Dominique Wilkins

His powerful and graceful dunks earned him the nickname “Human Highlight Film” and his prolific scoring earned him endless accolades

FEATURED LISTS

Flying high: Ranking the 34 NBA All-Star Slam Dunk Contests

February 11, 2020

From Jordan and ‘Nique to Zach LaVine, Vinsanity, and everybody in between, it’s the best and worst of the NBA’s All-Star Slam Dunk Contest.

All-Star Saturday to Sunday pipeline: Ranking the careers of the 31 Slam Dunk Contest winners

February 21, 2023

Short of the promised land: 26 greatest players who have never reached the NBA Finals

May 30, 2026

Draft dodgers: Eight NBA players who refused to suit up for the team that drafted them

November 21, 2020

Always a bridesmaid: 15 players who have finished second in NBA MVP voting but never won

September 1, 2020

INDEX

Click here for index

Short of the promised land: 26 greatest players who have never reached the NBA Finals

Over 900 players have taken the court for an NBA Finals game in the last 80 years, but that does not include the 26 legends on this list.

May 30, 2026September 17, 2026

Boomshakalaka!: Ranking the 27 rosters from the original NBA Jam (1993 arcade edition)

Let’s grab our roll of quarters and call dibs on next game, because we’re traveling back in time to 1993 to rank the rosters from the original arcade version of NBA Jam, on the 30th anniversary of its initial release.

January 21, 2025August 5, 2026

You’re the best around: 80 greatest NBA players of the 1980s

We conclude our Totally ’80s series by ranking the 80 greatest players of the decade, based solely on statistics, accolades, and awards compiled between the ’80-’81 and ’88-’89 seasons.

July 21, 2024August 25, 2026

Us against the world: Ranking the 18 U.S. FIBA World Cup teams

First contested in 1950 and formerly called the FIBA World Championships, the quadrennial World Cup of basketball has hosted many of the greatest American players of all time, though the U.S. team has earned the gold medal just five times in 18 tries. With the latest edition coming up later this summer, we rank those previous U.S. World Cup teams, from worst to best, based on both talent level and results.

July 21, 2023September 22, 2026

All-Star Saturday to Sunday pipeline: Ranking the careers of the 31 Slam Dunk Contest winners

In the 38th edition of the Slam Dunk Contest, Mac McClung became the 31st player to take home the crown and the first to do so without appearing in an NBA game during the regular season (thus far). For those previous 30 winners, how did the rest of their career go?

February 21, 2023August 11, 2026

Second acts: 22 franchise legends who ended their career with a brief stop on an unfamiliar team

The star players on this list are indelibly linked with a single franchise where they built their legend, but closed out their career looking not-quite-right in a different jersey.

October 1, 2022August 12, 2026

Noms de plume: 75 greatest NBA and ABA player nicknames

From the iconic to the cool to the slightly derisive, we count down the 75 greatest player nicknames in NBA history.

November 1, 2021September 17, 2026

Instant classics: 75 greatest games in NBA history

All the ultimate barn burners, buzzer beaters, back-and-forth battles, incredible moments, and individual dominance are present in this list of the 75 greatest games in NBA history.

October 21, 2021August 25, 2026

Sibling rivalry: 10 lesser-known NBA playing brothers of star players

Though some were pretty great players in their own right, these siblings got lost in the shuffle of their more famous brothers’ NBA success.

December 11, 2020August 25, 2026

Draft dodgers: Eight NBA players who refused to suit up for the team that drafted them

Whether it was the locale, the franchise’s recent history, the roster makeup, the contract offer, or all of the above plus myriad other supposed reasons (just ask Steve Francis), these eight players disavowed the NBA teams that drafted them, with varied results.

November 21, 2020August 7, 2026

Always a bridesmaid: 15 players who have finished second in NBA MVP voting but never won

Some of the greatest players in NBA history have been denied winning the MVP trophy, and many of them finished as close as possible without being first.

September 1, 2020September 17, 2026

I can’t dance: 15 greatest NBA players who (played in Division I but) never reached the NCAA Tournament

Several likely 2020 lottery picks, like Obi Toppen, Cole Anthony, and Vernon Carey, were denied an opportunity to experience March Madness before reaching the NBA when the 2020 NCAA Tournament was cancelled. At least they’ll be in good company, joining these 15 NBA superstars who played Division I college basketball but never in the ultimate postseason.

March 21, 2020August 25, 2026

Something went wrong. Please refresh the page and/or try again.

Basketball, Listed

Dominique Wilkins

FEATURED LISTS

Flying high: Ranking the 34 NBA All-Star Slam Dunk Contests

All-Star Saturday to Sunday pipeline: Ranking the careers of the 31 Slam Dunk Contest winners

Short of the promised land: 26 greatest players who have never reached the NBA Finals

Draft dodgers: Eight NBA players who refused to suit up for the team that drafted them

Always a bridesmaid: 15 players who have finished second in NBA MVP voting but never won

INDEX

related topics

Atlanta Hawks

NBA All-Star Weekend

NBA Draft

Names and nicknames

Slam Dunk Contest

Boston Celtics

Greatest to never…

Los Angeles Clippers

FULL archive

Short of the promised land: 26 greatest players who have never reached the NBA Finals

Boomshakalaka!: Ranking the 27 rosters from the original NBA Jam (1993 arcade edition)

You’re the best around: 80 greatest NBA players of the 1980s

Us against the world: Ranking the 18 U.S. FIBA World Cup teams

All-Star Saturday to Sunday pipeline: Ranking the careers of the 31 Slam Dunk Contest winners

Second acts: 22 franchise legends who ended their career with a brief stop on an unfamiliar team

Noms de plume: 75 greatest NBA and ABA player nicknames

Instant classics: 75 greatest games in NBA history

Sibling rivalry: 10 lesser-known NBA playing brothers of star players

Draft dodgers: Eight NBA players who refused to suit up for the team that drafted them

Always a bridesmaid: 15 players who have finished second in NBA MVP voting but never won

I can’t dance: 15 greatest NBA players who (played in Division I but) never reached the NCAA Tournament