Better Dunker: Ronnie Fields or James White?
To make up for Friday’s “Drexler vs. Carmelo” dud — which went over about as well Rush Limbaugh’s stint on ESPN (I swear it made sense at the time, but I probably should have gone with Pierce vs. ‘Melo instead) — here’s a classic “power vs. grace” argument…
Exhibit A: Air
Exhibit B: Flight
October 6th, 2008 at 10:55 am
rockstar says:
flight
October 6th, 2008 at 11:01 am
Sho-Nuff says:
I’ll go with White.
Problem with both is that they could never really do anything else. Not much of a handle or “J” on either of them. High risers and not much else.
Did Fields ever make it to college? I know White played for Huggy at Cincinatti after t’fering from Fla. He sniffed the NBA for a minute with the Pacers I think.
October 6th, 2008 at 11:08 am
Simon says:
The fact that the video chosen for Fields was only 1 minute and 30 seconds speaks for itself. Clearly Flight has this thing won. The only argument possible for Fields is that his video had more in-game stuff, but that still doesn’t make his dunks nearly as spectacular as Flight’s.
October 6th, 2008 at 11:11 am
MSkittle says:
Wow, James White might be the best “Dunk Contest Dunker” I have ever seen. You may have to put him up against Vince.
October 6th, 2008 at 11:11 am
Zhess says:
It’s not on the video, but White’s best dunk was the one from the free throw line between his legs. Ridiculous.
October 6th, 2008 at 11:20 am
Jim says:
James White is 1A of the current era. Also, he didn’t just sniff the NBA, he got a ring with the Spurs.
Why didn’t Ronnie Fields make it? Watch the third clip…missed FT, grabs rebound, STOPS to look down as he takes a dribble, then dunks from 8 feet out.
October 6th, 2008 at 11:21 am
control says:
Flight, it’s a shame he can’t do anything else, or dribble the ball more than three steps. Guy has some insane vertical though, one of those dunks, his head is like 4 inches over the rim.
October 6th, 2008 at 11:35 am
isotope says:
forget the dunks, dope music.
October 6th, 2008 at 11:43 am
Lanfeas says:
WHITE. Like, the commenter above says, free throw line through the legs. Nasty.
October 6th, 2008 at 11:52 am
K Dizzle says:
It’s Flight all day. I love Ronnie’s power, but the problem with dude was listed in the video:
Ronnie Fields , 6′3″ FORWARD. Had dude developed some guard skills, he mighta had a chance.
October 6th, 2008 at 11:53 am
shake&bake says:
I really want to say Fields because I saw him and Garnett play together in high school when I was growing up, but I’ve got to give it to Flight White. There’s a youtube video of him in a dunk contest in Europe that shows him put it between his legs from the free throw line.
Fields got in a car accident and hurt his neck during his senior year of high school and never played in college. He won a bunch of CBA dunk contests.
October 6th, 2008 at 11:55 am
Tobi says:
White…although his in-game dunks are not that creative…
http://searchwarp.com/swa217026.htm
October 6th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
Promoman says:
Fields is the better dunker overall. James is a comparable in terms of vertical but he doesn’t really do a lot of dunks in traffic/on people. Ronnie was and could’ve been on the level of Vince, MJ, Dominique, Dr. J., etc. had he not been in that car wreck
October 6th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
Ashlov says:
James White all the way, but damn, even Harold Miner got tick.
October 6th, 2008 at 12:11 pm
James says:
James White- the 2 handed free throw dunk got me
October 6th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
Fobuless says:
Instead of dunkers, next time Dime should do an competition on passers.
October 6th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
Ian says:
white by farrrrrrrr
hes the second best dunker ever (dunk competition) imo after vince of course.
October 6th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
Ross says:
Flight
October 6th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
GEE...You to old for that! says:
Flight
October 6th, 2008 at 1:34 pm
goonther says:
no clips of white at cinci? i was at a CUSE game at the carrier dome and saw this kid rip off a nasty tomahawk that silenced the dome … i put him on my 2k squad a few back and had him run the break and dunk all day – thats about all he had tho
October 6th, 2008 at 1:38 pm
nick says:
white is the better dunker. on one of the dunks dudes hand was at the top of the backboard, almost going over it looked.
October 6th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
ERIC says:
This could be the dopest dunker debate yet – esp with both of them peaking before professional careers and are/were pure dunkers.
I’m going with James White.
October 6th, 2008 at 1:47 pm
ERIC says:
I must admit that Fields is a more versatile dunker – he’s as good off 1 foot and 2. he is also a better game dunker.
james white would kill anyone in a contest (even those TFB videos)…
October 6th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
SeKurity says:
James “Flight” White!!
Two hands from the free throw line EASY and a between the legs from the FT line area….
Ever since I played against him in AAU and only knew of him as JUMPMAN
He did get that championship ring with the Spurs (riding the pine but he got it)
October 6th, 2008 at 4:36 pm
Charles Millan TFB says:
It’s easy for us to say James White, but there are legends of Ronnie’s NIKE Camp dunk contests with Corey Benjamin of Ronnie doing 360 windmills off a standstill and Vince Carter dropping out of the contest in Warm ups after seeing Ronnie dunk once.
It could just be myth but I do believe it
All the footage on that clip was from Anthony Petosa a mentor of mine that spend years collecting Ronnie footage and even starting a documentary on him, I’d say without a doubt Ronnie was a better game dunker than James. We’ve all seen the picture of him jumping over Sergio McClain contest…We’ll have to wait for that footage.
Check out the small docs http://www.youtube.com/gspfan10
October 6th, 2008 at 6:36 pm
D-NICE says:
FLIGHT HANDS DOWN…Fields puts up a good fight but DAMNNN flight just takes off from ridiculous spots
October 6th, 2008 at 7:25 pm
smity far away says:
only a minute and a half into the james white video after watching ronnie fields and i have to say white is ridiculous. But then after reading what Charles (#25) just wrote, i’ll say that white is a better dunker than fields based on the video footage provided by austin. till i see some other fields stuff then my decision stands…
October 6th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
B says:
Fields’ power and flair remind me of Spreewell’s dunking style when he first came in the L.
White gets the win though. There’s only a few dudes whose repertoires can match or even come close to the vicinity of his.
October 6th, 2008 at 10:22 pm
Chitown 23/33 says:
Its Flight and its not even that close! Best contest dunkers other than Vince and J Rich!
October 7th, 2008 at 1:37 am
solomon says:
flight white, game over!
and good comeback, austin… melo and pierce would’ve been closer, but it’s all yesteday’s news anyways…
October 7th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
dapro says:
Look I’m not going off of video, I saw Ronnie Fields in person at Farragut HS and trust me this cat was one of the best dunkers ever
James White was nice but Fields is hands down one the best ever if not for a bad car accident and stupid personal decisions he would be up there with Vince
One of the most athletic cats I’ve ever seen. He had power, fineese, and hangtime just ask KG who’s the best dunker he’s seen
October 7th, 2008 at 4:13 pm
bigslim24 says:
Flight White…
October 8th, 2008 at 3:46 am
chronically_ill says:
Damn, Flight’s stuff is INSANE, but Ronnie’s clip had more in-game stuff, so it’s kinda like comparing apples to oranges.
October 26th, 2008 at 12:50 am
J_Lee says:
Fields and it ain’t even close. White has like an 8 foot wingspan and like 8 inch biceps. Saw him play at Cincy a bunch of times. He is hot garbage. Weak. Weak. Weak.
Its like saying Jet Li is a better fighter than Silva or Rampage. Please lets be real.
I saw Fields pin Larry Allaway’s( played at Temple)shot on the backboard with his hand above the square. I also saw him throw two of Antoine Walker’s shots into the third row at a Chicago ProAm. Walker was on the Celtics and Fields was a sophomore in HS. I have to respect the tenacity he brought over some weak ass contest dunkers.
October 30th, 2008 at 5:42 pm
RonnieFan says:
Based off these vids, Flight. Based off the facts that I’ve seen Ronnie hundreds of time in person, on quite a few others, etc, it’s Ronnie HANDS DOWN.
Before his accident, I can honestly say Ronnie was the best athlete I’ve ever seen, period. I’ve never seen a windmill done from 13 feet out before…… but let me tell you, I’ve never seen a better in game dunker. Ever.
November 4th, 2008 at 12:12 am
Ronnie4prez says:
As a kid in chicago, I was lucky enough to see Ronnie play on numerous occasions. He is quite simply the best dunker that has ever walked this earth, hands down. He challenged MJ and Vince to a dunk contest on pay-per-view and they both backed out. I was lucky enough to see him throw down a couple of his patented 360 windmills in games. I also saw him take off from the free throw line in a game, absolutely rediculous. These highlights of ROnnie don’t even come close to doing him justice. For everyone out there who is solely judging on these highlights, trust me, its Ronnie by a landslide. If he didn’t break his neck in that car accident, everyone in the world would know exactly who he was and this would not even be a debate. Everyone from Chicago knows what a legend Ronnie was. He had a 50-52 in vert. (depending on who you ask in the Chi) and never worked out on his legs. Last thought, he wasn’t just a dunker either, he could dribble, take it to the hole, shoot 3’s, and play D. The only reason he is not one of the biggest star in the NBA right now is because of the accident. He still won several CBA dunk contests after breaking his neck. The man was the best dunker ever, period.
January 10th, 2009 at 5:18 pm
TED says:
FIELDS WAS IN STILL IS THE BEST DUNKER WHO EVER LIVED I WAS A YOUNG KID WHO GOT THE CHANCE 2 SEE KEVIN & RONNIE LIVE 1 TIME AT FARRAGUT AND BY FAR RONNIE WAS THE BETTER OF THE 2. JAMES WHITE I SEEN HIM DURING AAU AND HS IN HE WAS IN STILL IS A GREAT LEAPER BUT HE CANT DUNK WITH CONTACT AND CANT EXPLODE OFF 2 FEET
July 17th, 2009 at 10:15 pm
lwkerj says:
Fields! IN GAME! Are you kidding me!?!?!?!
White’s were cleared out for contests. weak