks |
| 2004 | Los Angeles, CA | Fred Jones, Indiana Pacers |
| 2003 | Atlanta, GA | Jason Richardson, Golden State Warriors |
| 2002 | Philadelphia, PA | Jason Richardson, Golden State Warriors |
| 2001 | Washington, D.C. | Desmond Mason, Seattle SuperSonics |
| 2000 | Oakland, CA | Vince Carter, Toronto Raptors |
| 1997 | Cleveland, OH | Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers |
| 1996 | San Antonio, TX | Brent Barry, Los Angeles Clippers |
| 1995 | Phoenix, AZ | Harold Miner, Miami Heat |
| 1994 | Minneapolis, MN | Isaiah Rider, Minnesota Timberwolves |
| 1993 | Salt Lake City, UT | Harold Miner, Miami Heat |
| 1992 | Orlando, FL | Cedric Ceballos, Phoenix Suns |
| 1991 | Charlotte, NC | Dee Brown, Boston Celtics |
| 1990 | Miami, FL | Dominique Wilkins, Atlanta Hawks |
| 1989 | Houston, TX | Kenny Walker, New York Knicks |
| 1988 | Chicago, IL | Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls |
| 1987 | Seattle, WA | Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls |
| 1986 | Dallas, TX | Spud Webb, Atlanta Hawks |
| 1985 | Indianapolis, IN | Dominique Wilkins, Atlanta Hawks |
| 1984 | Denver, CO | Larry Nance, Phoenix Suns |
