Sampson: 360* Smith: Two palms up Drexler: Cost to coast olajuwon: The throw down Thorpe: Whiffle dunk Malone: Power Francis: Holy cow! Cato: alley Oop Horry: Out of bound alley oop vs Knicks! Hayes: Never saw him play....??? ?????: [This message has been edited by PhiSlammaJamma (edited December 18, 1999).]
You're not going to include Horry in there, Hayes? PhiSlamma, I expect you to keep up with all the dunkers. Boy that Walt alley oop to Cato over Robinson was a thing a beauty no! It's got to be Clyde though, of course.
Well, it depends. If you're talking about Drexler when he was here, then he isn't the greatest, but if you're talking about overall career, then Clyde wins it hands down. Francis a close 2nd. Horry could get off the ground in his early years, but then he slowly started camping out behind the 3-point line after the '95 title. Damn, almost forgot about Hakeem. In the '80's, he practically tore the basket support down.
Best Rocket dunker of all time? Bill Willoughby....6' 8" with a 48" vertical leap. The only man on record to block Kareem's sky hook at it's appex. DaDakota [This message has been edited by DaDakota (edited December 18, 1999).]
What about Pete Chilcut? He was the most unathaletic basketball player, and yet he could still flush it with the best of 'em. Chili Pete would take it strong to the rack everyplay.
If your talking overall career, then it would definately have to be Sir Charles...the Prince of the Power Dunk! No-one could throw it down like Chuck could...and I mean NO-ONE!!! Remember all those "coast to coast" jams and one-handed put-back rim rockers he used to do? Absolutely amazing at 6 foot 4... ------- KANE...Barkley fan for life!!!
Since I've only been watching the Rocks since 84, that's as far back as I can go. Top 9: (not in order) Mario Elie Vernon Maxwell Otis Thorpe Ralph Sampson Hakeem Olajuwon Steve Francis Cuttino Mobley Clyde Drexler Robert Horry Others in no particular order: Charles Barkley Kelvin Cato Michael Dickerson Kenny Smith Kevin Willis (An unnamed ex-Bull) ------------------ I have a dream.........his name's Hakeem.
The best dunkers of all time that happened to play for the Rockets : Clyde Drexler Kenny Smith Steve Francis Charles Barkley Robert Horry Otis Thorpe Hakeem Olajuwon The most electrifying dunkers. The dunks most people would say "damn, that was sweet": Steve Francis Clyde Drexler The only guys you'd invite to a slam dunk contest: Clyde Drexler Steve Francis Kenny Smith Kenny Smith is overlooked by a lot of people, but that boy had some hops and had some REALLY innovative dunks during the slam-dunk competition. He just rarely did it during games. One I remember was him bouncing it between his legs while facing backwards, turn around, catch it in mid air and ramming it home. As for Willoughby, he could jump, but I don't remember how good a dunker he really was. ------------------ Rocket fuel pumps through these veins... [This message has been edited by Dr of Dunk (edited December 20, 1999).]
Robert Horry had the most amazing dunk in rocket history. In a game against the Bulls in 1993, awkward positioning on a fast beak lead Horry to botch a dunk attempt. The ball sailed straight up above the rim; Horry hung on the rim, did a pull up until he was parallel to the floor, ten feet up - literally with his torso and legs horizontal next to the rim, staring straight up at the descending ball. Hanging on with one hand, he grabbed the ball with other and re-dunked it. It did not count. The Rocket bench was going crazy. We killed the Bulls that night; Vernon got in Jordans head and schooled him. great game, great team.
Horry had one of my favorite Rockets dunks in the 95 playoff run against Utah. He was fould hard in the 4th and came down hard on his back. A timeout was taken and they were wondering if he was okay. As he commentator was talking about the fall, Horry lifts off over Malone and dunks the ball with his body turned sideways. The commentator then stops his sentence and says I guess he is alright!
Horry....also gets my vote.....he had some awsome dunks in critical times for the Rockets and did this during our back 2 back rings....which is another reason many will consider him the "best Rocket dunker" and correct me if I am wrong but didnt horry get invited in either his 1 or 2nd year but did not go because of his back...it was on of those Harold Miner years....At the the time Horry and Sam where my fav players....i still like Sam, but Horry lost alot of my respect when he threw in the towel in Phoenix....I remeber 1 interview with Sam after the New York win and they asked him how he felt about winning a Championship in his first year in the NBA.....and I'll always remeber his response...he said "I've been waiting my hole career/life for this" I was on my sides laughing my a@@ off thinking what Ewing would have said or for that matter Malone/Stockton after hearing that.....then the next year Sam was CLUTCH again knocking down the 3's....man off all the Rockets we have seen come and go...i really miss Sam...he played some of his college ball here and started in the NBA here....you can have Drexler(i loved seeing clyde get his ring with Hakeem, but you just dont remeber the love we all once had for Sam)Barkley,Pippen,K.Wills,Maxwell,Horry,Thorpe, Dickerson,Othella,Ellie......i those players dont have any thing to do with Sam's departure I am just trying to make my statement that i would love to have seen Sam have his entire Pro. career here...i know in the past i have said that I would take Mobley over Sam...and that is giving our current situation...i said that because Sam is going to demand much more money than we would have to pay Cuttino....but I'll end on that....1 more thing if you guys havent read my Topic about the Portland game...please do...later guys
One of the best dunks I ever saw was one that Olajuwon missed: in his second or third year, he slammed it so hard off the rim the ball flew 10 rows up back near mid court!
Kenny Smith and Clyde Drexler are the best dunkers we have had in the past. New king of dunks on the Rockets is Steve Francis! ------------------ Suggestion for New Name once the Rockets move to Louisiana: The Opossums!
I can't believe no one has mentioned Buck Johnson. The Blade could jam big time. He has to be top five as far as Rockets go.
just dawned on me in another thread...absolutely 100% the most jaw-dropping slam i've seen: Turbo's patented no-trampoline-cartwheel-slam from Mt. Olympus. OK--that's probably traveling. But come on, that slam wins the slam dunk contest any year. He did it again last night to show off for Vince Carter.
