My favorite youtube clip ever/Dahntay's Pushups

[VaDukie]

I was messing around youtube earlier and remembered this dunk by Dahntay. I don't want to cheapen it by trying to describe its brilliance so I'll just have you watch it. It shows it in two angles so watch all the way through

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72jcpQIxQtE

[Indoor66]

IMO the dunk is the least skilled play in the game. I personally wish that the emphasis on the dunk was diminished. I would support a rule change that eliminated the dunk. IMO this would lead to the enhancement of the skills of all players.

The dunk, again IMO, is a major factor in the failure of the development of fundamentals development by many players. The bulk of the ink goes to the spectacular dunk and the skill play overlooked. Thus the kids try to develop the most spectacular, in your face, bad jam. This is obvious in the NBA and also becoming more so at the college level. The linked film with DickieV's slobbering over the dunks illustrates my point.

[gep]

Recently, there was an article of an "experiement" that raised the basket to 11 feet. Maybe that would put more emphasis on fundamentals... and reduce the number of dunks since only the very tall or very gifted will be able to dunk. Similar to moving the 3-point line back to reduce 3-point attempts.

[VaDukie]

IMO the dunk is the least skilled play in the game. I personally wish that the emphasis on the dunk was diminished. I would support a rule change that eliminated the dunk. IMO this would lead to the enhancement of the skills of all players.

The dunk, again IMO, is a major factor in the failure of the development of fundamentals development by many players. The bulk of the ink goes to the spectacular dunk and the skill play overlooked. Thus the kids try to develop the most spectacular, in your face, bad jam. This is obvious in the NBA and also becoming more so at the college level. The linked film with DickieV's slobbering over the dunks illustrates my point.

The dunk has certainly contributed to basketball fundamentals being lessened, but how many people do you know that could have pulled off that dunk by Dahntay? He's not just going up to the basket, jumping up, and putting it in with two hands. He's beating his man off the dribble, going up, adjusting his body midflight to deal with the defender, and maintaing the coordination to but the ball in the basket. To call it the least skilled play is a little far fetched.

[Indoor66]

The dunk has certainly contributed to basketball fundamentals being lessened, but how many people do you know that could have pulled off that dunk by Dahntay? He's not just going up to the basket, jumping up, and putting it in with two hands. He's beating his man off the dribble, going up, adjusting his body midflight to deal with the defender, and maintaing the coordination to but the ball in the basket. To call it the least skilled play is a little far fetched.

I do not question the incredible athletic ability of Dante and many of the "Dunkers." On the other hand, it is only 2 points.

[gep]

I do not question the incredible athletic ability of Dante and many of the "Dunkers." On the other hand, it is only 2 points.

I read somewhere that the dunk should be changed to 1 point... since it's not really "shooting" the basketball. Maybe that will discourage the "highlight-reel" dunk.

[Indoor66]

Sounds like a plan to me. Great idea.

[kydevil]

What you also must remember about the dunk is that it is used for momentum. Yes I know it's only two points but it can swing momentum to your team.

[camcraz25]

Does anyone have a clip of Dahntay's dunk at the Maui invitational that Coach K reenacted on the sidelines about 3 times?? I can't find it anywhere on the internet!

[VaDukie]

I read somewhere that the dunk should be changed to 1 point... since it's not really "shooting" the basketball. Maybe that will discourage the "highlight-reel" dunk.

Why would you penalize a player for his ability to finish at the basket? There are instances were a layup would leave you vulnerable to a block, and dunking is the best play. You may not like the showboating, but it is a valuable talent. And most highlight reel dunks are on fast breaks - the result of good defense.

I never expected the thread to go this route.

[Richard Berg]

IMO the dunk is the least skilled play in the game.

Nonsense. Can you dunk?

[gep]

Nonsense. Can you dunk?

Well... I can't, but I'm 5-5, not 6-6 or taller. Apparently, anyone over 6-6 can dunk without any other "skill" involved than a simple jump, and the taller they are, the less "skill" involved with the dunk (my 2 cents). In fact, I probably couldn't even dunk on an 8-foot basket... so I guess that tells you how little I might know about "dunking skill"...

[Indoor66]

Nonsense. Can you dunk?

IMO an irrelevant question. In fact I am 5'9" and cannot dunk - never could.

[happydays1949]

It gets me excited!!!

[Chard]

I have that game on tape and won't record over it because of that dunk. Whoa, Nelly!

[tombrady]

IMO the dunk is the least skilled play in the game. I personally wish that the emphasis on the dunk was diminished. I would support a rule change that eliminated the dunk. IMO this would lead to the enhancement of the skills of all players.

The dunk, again IMO, is a major factor in the failure of the development of fundamentals development by many players. The bulk of the ink goes to the spectacular dunk and the skill play overlooked. Thus the kids try to develop the most spectacular, in your face, bad jam. This is obvious in the NBA and also becoming more so at the college level. The linked film with DickieV's slobbering over the dunks illustrates my point.

Dude. It's basketball. Its a game. It was invented for entertainment, and remains as such. Its not a fricken' academic discipline.

I get much more joy out of seeing someone throw a vicious jam down on some pour soul's head than I do of a 10 foot jumper. Sure, I respect the skill it takes to consistently knock that down, but Cameron gets more rockin' for the dunks. And that is ultimately fun.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

Well... I can't, but I'm 5-5, not 6-6 or taller.

Watching Spud Webb (5'7") and Mugsy Boges (5'3" - yes, 5'3" - that is not a typo!) dunk was amazing. And didn't one of them win the NBA's dunking contest one year?

Of course, I'm 5'9" and can't come close to dunking. Never could. I think my vertical jump now is about 8 inches. It used to be ~12", but the last 30 pounds have sort of reduced my leaping ability

[Zeb]

And it is very difficult. I almost never do it in a game, and basically only when I am wide open. The difference between what I can do and someone who dunks in traffic is mind boggling. Someone who says that dunking requires no skill has obviously never done it.

[Jaymf7]

Unless you consider raw athletic talent "skill", I have to disagree that dunking takes significant skill. I tend to think of skill as an ability that takes great practice to develop. I admit that you can improve athletic ability by training, but that just is not skill to me.

I would bet that the clear majority of exceptional athletes 6' and taller can dunk. They could do it without any practice. While dunking in traffic might take some work, I would bet that an exceptional athlete who had never played basketball would be able to dunk in traffic with far less practice than it would take to master a 3 point jumper.

In fact, while at Duke a bunch of my friends and I found a lowered hoop off of central that was about 9'2". Many of my friends were Duke swimmers or wrestlers who were not great ball players, but they excelled in Dunkball. Of course, we are talking a matter of scale here, but on the highest level I think great athletes can master dunking without a great deal of skill.

[aheel4ever]

Watching Spud Webb (5'7") and Mugsy Boges (5'3" - yes, 5'3" - that is not a typo!) dunk was amazing. And didn't one of them win the NBA's dunking contest one year?

Of course, I'm 5'9" and can't come close to dunking. Never could. I think my vertical jump now is about 8 inches. It used to be ~12", but the last 30 pounds have sort of reduced my leaping ability

Spud did win the NBA dunk contest, but I don't remember ever seeing Muggsy dunk.