NBA fans just want to see highlight reels. That’s worth the admission by itself. We’ve listed five dunks that left in awe fans that bet at the top NBA sportsbooks.
The NBA has had so many amazing dunks to begin the season in 2023. We’ve already seen countless poster dunks, a few windmills, and a LeBron James highlight that is likely on a poster of many basketball fans’ bedrooms or basements.
Below we’ve listed our favorite dunks of the 2023 season. There will be more amazing highlight reels in 2024. Keep watching the NBA and enjoy the best league in sports!
Our top five dunks have been listed below.
5. LeBron James (Nov 1 vs. Clippers)
LeBron James is the oldest player in the NBA. But you wouldn’t know it most of the time. James and the Lakers were facing the Los Angeles Clippers in an epic rivalry game.
The Clippers and Lakers were competing in overtime, with the Lakers up three.
When the Lakers got on a fastbreak, Austin Reaves dribbled the ball on the left side, knowing he had a three-on-one with Anthony Davis.
With former teammate Russell Westbrook defending, Reaves faked going for the layup and dished a perfect pass in the air for LeBron to dunk home with a one-handed ally-oop.
James had himself a night. But we can assure you that the Lakers crowd will never forget that moment in crypto.com Arena.
4. Malik Monk (Oct. 25 vs. Jazz)
Although the Jazz were already getting blown out in the third quarter, Sacramento showed no mercy.
With 44 seconds to go in the third quarter, up 100-82 on their home court, the Kings got on a fast break after a De’Aaron Fox steal.
Fox could’ve likely just earned an easy layup. However, he stumbled, and Utah’s defender Kris Dunn got back to potentially contest his shot. Therefore, Fox took another step toward the rim and then sent a bounce pass to Malik Monk, who was trailing the play.
When Monk got the ball, Dunn was too far under the hoop. Monk jammed one of the most incredible posters that we’ll see this year.
After the play was over, Monk yelled at Dunn and flexed on him. Meanwhile, Dunn just looked down and gave him a little shove in embarrassment.
In Dunn’s defense, he was the only Utah defender to actually get back and try to defend the play.
3. Zion Williamson’s Windmill Dunk (Nov 4. vs. Hawks)
Watching Zion Williamson is worth the price of admission.
Toward the end of the first half against the Hawks, Zion Williamson was late getting back on defense with the Pelicans up 56-51. When the Pelicans earned a steal, the ball got to Williamson all alone on the other end of the court.
Williamson caught the ball on the foul line and casually and nonchalantly threw down a windmill dunk to get the Pelicans fans all riled up.
When Williams grabbed the ball, you could see the entire bench start to shake and get excited. They’ve likely seen Williamson do crazy things in practice. But he was able to showcase his ability to the entire world with an open lane for that epic windmill dunk.
2. Derrick Jones Jr. (Nov. 1 vs. Bulls)
In the third quarter, in a matchup between the Dallas Mavericks and Chicago Bulls, Dereck Lively II was looking to make a post move on Nikola Vucevic.
He tried making a hook shot, but the ball hit the back of the rim on the right side.
As the ball was going up, Derrick Jones Jr. followed the shot while the ball hit the rim for a second time.
After the ball fell off the rim, Jones Jr. timed the ball perfectly and earned a putback dunk over Zach LaVine, who was attempting to box him out.
Jones Jr. put LaVine on a poster with one of the most incredible dunks we’ll see in this NBA season.
1. Jalen Johnson (Oct. 27 vs. Knicks)
On October 27, Jalen Johnson added a vicious poster dunk over two Knicks defenders.
With the Hawks down 26-18, Jalen Johnson would not be denied.
Trae Young ran a little two-man game. Johnson set a screen and rolled to the rim. As Johnson turned, he grabbed the ball a step over the foul line and then geared up, ready to slam the ball home.
Even with Isaiah Hartenstein and Josh Hart in his way, Johnson couldn’t be stopped. He slammed the ball home and earned an and-1 in front of the Hawks’ bench.
After Johnson dunked the ball, he flexed around Hartenstein and taunted him for many seconds before giving his teammates some love on the sideline.
