NBA

What is the Dunk of the Year? Cast your vote!

and others

• 4 min read

Over the weekend, Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges threw down one of the best dunks of the NBA season.

But was it the best?

There is still around a month remaining in the 2020-21 regular season, but we've already seen a number of Dunk of the Year worthy slams for there to be a real debate.

From Bridges putting Clint Capela on a poster to John Collins going Super Saiyan on Jarrett Allen, here are some of the leading candidates in no particular order...

Not this time, Clint

Why it's special: It has Vince Carter on Alonzo Mourning vibes. It helps that Capela is one of the leading rim protectors this season, trailing only Myles Turner (3.5) and Rudy Gobert (2.8) in the leaderboards with a career-best 2.2 blocks per game. (I know you saw Capela prevent Terry Rozier from getting a layup before Bridges rudely dunked on him). It was also clutch, with it coming in the last five minutes of a five-point game. The Hornets weren't able to hold on to the win, but it doesn't make the dunk any less special.

Also worthy of consideration: Bridges' two-handed dunk on Chris Boucher. Bridges might be the best in-game dunker in the NBA today.

Watch your head, Deandre Ayton!

Why it's special: This is the best dunk of Kawhi Leonard's career to date ... right? I can't think of anything that comes close. Maybe his dunk on Giannis Antetokounmpo in Game 6 of the 2019 Eastern Conference Finals, but Kawhi had a fair amount of, uhh, help from Kyle Lowry on that one. This was as clean of a poster as it gets. On a near 7-footer in Ayton, no less.

Anthony Edwards kisses the sky

Why it's special: I mean, Edwards gets so high that he's basically looking down on the rim. He also throws it down with so much power that he knocks Yuta Watanabe, a 6-foot-9 forward who weighs in at a solid 215 pounds, off of his feet midair. Thankfully, nobody was hurt. (Edwards also took a spill). Physical pain, anyway. The dunk might have stung a little emotionally, although props to Watanabe for not backing down even when he saw Edwards attacking the basket with a full head of steam.

Bonus points for the photos being amazing.

Every single angle of that Anthony Edwards dunk is a masterpiece pic.twitter.com/0fuB9hhVbe
— SB Nation (@SBNation) February 20, 2021

Is that ... Moe Harkless?

Why it's special: A couple of reasons. One, the surprise factor. Harkless had a total of 49 dunks last season but this is one of only two dunks from him this season. Two, the finesse. To jump into Isaiah Stewart (a rookie who is built like a brick wall), absorb the contact and adjust midair to throw down a powerful one-handed slam ... nasty.

A split-second too late

Why it's special: Reggie Jackson is only 6-foot-2 but it's still a big-time dunk from Jaxson Hayes and he lets the LA Clippers guard know about it, earning a technical for staring him down. It's not quite Shawn Kemp pointing at Alton Lister disrespectful, but it's still pretty disrespectful.

John Collins nearly breaks the rim

Why it's special: It's so clean and so powerful. Plus, it's on one of the league's leading shot blockers in Jarrett Allen. It doesn't feel like this dunk has gotten the attention it deserves. It might not be the Dunk of the Year, but there's no doubt that it's one of the dunks of the year.

Zion Williamson nearly breaks the rim

Why it's special: Speaking of dunks that are both clean and powerful...

Goodness. Chimezie Metu had no chance.

Doing it for the guards

Why it's special: It starts with LaMelo Ball throwing an outlet pass that would make Nikola Jokic proud and ends with the 6-foot-1 Terry Rozier dunking on the 6-foot-10 Kevin Durant while getting fouled. It's always special when a small dunks on a big.