[Dazzling Dunks and Basketball BloopersParticipant]

I originally did this thread several years back, but since guys like jj barea, Jameer Nelson and Pablo prigioni are no longer on nba rosters, I figured I’d revisit it.

When I say “can’t dunk” I’m not talking about guys who won’t dunk in a game. I’m talking about guys who couldn’t get the elevation necessary to even throw it down in a lay up line. A generation ago this may have applied to a handful of smaller, less athletic guards. However, with the advances in training, it pretty much seems like everyone who enters the league nowadays, regardless of height can throw it down with ease.

I decided to do some research and came up with a list of the players currently in the league whose ability to dunk is most in question. I’m not necessarily saying these guys can’t dunk, but I couldn’t find any documentation of them ever doing it. Here goes:

1. Ryan Arcidiacono
Arch isn’t the most athletic guy but he’s listed at 6-3. Considering I am 6-1 and not the most athletic guy either, and I could dunk at one time, I’d be shocked if he couldn’t. Even though I doubt you would ever see him do it in an actual game, I’m about 95% sure he can dunk.
2. Fred Van Vleet
Van vleet is only about 6-0 6-1 tops. He has short arms and is not particularly explosive vertically. However, he is powerfully built and has strong legs. While I don’t necessarily think he could do so easily, I’m about 75% sure he’d be able to throw one down with enough momentum.
3. Raul Neto
There was a rumor that Neto was unable to touch the rim at the 2013 draft combine. Whether or not that is true, I have no idea. I do, however have serious doubts about his ability to dunk. He is only about 6-0 tops and while he has decent explosion horizontally, he’s not a explosive leaper. I’d say there is about a 60-70% chance that Neto can’t dunk.
4. DJ Augustin
This is the strongest candidate IMO. Augustin is 5-11 and in his 13th season. He has never dunked in the nba or college and there is no documentation of him ever dunking. With his height and wingspan, he would likely need at least a 34-35 inch vertical to throw it down. Even if he might have been able to dunk at one point, I kind of doubt he still could. I’d say there is about an 85% chance Augustin can’t dunk.

Are there any other players who are currently on nba rosters whose ability to dunk you would question?

[sniperParticipant]

I’m a Spurs fan and have watched their games regularly for years and I can’t recall ever seeing Patty Mills dunk.

I feel like I saw Van Vleet dunk in a game recently but I could be wrong.

[Scrooge McDuckParticipant]

I agree Augustine looks like he can’t jump over a sheet of paper nowadays. I think maybe he could at one time. He was pretty athletic at U of Texas.

I was watching Dellavedova video. Man he looks terrible. I’d be surprised to see him dunk in a shoot around

[mikeyvthedonParticipant]

I think everyone in the NBA at one point was able to dunk. Patty even has documentation of his being able to:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJRWKKRolJ8

On a separate note nobody tells Patty Mills to STFU (message board OG’s might remember this one).

Delly at least at one point could dunk, though think he has been kind of destroyed by injuries recently, right?:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8kQmWJVwqM

DJ Augustin also posted a 35″ max vert on 7’10.5″ standing reach, so his vert reach would be 10’9.5, which would mean he could comfortably throw down (think 10’5/10’6 is usually what one would need for a dunk).

As far as Neto, he is listed as having dunked once during his rookie season on Basketball-Reference. I actually looked it up and think I found it on Synergy. Questionable as to whether it was a “dunk”, but he was def at rim level. January 16, 2016 Jazz versus Lakers. Either way, it counted as a dunk, lol.

I know Ryan Arcidiacono had back issues in his younger years, though am pretty sure he either can or at one time could dunk. Also Freddie VanVleet has talked about his ability to dunk in the off-season, has never done it in a NBA game as of yet.

Pretty sure almost everyone in the NBA has dunked at one time. Even the worst NBA athlete is still pretty tremendous. Markus Howard, who has a super short standing reach, has highlights of him dunking in HS. Facu Campazzo has video of him dunking. T.J. McConnell had video evidence of him dunking in a practice scrimmage.

Ultimately, think everyone in the NBA right now has at one time in their life dunked. If they are at full health, think they would all likely be able to do so. Either way, Steph Curry has 26 career dunks and is a top 15 or so player of all-time.

[mikeyvthedonParticipant]

Sports Illustrated just released an article on players who have never dunked in a game! Reminded me of this thread. Steve Kerr tweeted out that he straight up could not dunk, also, in response to this article.

https://www.si.com/nba/2021/02/22/nba-non-dunkers-patty-mills-tj-mcconnell-steve-novak-daily-cover

We have the video proof that Patty Mills was at a time able to dunk. Right now, he says it just is not something he thinks about, or is sure is happening. Has some cool data from Basketball-Reference (bless this site) that 92% of players who have played over 1000 minutes have at least one in game dunk. List of players who have not (or for those retired or out of the league, never did): Steve Nash, JJ Redick, TJ McConnell, Troy Daniels, Fred Van Vleet, Ricky Rubio and DJ Augustin.

Well written article, focuses on Steve Novak and Patty Mills for the most part. Am guessing most if not all players in the NBA have been able to dunk at some point. Doing it in a game, however, has to be nerve-racking. So few truly open fast break opportunities, could get rim checked, time and score have to factor in as well. Here was the Kerr tweet:

https://twitter.com/SteveKerr/status/1364061500592250882

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