NBA / Sep 8, 2011 / 3:00 pm

The Real Top 10 Alley-Oops In NBA History

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4. Shawn Kemp over ‘Zo
As virtually any basketball fan knows, any discussion of dunking needs to include the GP-Reign Man combo. They might have connected for more alley-oops than any duo ever. If only we had stats for this sort of thing. Kemp has some classics, but none more so than this monster (the final dunk in the video). Right over Alonzo Mourning, the pass is perfect, the finish is perfect and the reaction is better than any of it. Kevin Calabro sings one of his greatest lines ever on top of it.

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3. Vince Carter spike dunk
Watch that video. Now watch where he caught it. Now watch how hard he dunked it. Now shake your head incessantly. There are no words to describe this. Only actions.

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2. Michael Jordan over Patrick Ewing (#5 on the video)
Mark Jackson told the best story you could tell after this one. Don’t bring your family to town when Chicago is playing, he said once. You don’t want to get embarrassed. Lesson learned, Mark.

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1. J.R. Smith 360
It’s hard for me to really pin this play as the single greatest alley-oop ever for a couple of reasons. Normally, “greatest ever” means something meaningful or legendary – a highlight that will still get play even 30-40 years from now. This alley-oop was in the dead of winter against perhaps the worst team in the league. No one truly cared about it then (besides the diehards) and 15 years from now, will people even remember it?

But Smith did 360 it, and he did do it in an actual NBA game and he did make it look like this was a TFB tour stop. VC’s had a few 180 lobs, but I’ve never seen someone actually 360 a pass in a game before.

What do you think? Any I missed?

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  • Ian

    kemp and carter 1 n 2

  • 123

    you gotta give props for LAC alley oop just cause how well Odom made that pass. It was damn creative.

    The Carter one hand alley oop #3 may have deserved #1 or #2

  • Flash

    I’d go with the Carter oop as #1…the 360 was incredible too, but the grace, power and extension of Carter’s…we may never see that again, ever

  • http://www.dimemag.com Aron Phillips

    Amazing compilation, Sean. You’re forever know as the Alley-Oop Historian from now on.

  • http://www.nbadunks.org NBA Dunks

    Vince Carter-Style: Vorontsevich’s SICK Alley-Oop Reverse Dunk against Finland!

    http://www.nbadunks.org/andrey-vorontsevich-sick-alley-oop-reverse-dunk-against-finland/

  • Sean Sweeney

    I think it depends on the day w. me and #1-3. I had the spike dunk 1 and then switched. They’re all too nice!

  • Promoman

    It’s no contest that Jason Kidd would throw better lobs than Gary Payton. Gary’s got a legendary resume but Jason’s knocking on John Stockton/Magic Johnson level when it comes to passing. He’s proven to have made some teammates look better than they really are.

  • Big Island

    Sean Sweeney, I would like to shake your hand. Even if people disagree with the order of it, it’s only by a spot or two, and even then it boils down to personal preference. Good list, good dunks.

  • jerrickrose

    IMHO the clutch kobe to shaq alley-oop in the game 7 of their finals against the blazers should be number 1 or at least be in this list..

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLOMEmRQ40U

  • stefan

    I hope you love your job. I envy you so much!

  • yoda

    i think martin should give at least 10 mill out of his 92mill contract with denver to kidd!

  • Rudra

    you MISSED ALLEN IVERSON TO IGUODALA AGAINST THE PACERS in 2005!

  • deeds

    The Carter alley oop is number 1 all day long for me, no contest.

  • Marlene

    You missed the best one of all…. Andre Miller from out of bounds to Nicolas Batum to win the game (2010-11 season)

  • http://www.cracked.com/funny-353-kobe-bryant/ Atom

    Carter should have the number one spot. Maybe slip in the Kobe to Shaq over the Jordan one for the impact it had. Definitely the most important alley-oop I can think of which should factor in when determining the greatest ones. Set the table for the Laker dynasty and crushed the will of a Portland team with the deepest talent in the league that looked like a real contender at the time. They never recovered.

  • K Dizzle

    Good list. Solid compilation.

    1. JKidd to K-Mart (#1 – off the glass) is the coldest, most swagtastic finish and lean ever.

    2. Why you shittin on B. Shaw on the pass..if it was tipped?

    3. This needs to be included (#1) cuz can’t nobody tell me how this ain’t ridiculous:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akYnU6-avLk&feature=fvst

  • http://mail.google.com jayo

    OOOHHH! He will go back and get it AND tomahawk IT, get on that magic carpet and SOARRR BABBBYYYYY!!!

  • Stradio

    #9, that dunk was put in the honorable mention section.

    #14, you didn’t read the qualifications I guess, because that play didn’t result in a dunk.

    On the subject of alley-oops that dont meet the requirements, this one from international play is one of my favorites.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28rzF08dnt0

    Wade was on a ridiculous tear during this period, and CP is a master of the lob (among many other things)

  • http://www.zwani.com/graphics/funny_pictures/images/88funny-pictures128.jpg JAY

    Great list!

    And of course Kidd has more alley-oops. He’s played with Richard Jefferson, K-Mart and Vince (two of them at the SAME TIME!). GP played with Kemp… and Desmond Mason (at separate times). To me, GP’s oop passes were better. They looked softer and like the article says, the ball seemed to gracefully stop in midair before the dunker (mostly Kemp) threw it down. Can you imagine the amount of tosses GP would have if he had 2 dunkers running the wings with him??

  • s.bucketz

    LOL @ jordan OVER ewing????hahahaha….if thas the case than i dont wanna hear no1 say “John Starks didnt actually dunk on MJ during the dunk” cuz compared to JORDAN OVER EWING!!1!!1 starks rubbed his nutsack all up jordans mug on his shit….good list otherwise but jus take MJ out of ther..hes been on plenty of lists he dont need a pity throw in on this 1 too

  • Mo

    Any list that doesn’t include lob alleys from CP3 to Tyson Chandler is a sh*t list. Those alleys were some of the most demoralizing to the opposing teams.

  • stillanetsfan

    I appreciate the love u gave jkidd on this… He has to be the number 1 or 2 passer of all time and probably the best alley-ooper ever. That team with KMART and RJ was my childhood and I really think that team was one of the most exciting in recent memory. surprised no blake or born on this though.

  • Veeezie

    The best that never happened was Ed Cota to Vince at UNC vs Duke…OH MY…

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