University of North Carolina Athletics
Lucas: UNC Basketball Mailbag Dec. 27
December 27, 2005 | Men's Basketball
Dec. 27, 2005
By Adam Lucas
A few topics stand alone in Mailbag lore as the titans of the Mailbag. If we had honored Mailbag jerseys, these would be hanging in the front row. The few topics that so inflame the Carolina fan base as to occasionally require complete editions of this column devoted entirely to them. The radio vs. TV delay is one of them. (And now, for the record, I'm completely on board with that.) Justin Bohlander and Damion Grant are the Twin Towers of Mailbag Dominance. And then there's the "Do you know whatever happened to...?" segment of questions.
But now it's time to induct a new mailbag colossus: the slam dunk. When we mentioned the top Carolina dunks of all time in a recent mailbag, we had no idea what a frenzy would ensue. So we're devoting this entire column to dunks, nothing but dunks.
The first email is the chosen representative for the almost 20 of you who wrote in to scold us for omitting Jackie Manuel from our list.
There was one dunk by Jackie Manuel that I remember from the 2003-2004 season. It was a home game against N.C. State and I was in the Dean Dome sitting behind the basket that UNC was defending at the time. Jackie stole the ball and suddenly realized he had an amazing fast break opportunity ahead of him. He was all alone except for one defender, who I think was Julius Hodge. As he drove to the basket I just remember thinking to myself that it wasn't going to be pretty because the defender had come with speed and it looked like he was going to get in front of Jackie and either cause a hard foul that would result in a collision and a pile of basketball player under the basket or Jackie was going to get stuffed. Bu man, Jackie (who at that moment may have became my favorite UNC player ever) threw down the most memorable dunk I saw in the Dean Dome. With two hands, if I remember correctly, he just destroyed it and all Julius Hodge could do was hope he didn't get an elbow in the eye as he made a pitiful attempt to mess Jackie Manuel.
Jackie Manuel Has a Posse,
Keaton Babb, New York, NY
Keaton, great description. We're going to quibble with you on only two things.
First, you "think" it was Julius Hodge? It definitely was the loquacious Julius Hodge, which is part of what made this dunk a great one. Sometimes when we say a guy was "dunked on" he actually tries to get out of the way but is in the vicinity of the hoop when the ball is slammed through. That wasn't the case here. Manuel gathered the ball at the sideline, headed toward the basket, and Hodge was most definitely going for the block. The way Keaton described it is exactly how we experienced it. In fact, I still remember my exact words as the play was unfolding: "Back it out, Jackie, back it out, no, ohhhhhhhbgwapowfphal!!!!"
Second, it was a one-hand dunk. This is important because no foul was called on the play even though replays showed Hodge clearly grabbed Manuel around the forearm as Jackie was posterizing him.
I played on the JV team my freshman and sophomore years at UNC, 96-97, and 97-98, under coach Ford. One day after practice during the '97-'98 season, Vince Carter was feeling especially energetic. While the JV players were coming onto the floor to warm-up and shoot around, Vince was playfully throwing down some dunks and joking with teammates. Scott Williams, who walked onto the varsity team that year, said something to Vince like, "See if you can put your whole arm into the rim as you dunk it." Vince laughed, but then looked at the rim a bit, took a few long strides toward the goal and performed what looked exactly like the "hang-on-the-rim-by-the-inside-of-your-elbow dunk" Vince would later perform on his second dunk in the 2000 NBA dunk contest. What Vince did next, though, was the greatest dunk I have ever seen in person. Pat Sullivan, then an assistant coach, simply said to Vince, "do a 360." So from the right side of the floor, in front of 30 or so onlookers, Vince planted his feet, spun 360 degrees before he reached the peak of his jump, then seemed to pause in mid-air before turning the rest of the dunk into a one-handed windmill jam. The whole thing looked like one fluid, effortless motion. Everyone in the gym, went nuts. Vince was pleased with himself, and later used this same dunk to open the 2000 NBA dunk contest.
Jacob Reikowski, Charlotte, NC
This email reminded us of several great dunk stories. First, Jawad Williams could also do the arm-in-rim dunk--we even caught it on the cover of a Tar Heel Monthly last season.
For some reason, Vince Carter just inspires people to ask him to do crazy dunks. At the second Carolina basketball media day I ever attended (Carter's sophomore year), he received perhaps his strangest request. Now, these media days are usually pretty stodgy affairs. The players pose for photos for a few minutes and then start their media interviews. During the photo portion of the afternoon, players scatter to all corners of the gym and it's hard to keep track of everyone. I happened to be sitting in the stands at this point and noticed one particular media member talking with Vince. It turned into a pretty animated conversation and then Carter began to nod. The media member pushed a stroller onto the Smith Center court. One minor detail: the stroller had an actual baby in it. I would estimate this baby at approximately five months old. The plan soon became clear: Carter was supposed to jump over the stroller (remember: with a baby inside!), slam dunk the ball, and the media person was going to take a picture of this whole series of events.
Now, our rational readers are sitting there thinking, "This sounds like a very bad idea." The other readers (or what we like to call, "The majority") are thinking, "Whoa, that is a cool idea, I wonder if David Noel would do that with my baby?!" Here's the bad news: just before liftoff, Carolina officials caught wind of the plan and scrapped it. So we'll never know if Vince Carter can actually jump over a baby in a stroller.
One other great Carter dunking story. Remember when he did the 360 in the regional finals in Greensboro in 1998? Everyone accused him of turning the wrong way on the dunk. Bill Guthridge got the last word, though. "I've showed Vince film of when I played," the droll Tar Heel coach said. "I did it the right way."
Jacob's description of people standing around asking players to do dunks reminded us of David Noel. During the summer before his freshman year, all the rookies and some of the returning players were playing a pickup game in the Smith Center practice gym. Between games, Noel--and remember, at this point no one had any idea who he was--was fooling around at one basket. His most memorable dunk was when he stood flat-footed on the baseline. In other words, behind the rim. He jumped from a flat-footed position, soared in front of the rim, and slammed it through. He'll never get to show it in a game but it remains one of the most unbelievable dunks I've ever seen. To have that much lift from a standing position is incredible.
Sean May's dunk over the Va Tech freshman (I think) in Blacksburg. Not only was it a nice "poster dunk" by #42, but the symbolism of the game makes it even more memorable. Here was ACC-newcomer Va Tech in its first ACC game...at their house...being schooled by one of the perennial powers of the ACC. Sean was quoted as saying "Welcome to the ACC, man" after the dunk. How can anyone not love that moment?
David A., Rochester, NY
Sean May called that the best dunk of his Carolina career, until...
Sean May's one-handed alley-oop jam against Cleveland State. I bought the championship DVD (insert the plug for buying it here) almost just to see that dunk that only those of us who were able to make the disappointing trip back from a Continental Tire Bowl loss were able to see in the non-televised game. When Sean dunked it he showed that he was more than a pair of soft hands, he might just have a little hops to go along with his low post game. If that dunk would've been televised and against a better opponent I'm sure a lot more fans would've remembered it.
Stephen McIntyre, Lumberton, NC
Stephen makes a good point here. Because of the way that Cleveland State game fell on the schedule, many Tar Heel fans didn't get to see this play. It was unlike anything Sean May had ever done before to that point in his Tar Heel career.
It was a tourney game, I believe in '85 or '86 maybe?? Nonetheless, it was for a spot to advance to the Sweet 16 and The Heels were playing Notre Dame IN South Bend! Digger was all decked out with his carnation (it was on or around St. Patrick's Day) and David Rivers was the messiah on campus. Our guys kept it close, but were on the verge of elimination when Kenny Smith picked Rivers clean at midcourt and coasted in for a game ending slam! This one won a hard fought NCAA tourney game on the road, before there was a serious effort to have neutral sites. I am sure this dunk wouldn't be as extraordinary to look at as one by say Carter or Stackhouse, but talk about clutch!
Stephen Shelley, Class of '94
It was 1985, and here's the setup: Carolina finishes the year ranked 7th in the country after advancing to the ACC Tournament championship game. Their reward? A #2 seed in the Southeast Regional. The first-round game was a win over Middle Tennessee State. The second-round game? A date against Notre Dame on St. Patrick's Day on Notre Dame's home court. And you wonder why the Tar Heels occasionally felt the NCAA selection committee was less than equitable? (Other case in point: 1989)
The game was tied at 58 with 1:38 left and Notre Dame missed a free throw but grabbed the offensive rebound. In those days, they could hold for the last shot. But as point guard David Rivers tried to melt away the final seconds, he lost the ball. Curtis Hunter scooped it up and fed Kenny Smith, who slammed it home and then stole the in-bounds pass to seal the win.
As I think I've mentioned in this space before, Kenny Smith is my all-time favorite Tar Heel. And while this discussion is limited only to dunks while in a UNC uniform, we've got to bring up his efforts in the NBA Slam Dunk contests. When he debuted the "back to the basket, bounce ball between legs off backboard, catch and dunk" slam, it gave hope to a whole new generation of dunking guards--even though Smith was robbed against Dominique Wilkins in the contest judging.
On the subject of great "missed" dunks, how about Brian Reese's thunderous missed dunk as time expired in regulation time against Cincinnati (led by a red-hot in the first half Nick van Exel) in the 1993 regional finals? The shot in and of itself may not make the all-time list, though it is my recollection that Reese exploded to the basket. However, the play drawn up by Coach Smith and his staff, which gave Reese a clear path to the basket with about a tick left on the clock, was brilliant.
Clark Abrams ('83 Law), New York, NY
This one was painful. Immediately after it happened, I remember laying prone on the floor in my den, too agonized to move. At that point my father and I decided it must be bad luck to watch the game in the same room. We split up, the Tar Heels won, and the rest is history.
And don't forget, Smith told Reese coming out of the huddle there wouldn't be time to dunk it. "Just lay it in, Brian."
Just reading that article brought back so many memories I felt as if my computer and I were walking hand in hand down memory lane under a moonlit sky on a warm summer's eve. It brought a smile to my face and a warmness to my heart. It made me thankful for the many blessings in my life; many of which have worn Tar Heel jerseys. I did however keep anticipating that one of the yet unread and still to be mentioned in the ten was going to be one that if I remember correctly, at that time, may have earned the cover of Sports Illustrated.
It took place in the Greensboro Coliseum "back in the days" before Wake Forest called L.J.V.M. home. Home games for the Deacons were played instead a short drive down the road from Winston-Salem in the town I call home. If my memory serves me true, the venue was sparsely filled due to a nasty snow/winter storm taking place outside that belied the hot Carolina team blistering the parquet inside. JR Reid was a true freshman and was highly touted as a McDonald's High School All American.
I remember it as an open court breakaway (west to east on TV) on a fast-break opportunity. As JR approached the top of the key alone, it appeared he was moving with the confidence of a soldier knowing an entire battalion of re-enforcement was just behind each footstep. Not one, but TWO Wake players attempted to step into the paint to take a charge in an effort to either prevent an overly-confident kid from getting a momentum rocking dunk, or thwart the momentum of a patented Carolina run. In either event, they failed. Because both defenders were attempting to occupy the same defensive position on the floor, neither got squarely in front of the quickly approaching Reid. He picked up his dribble just inside of the circle and left the ground a couple feet inside of the free throw line. In what appeared to be an inward lean, as if to make his long arms reach the rim with out making contact, JR focused on the rim without looking down on the extremely intimidated players below. Unlike now, when defenders run away and do not want to be "posterized" in the instant world of internet pics, the defiant Wake players stood their ground, albeit improper for obtaining the hopeful charge call. Each realized too late that neither had the position. By that time, Reid was introducing the number on the front of his jersey to the faces of a couple surprised Deacons. Each turned to avoid the inevitable, ensuing contact. JR's eyes never left the front of the rim. I think he may have forgotten what his 6'9", 230 lbs. would do to movable objects. What followed, is best described as a 16-lb. bowling ball taking out the easy 8 & 9 pin spare.
James D. Baker, Greensboro
There's not much we can add to that other than a link to the cover in question.
During the classic 1995 Carolina-Duke game everyone talks about the Stackhouse dunk, which is completely understandable, but Rasheed had some big dunks in that game also. The one that comes to mind happened mid way thru the 2nd half with Duke on a big run and the crowd at Cameron really into it. I believe it was McInnis who missed a jumper and the ball bounced high off the rim, Rasheed went up to slam it back home over three Duke players with one of his loud yells. Its one of my favorite dunks because of the way it silenced the loud crowd and put this weird hush in Cameron were no one could believe what that just saw.
Bryan, East Lansing, MI
This provides the opportunity to retell one of the great Dean Smith stories. Carolina was playing at Georgia Tech in the post-Rasheed Wallace era. I feel fairly certain it was 1997. The Tar Heels won the game, and one of the post-game questions to Smith concerned the animated way that Vince Carter played the game. Unfortunately, the exact question has been lost to history. Smith's response, however, has not. He proceeded to go on a lengthy explanation of the value of emotion in the game of basketball, including a pointed defense of Wallace.
"We had some phantom technicals called when we had Rasheed," Smith said. "I know that. He'd just scream, he was so happy with a dunk and the next thing you know it's a technical foul. If I ever dunked, I would have screamed. If I could go up and sky and dunk one, I'd scream too."
Brownlow's Down Low
Lauren writes:
Any Rasheed Wallace dunk would be up there on my list. There are a lot of awesome Carolina dunks to choose from, and so a player's post-dunk reaction might make one dunk seem a bit more spectacular than another, at least to me. For that reason, Rasheed's post-dunk reaction - guttural bellowing and chest-pounding, accompanied by what could only be described as the "Rasheed face" - make him my favorite dunker in Carolina history.Though `Sheed was my favorite, Vince Carter was simply the best dunker in Carolina history, and I don't see how that could be disputed. My favorite wasn't his dunk on Duncan, although it was awesome and it did make an important statement. I prefer Vince against Duke - he gets the ball on one side of the basket, flat-footed. He only needs one step, one of his infamous leaps and he slams it down, two-handed, on the other side of the basket. (Note: he's had some awesome dunks against some lesser teams, but for me, if it's a dunk against an important rival like Duke it gets pushed further up the list.
Marvin Williams provided three of the best dunks I've ever seen: his soaring one-hander against Oakland, the FSU dunk, and the NC State dunk. Though the dunk against FSU was ridiculous and definitely his best, I still prefer one dunk over all his others: his famous one-hand-behind-the-head posing dunk against State. He had the flu right before that game, and, if I remember correctly, had actually been receiving IV fluids earlier in the day. He ended up with a season-high 20 points - in 23 minutes - that night.
David Noel may be one of the most underrated dunkers in Carolina history, as his sweet steal and rock the cradle dunk against State last year ended up being overshadowed by Marvin's dunk. The awesomeness of his dunk against Kentucky should take care of that, though. I mean, are you kidding me? Did you see how high he was?
Adam Lucas is the publisher of Tar Heel Monthly and can be reached at alucas@tarheelmonthly.com. He is the coauthor of the official book of the 2005 championship season, Led By Their Dreams, and his book on Roy Williams's first season at Carolina, Going Home Again, is now available in bookstores. To subscribe to Tar Heel Monthly or learn more about Going Home Again, click here.
