by Eric D. Graham
NORTH CAROLINA- (BASN)
Black guys do it.
White guys do it.
Even girls can do it.
But no single play in sports can compare to it, not the homerun in baseball, the knockout in boxing, the hole in one in golf or the touchdown in football.
It is only worth two-points And for that reason alone, it is considered by many to be the most overrated shot in basketball.
As a result, many coaches despise it.
The league even tried to ban it because of “Lew” Alcindor.
But we fell in love with it.
And are still fascinated by it.
Matter of fact, we are obsessed with it.
Honestly, most of us started dreaming about it even before we were able to walk.
Even before we could dribble a ball, it gripped our imagination.
Hour after hour, long after midnight, early in the morning, we visualized ourselves dunking a basketball.
We practiced by jumping off of one foot, off of two feet, even barefoot in order to do it.
We love it so much; we even created contests to showcase it and named its ariel dynamics.
There is the Rock the Cradle, the 360, the Tomahawk, the Reverse, the Windmill, and the Double-Pump.
As children, it was all fun and games. But as we got older, it became a symbol of power, of coolness, of style, and of sexual prowess.
Why? Because…..It’s Orgasmic.
And leaves one breathless and speechless.
Quite frankly, it’s a religious experience, which causes some of us to shout… Oh my God!!
And Good God Almighty!!
Why? Because scientifically , it seems impossible.
I know on Sunday mornings in the pulpits of Black churches preachers preach about Jesus walking on water.
Serge Ibaka glide from behind the free throw line.
(Sorry, Dr.J) Darryl Dawkins shatter a backboard.
Vince Carter spin counterclockwise.
J.R.Rider throw it down while taking the ball between his legs along the baseline.
Shawn Kemp make it rain.
Dominique Wilkins make it thunder and lightening.
Spud Webb climb the sky. Jacob Tucker do a summersault.
Antijuan Ball do a back flip.
Kenny become a “SKYwalker.”
Larry Nance do it with two balls.
Javon McGee do it with two balls in two goals at the same time.
The Air Up There do a 720.
Philly’s AO throw a lob off the shot clock, Nate Robinson jump over a man 7-foot tall, and Dwight Howard dunk a goal 13 feet high.
Blake Griffin jumped over a car.
Yes, Blake Griffin jumped over a car.
But before you get too excited, Guy Dupuy did it much better when he dunked over a car while going between his legs on the And 1 tour in Poland. …
And one great one, changed my life forever.
Now, Magic Johnson is willing to pay Lebron James $1 million to participate in next years Slam Dunk Contest
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Eric D.Graham is a graduate of Winston-Salem State University, where he received a B.A in Mass Communications, with a concentration in Radio & Television, with a minor in History, with a concentration in African-American Studies. Currently, he is the Managing Editor of Black Athlete Sports Network, where his thought-provoking articles and cartoon Here Comes The Hater appears on a weekly basis. He can be reached at lbiass34@yahoo.com
