From the mind of author Mary Shelley, we were introduced to the diabolical Dr. Victor Frankenstein and his grotesque creature which featured a mishmash of parts from many different bodies to create a super human of unimaginable power. Today, with the NBA All-Star weekend in sight and its fan favorite feature event, the Sprite Slam Dunk competition (Saturday, February 15, on TNT) to be held, let's take a page from the literal book of Shelley and do some creating of our own.
Let's create the ultimate slamma jamma, throw it in your face from a 360-degree reverse quadruple somersault, slam dunk champion. A champion so fierce, so skilled, so powerful that the sheer awesomeness of it will pop the top of a Sprite from 100 yards away.
To create this human bucket seeking missile, I will go one different from Shelley in that it's not body parts I will be hunting for, but attributes. Specifically, we will be searching out the best of the five main attributes needed to excel in a dunk contest. To find them, I will of course delve through the best of the best, former dunk champions.
So step back as I don my white lab coat, slick up my hair into a wild style and emit a mad cackle because there is work to be done and the lightning is on the horizon.
Now, with our monster equipped with everything needed to become legend, I only lack the one thing that is hindering me from completing this task. That's the ability to do so.
James LeBeau is an avid fantasy sports participant and a sports contributor for CraveOnline Sports. You can follow him on twitter @LoboISbroke or “like” CraveOnline Sports on Facebook.
Photo Credit: Getty
Frankenstein Dunker
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Strength: Dwight Howard
Champion: 2008
Our most awesome dunker is going to have to have the strength to bring the backboard down and there isn't any former dunker that screams this more than Howard. This seven foot behemoth wowed judges with some of the most rim shaking dunks seen in recent years. He also is one of few contestants to ever score a perfect 100 in the first round, doing so once in 2008 and once in 2009
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Leaping Ability: Nate Robinson
Champion: 2006, 2009, 2010
The runner up for my choice of heart, the three time dunk champion Robinson takes the gold in the leaping department. Standing at just 5'9”, Robinson's most famous dunk happened in 2009 when he jumped over Dwight Howard (who has 14 inches on Nate) to slam one home. With leaping ability like this, any dunker has a chance to be a champion.
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Heart: Spud Webb
Champion: 1986
Dunking isn't just about jumping and putting a ball in the hoop, it's also about digging down deep within you to put forth every ounce of talent you have. No former champion has embodied this more than Webb. Standing at just 5'7”, Webb defied logic and even physics to a degree when he beat out Dominique Wilkins 100-98 to win his title.
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Will: Michael Jordan
Champion: 1987, 1988
You didn't think I'd leave arguably the greatest dunker of all off this list, did you? No, if I could take one attribute from Jordan to put in our dunk monster, then it has to be his will. I mean, Jordan never just wanted to beat you, he wanted to humiliate you. Jordan want to win with a fire and a focus that I would put up with anybody over the history of any sport ever.
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Creativity: Vince Carter
Champion: 2000
If you are going to own a slam dunking competition, you are going to need more than just the physical tools and the will to win, you are going to need to put fans in the chairs and keep them on the edge of their seats. To do that, you are going to have to wow them with originality and that's why our dunk king is going to have the creativity of Carter.
The man renowned for saving the slam dunk competition after years of obscurity, Carter brought the eyes back with amazing original moves. From a crazy reverse 360 windmill flush to the “honey dip” (where you shove your hand and the ball down the rim and hang by your elbow), Carter wowed them with new moves that dared you to look away and miss something spectacular.
