Top NBA 5 players who popularized slashing and dunking in the league

Brandon Ingram #14 of the New Orleans Pelicans dunks as Isaiah Joe #7 of the Philadelphia 76ers and Andre Drummond #1 defend during the second half at the Smoothie King Center on October 20, 2021 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

The NBA is home to some of the best slashers and dunk artists to ever play the game. Slashers (usually point guards or forwards) refer to players that break through defenses and drive to the basket when on offense to make near-rim shots. Most slashers tend to have an athletic build, thriving at layups, drop shots, and more importantly dunks.

Few things get the crowd going like the sight of a throw down, and many basketballers take their time to master the craft. Although dunking was part of the game, it wasn't until the mid-nineties that it started getting recorded, so you won’t find the likes of Michael Jordan and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on the all-time dunking list.

However, we’ve taken the time to settle the score and rank the most popular slashers and dunkers that have played in the NBA and contributed to the growth of the game.

5 players in NBA history who made slashing and dunking mainstream

#5 Julius Erving

Coach Julius Erving of Tri State reacts during the game against the Ball Hogs during BIG3 - Week Six at Credit Union 1 Arena on August 07, 2021 in Chicago, Illinois.

Julius Erving, the former Philadelphia 76ers player comes fifth on our list of smashes who popularized the practice, as there are few players as synonymous to the art as he was. The NBA champion spent the earlier stages of his career breaking dunking records and winning the ABA Dunk Contest Championship in 1976.

The Hall of Famer gained even more popularity from the art after joining the NBA in 1976, as he transferred his craft from the ABA to the NBA, lighting up the league with never-before-seen moves and popularizing the art with his signature "slam" dunk.

Throwback to Julius Erving dunking on Magic Johnson. I’m not sure if I have ever seen a more respectful poster dunk😂 https://t.co/3ye4kZlNpz

Even though the practice had been done by others way before Erving's era, including Jim Pollard, "Jumping" Johnny Green, Connie Hawkins, Gus Johnson and Elgin Baylor, he brought it to the mainstream and made it popular.

#4 Dominique Wilkins

Chris Bosh #1 of the Miami Heat and the Eastern Conference celebrates with NBA Legend Dominique Wilkins and Swin Cash #32 of the New York Liberty after winning the Degree Shooting Stars Competition as part of the 2015 NBA Allstar Weekend at Barclays Center on February 14, 2015 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City.

Dominique Wilkins was famous for many parts of his game, but nothing more than his love for slashing. The NBA legend scored 26,668 points in the league, notably starring for the Atlanta Hawks in the ’80s. Playing in a time that is considered to be the golden generation of the NBA, the 9-time All-Star carved a name for himself, despite not winning a championship.

61 Year Old Dominique Wilkins is still dunking!

Via @DWilkins21 /IG
https://t.co/TtO2tQkbbC

In his 15 season-long NBA career, he averaged 24.8 points per game and stands in the top 10 NBA players for points, however, most of his points came from his excellent skill as a slasher.

The “Human Highlight Film” as he was fondly called, due to his exploits at the Dunk contest championship, where he made a name for himself winning two final contests. Wilkins was also an acrobatic dunker and lifted the appreciation of dunking in the league during its initial stages.

Also Read: How many rings does Michael Jordan have?