There are awesome, athletic dunks. And there are awesome, athletic dunks in meaningful games. So to me, highlight dunks in the tournament outweigh your highlight dunks in the regular season. And dunks in the Elite 8 or FF outweigh ones against some poor low seed on the first day of the tourney. So that being said, these three dunks already named are tops on my list, in no particular order:
1. Henderson into and over Alonzo Mourning, '89. The sheer power, speed and audacity to go against the premier shot blocker of that era and throw it down in his face cannot be overemphasized. People might forget that Duke was the underdog in this Elite 8 game... which of course they won.
2. Dawkins' breakaway reverse jam, putting his butt in some poor Navy guy's face trying to take a charge, '86. Duke's first Elite 8 in the K era. A culmination of years of frustration pouring out in a blowout win. "Johnny Dawkins, Johnny Dawkins. Rock me Johnny Dawkins", credit to Monday Monday.
3. GHill over everybody and everything in Indianapolis, '91. After that, there was no question who was going to win that game, Duke's first NCAAMB natty ever. Let's not forget who the opposing coach was...
(That being said, some of Zion's dunks were pretty incredible. But I will probably remember his block against UVA longer than anything else).
9F
I will never talk about That Game. GTHC.