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On this day, 34 years ago, Michael Jordan went up against Dominique Wilkins in one of the most controversial slam dunk contests in NBA history. The Chicago Bulls shooting guard won the contest in what turned out to be a highly debatable circumstance.
The 1988 NBA dunk contest was being held in Chicago and there was no way the home fans were going to see Wilkins win over the city treasure MJ. The Atlanta Hawks small forward made a double-handed dunk and was given 45 points by the judges. Jordan missed his first attempt and hence was given a second-go and scored a total of 50 points to the shock of many.
In an interview held years later, Michael Jordan, Dominique Wilkins, Clyde Drexler and Rick Barry shared their thoughts on the outcome of the contest.
Michael Jordan: The crowned King of Chicago and his reign in 1988
Michael Jordan was drafted at age 21 in 1984 by the Chicago Bulls as the third overall pick. He played his first game in the NBA against the Washington Bullets (now known as the Washington Wizards). Jordan posted 16 points, six rebounds, seven assists, two steals and four blocks in a Bulls' victory.
In the regular season of the 1988 NBA campaign, Jordan had a great run leading the league in points and steals per game. He posted an average of 35 points and 3.2 steals. He also led the Bulls in points, field goals, two-points, free throw, steals and blocks per game. Their run in the playoffs saw them get knocked off by the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
After an electric performance that season, Air Jordan was awarded his first of six MVP titles and received his first of three All-Star Game MVP awards. Amongst his numerous accolades was the 1988 Defensive Player of the Year award.
The Bulls didn't make it to the playoffs for three consecutive seasons before Michael Jordan was acquired. In his first season with the team, they made it to the playoffs but exited in the first round, after losing to the Milwaukee Bucks. The same-round exit occurred in his second and third seasons with the Bulls, but they always made it through to the playoffs.
As he grew into his element, there existed a level of certainty that a championship title was guaranteed with him on the team rather than without. The 10-time scoring champion is responsible for six championship titles for the Bulls in franchise history.
