Well, if you’re a fan of the National Basketball Association (NBA), you would agree to the fact that dunkers often play fate-changing roles for their teams after scoring nearly guaranteed points, assisting their teams to efficiently capitalize on fast breaks. From igniting the momentum to fearlessly intimidating the opponents on the court, dunkers undoubtedly bring enormous excitement and attention to the game.
Over the years, the history of the National Basketball Association has witnessed numerous legendary dunkers who have led their teams to shocking victories in the most crucial matches. Ever wondered about the greatest dunkers in the history of the National Basketball Association? Well, let’s find out.
In this article we will take a look at the top four most successful dunkers who have been a nightmare to the opposing teams.
Top 4 Greatest Dunkers in NBA History
Vince Carter
The legendary American professional basketball player Vincent Lamar Carter Jr. who played for 22 seasons in the National Basketball Association, is at the first spot in our list of the top four high-flying legends who have dominated the history of the NBA. Vince Carter primarily played the shooting guard and small forward positions and occasionally played power forward later in his NBA career.
Throughout his glorious 22-years long career, Vince Carter played for multiple teams, including the Toronto Raptors (1998-2004), New Jersey Nets (2004-2009), Orlando Magic (2009-2010), Phoenix Suns (2010-2011), Dallas Mavericks (2011-2014), Memphis Grizzlies (2014-2017), Sacramento Kings (2017-2018) and Atlanta Hawks (2018-2020) and amassed the highest-ever total of 951 dunks with a phenomenal success rate of approximately 98.3% ranking him at the first spot in our list.
Michael Jordan
At the second spot in our list of the top four most successful dunkers who have been a nightmare to opposing teams, we have American former professional basketball player Michael Jordan, who is currently a minority owner of the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Association. Often hailed as one of the greatest basketball players of his era, Michael Jordan played 15 seasons in the National Basketball Association between 1984 and 2003, clinching a phenomenal total of six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls.
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Although there’s no specified count of Jordan’s NBA career dunks in the records, the legendary basketball player has scored a total of 1560 dunks throughout his NBA career, as per reports. Additionally, Michael Jordan has also clinched gold medals at the 1984 Los Angeles and 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games.
Dominique Wilkins
Next, at the third spot in our list of the top four high-flying legends who have dominated the history of the NBA, we have another American former professional basketball player, Dominique Wilkins, who primarily played for the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association. Often popularly referred to as one of the most acrobatic slam dunkers in NBA history, Dominique Wilkins was honored as one of the league’s greatest players of all time by being named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.
Although there’s no official record of Wilkins’ dunk records, he has undoubtedly proved to be one of the most prolific dunkers in the entire history of the National Basketball Association and has been a part of multiple teams, including Atlanta Hawks (1982-1984), Los Angeles Clippers (1994), Boston Celtics (1994-1995), Panathinaikos (1995-1996), San Antonio Spurs (1996-1997), Fortitudo Bologna (1997-1998) and Orlando Magic (1999).
Julius Erving (Dr. J)
Finally, at the fourth spot in our list of the top four high-flying legends who have dominated the history of the NBA, we have American former professional basketball player Julius Winfield Erving II, popularly referred to as “Dr. J”. Throughout his star-studded NBA career, Julius Winfield Erving II played for three NBA teams: the Virginia Squires (1971-1973), New York Nets (1973-1976) and Philadelphia 76ers (1976-1987).
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As of May 2025, Julius Erving continues to be the eighth-highest scorer in ABA/NBA history with 30,026 points. Owing to his legendary stature, Erving was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993 and was also named by Sports Illustrated as one of the 40 most important athletes of all time.
