Former Lakers star Dwight Howard names the 10 best dunkers in NBA history

Throughout NBA history, many players have made their mark with jaw-dropping dunks, each showcasing unique styles and earning varying degrees of recognition. Now, Dwight Howard, the former Los Angeles Lakers center, has shared his thoughts on who should make the all-time top-ten list.

During a recent appearance on Podcast P, Howard was asked to weigh in on a list compiled by Fox Sports that sparked controversy due to several notable omissions. Without hesitation, he named some of his favorites. “Vince Carter has to be in that list, Dominique Wilkins has to be in that list,” the 39-year-old star stated.

“You gotta have Michael Jordan, you gotta have Shaquille O’Neal, you gotta have Darryl Dawkins, you gotta have Shawn Kemp in there,” he continued, mentioning a mix of NBA legends and others widely respected for their dunking prowess, even if they did not achieve the same level of fame.

“Stromile Swift is one of the best dunkers, he didn’t get mentioned, Amare Stoudemire,” added the champion with the Lakers in the 2019-20 season. And he also referred to himself: “Me, I’m top 10.”

Dwight Howard #39 of the Los Angeles Lakers dunks the ball against the Golden State Warriors in the first half at Chase Center on April 07, 2022 in San Francisco, California.

Howard praises Shaquille O’Neal

The debate started after Fox Sports published a list of the greatest dunkers of all time, which sparked discussions about certain absences. The list included Vince Carter, Julius Erving, Dominique Wilkins, Blake Griffin, Michael Jordan, Shawn Kemp, LeBron James, Jason Richardson, Darryl Dawkins, and Zion Williamson in the top ten, while Russell Westbrook, Josh Smith, DeAndre Jordan, Tracy McGrady, Gerald Green, Anthony Edwards, Kobe Bryant, Zach LaVine, and Ja Morant were named honorable mentions.

see also

Dwight Howard explains the reason behind his beef with NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal

“For me and Shaq not to be in Fox Sports’ list…” Howard said, clearly disappointed by the omission. However, he quickly shifted to praising the impact Shaquille O’Neal had on the game. “Shaq, he’s dunking on everybody, breaking rims, so I just believe if you’re gonna have the best dunkers, you gotta have these guys in it,” he emphasized.

Howard makes something clear about dunks

As the discussion deepened, Dwight Howard made a crucial distinction about what it takes to be considered a top dunker. He explained that performing dunks during actual games holds a different weight than dunking in exhibitions or contests.

“If you want to talk about the best dunkers in the league, you gotta put the people that dunk all the time on people in there,” Howard explained. “Now, if you want to talk about dunk contest dunkers? That’s a totally different thing.”