NBA: Top 5 Slam Dunk Contest duels EVER

The annual slam dunk is probably the most unpredictable event of the All-Star weekend. When in full swing, it can be not only the highlight of the weekend but even the regular season. The American Basketball Association (ABA) held the inaugural slam dunk contest in 1976 with Julius Erving being crowned its first champion. The NBA eventually adopted the concept for the first time in 1984 when Larry Nance won the title.

There have been numerous stars who made appearances in the contest such as, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Dominique Wilkins, Julius Erving, Blake Griffin, Tracy Mcgrady, Vince Carter, etc. The contest also is a platform for players to showcase their innovativeness and technicality which sometimes shoots them to stardom too.

Here is a look back at some the instances where the crowd was treated some of the greatest duels in the competition's history:

#5 Spud Webb Vs Dominique Wilkins (1986)

Spud Webb and Dominique Wilkins as participants in the 1986 Slam Dunk Contest.

This is as close to an enactment of David Vs Goliath on a basketball court as any. The difference being, they were both teammates in this instance. The 5' 7" Spudd Webb took on the 6' 8" Dominique Wilkins. The twenty-two-year-old Webb being a heavy underdog against the defending champion Wilkins.

Both contestants put on a show, going back and forth through the competition. Wilkins went with a methodical approach that had consistency, power and more power. The first dunk he made was a two-handed windmill that could be felt throughout the arena. He ended with a thunderous reverse slam.

Webb's first dunk was also a reverse which was slammed so hard that it hit his head and came back out through the basket. He also had a 360 one hand slam. With the final dunk, Spud executed a one-handed overhand bounce pass that leaps from the ground, bounces off the backboard, and goes back into his outstretched, soaring hand. He snatches the rock swiftly and slingshots it home to pull off the fairytale win.

#4 Nate Robinson Vs Andre Iguodala (2006)

Nate Robinson (Center) and Andre Iguodala (Right) as participants of the 2006 Slam Dunk Contest.

The 2006 Slam Dunk Contest was one the most entertaining editions of the event. The result though in some eyes, was controversial. Andre Iguodala, an athletic forward from the 76ers took on the 5'9" Nate Robinson of the New York Knicks. The pair put on quite the show on a memorable night in Houston.

Iguodala delivered by far the best dunk of the night in the first round when he caught an Allen Iverson pass from behind the glass while gliding under the rim and throwing in a reverse slam on the other side. He then ran off the court and down the tunnel to signal that it was over. He then had a behind the back, hand-to-hand transfer dunk in the final round to send the crowd into a frenzy.

Robinson though, not to be outdone, caught a bounce pass from Spud Webb and dunked over the 5'7" dunk contest legend to complete one of the more iconic dunks in the competition's history. He then performed an unthinkable transfer of the ball between each leg before passing the ball with his left hand off the glass in mid-air, then catching it for the throw down to win the contest on quite a controversial final decision.

#3 Michael Jordan Vs Dominique Wilkins (1988)

Michael Jordan and Dominique Wilkins

This was a clash of two contest behemoths. Jordan had the crowd at his feet and Wilkins had to face their hostilities on a memorable night in Chicago.

The two had faced each other in the 1985 contest where Wilkins was victorious over the rookie Jordan and were set to go at it again three years later. Both received a perfect score on their first dunk of the final round. The second dunk saw Dominique receive another perfect score. Jordan though received a 47 for a cradle dunk from the baseline. The crowd made sure they let the judges know what they felt of the decision by sending out a flurry of 'boos' that nearly caused a tremor.

The final dunk saw Wilkins receive a shocking 45 for a two-hand windmill that nearly broke the rim. "I was shocked," Jordan said about Wilkin's final score. "I would have given him a 49 or a 50."

With Jordan needing 49 to secure the victory. The crowd held their breath when they saw him walk to the other side of the floor. They knew what was coming. Jordan took off running, lifted off from the free throw line, double-clutched in midair and slammed it down for the perfect score and the slam dunk title.

#2 Vince Carter Vs Tracy Mcgrady (2000)

Vince Carter #15 and Tracy McGrady

By the turn of the millennium, the dunk contest had lost its glamour. The number of stars that participated in the event was next to none and the quality wasn't great either, with no dunk receiving a perfect score since 1992. This changed when Vince Carter took on his teammate and cousin Tracy Mcgrady. The two put on a show for the ages in Oakland.

The pair caused a meltdown among the crowd and other players watching. Mcgrady's best dunk was a spinning two-handed dunk from a self alley-oop which earnt him a fifty. He also had a couple of two-handed windmills where he displayed incredible leaping ability.

Mcgrady unfortunately, was outdone by what is regarded as the greatest dunk contest performance ever. When Carter executed a reverse 360 on his first dunk of the night, the crowd knew it was over. This was emphasized by Kenny Smith while doing commentary. The excitement didn't stop there. Carter next slammed the rock, then stuck his entire arm through the rim and then hung on for good measure. The look on the face of Shaquille O'Neal and Kevin Garnett described the scene perfectly.

After Carter’s first dunk, it became his show. The rest of the participants were only around to give him a breather.

#1 Zach LaVine Vs Aaron Gordon (2016)

Aaron Gordon and Zach LaVine after the contest.

Toronto had the privilege to not only witness the greatest dunker to ever grace the floor, but also the greatest ever dunk contest. This saw Zach LaVine of the Minnesota Timberwolves take on Aaron Gordon of the Orlando Magic. This duel stole the show on a night that had just seen "The Splash Brothers" go head-to-head in the three-point contest.

The contest saw a remarkable six consecutive perfect scores between the two of them in the final round. Gordon had arguably the best two dunks of the night and the two-handed double-pump reverse jam that earnt him a score of 47 would've won him the title in almost any other year.

The final dunk of the jaw-dropping contest was LaVine taking off from the free-throw line, putting the ball between his legs and slamming it home. This dunk got him his fifth perfect score of the contest and won him his second consecutive title.

It was really sad that there had to be a loser on that night. After the contest, LaVine said, "We should share the trophy, because [Gordon] did some stuff I've never seen before."