Slam Dunk History

The Story Behind the Slam Dunk

 With the mention of the word “basketball,” a picture quickly comes to mind of a star player jumping up to the net and effortlessly forcing the ball over the rim and into the net.  This, however, was not the case in the early days of slam dunk history.  The slam dunk, or dunk shot as it was called prior to 1961, was simply pushing the ball into the net.  During these years, the modern slam dunk was not possible simply because players were generally smaller in size and the three-point line did not exist.  In fact, this signature basketball move was illegal in the NCAA for nine years until 1976.

The evolution of the slam dunk began with the signing of Julius “the doctor” Erving to the Virginia Squires of the ABA in 1971.  Often referred to as the father of the modern slam dunk, Erving integrated acrobatic feats and ball handling tricks into the delivery of the dunk.   After witnessing one of these amazing moves, announcer Francis “Chick” Hearn invented the famous phrase “slam dunk” in 1972.

Erving was not the only player to use the slam dunk to demonstrate strength and agility.  Twenty years earlier basketball pioneer Wilt Chaplain set a height record of twelve feet, which held for almost fifty years.  In the 1960’s and 70’s, players such as Gus Johnson and Darryl Dawkins dunked the ball with so much strength that they shattered the glass backboard.  The popularity of the spread across the world and even women such as Georganne Wells began to use it.

The slam dunk became such an important feature of basketball that the “slam dunk contest” was created by the ABA in 1976.  Erving would win the first contest by being the first player to jump from the free throw line.  Unfortunately, he would have to wait eight years to defend his title.  These contests, with the exception of 1998 and 1999, have continued into the present day involving both long time pros and rookies.