1984
Larry Nance defeats Julius Erving in the final round to capture the trophy in the first ever NBA Slam Dunk Contest. It’s part of the inaugural NBA All-Star Saturday Night, which also includes the Legends Classic, an exhibition game featuring numerous retired Hall of Fame players, including Pete Maravich, Sam Jones, Rick Barry, Oscar Robertson, and Jerry West.
1949
Gregg Popovich is born in East Chicago, Indiana.
1959
The United States and Soviet Union face off for the first time in FIBA World Championship competition, with the U.S.S.R. winning easily, 62-37. It breaks a 15-game winning streak for the U.S. in FIBA World Championship games.
1960
The host Philippines clinch the championship in the first ever FIBA Asia Cup, by defeating Taiwan 99-78 in Manila. Japan defeats South Korea to claim the bronze medal.
1962
Michael Cage is born in West Memphis, Arkansas.
1972
Elena Baranova is born in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan (then Soviet Union).
1974
Tony Delk is born in Covington, Tennessee.
1982
Rudy Tomjanovich has his jersey #35 retired by the Rockets. The five-time All-Star who spent his entire career with the team became the first player in franchise history with a retired number.
1984
Andre Iguodala is born in Springfield, Illinois.
2010
Hot Rod Hundley is honored by the Jazz with a banner raised to the rafter in recognition of his decades of broadcasting games for the franchise.
More on Team USA
- Branded crews: 15 collective basketball nicknames
- Leveling Up: Eight players who have won an NCAA title, Olympic gold medal, and NBA title
- Early adopters: 12 legendary women’s basketball players who pre-dated the WNBA
- All the commissioner’s men: Nine enduring NBA conspiracy theories
- Us against the world: Ranking the 18 U.S. FIBA World Cup teams
- Dream interpretations: Debunking 19 myths about the 1992 U.S. Olympic men’s basketball team
- Gold standards: Ranking the 18 U.S. men’s Olympic basketball teams
- American dream deferred: 15 greatest American players who have not participated in the NBA Olympics era
More on the Slam Dunk Contest
- Don’t you forget about me: 80 basketball moments from the ’80s that changed the sport forever
- All-Star Saturday to Sunday pipeline: Ranking the careers of the 31 Slam Dunk Contest winners
- Flying high: Ranking the 34 NBA All-Star Slam Dunk Contests
- Proving grounds: Six mainstays of the NBA that got their start in the ABA
Basketball, Listed 