As reviewed by our team at TestCasinos.com at the start of the 2023-24 season, these players have left their mark by throwing down the most rim-rattling slam dunks in the history of the NBA. From paint-dominating big men to gravity-defying wings, these are the league’s best jammers ranked by career stuffs. Explore the legacy of these rim-rattling legends and witness gravity-defying feats firsthand as we look at the most dunks by a player in league history.
Player | Career Dunks | Notable |
Dwight Howard | 3,252 | Most dunks ever |
Shaquille O’Neal | 3,200 | Legendary power |
DeAndre Jordan | 2,461 | Lob City finisher |
LeBron James | 2,377 | Ageless athleticism |
Tyson Chandler | 1,843 | Alley-oop specialist |
Rudy Gobert | 1,764 | Defensive giant |
Giannis Antetokounmpo | 1,702 | Euro Step innovator |
Amar’e Stoudemire | 1,733 | Explosive power |
Andre Iguodala | 1,707 | Versatile athlete |
Shawn Marion | 1,608 | Dynamic scorer |
1. Dwight Howard – 3,252 Dunks
Teams: Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets, Atlanta Hawks, Charlotte Hornets, Washington Wizards, Philadelphia 76ers, Taoyuan Leopards (T1 League)
Total games: 1242
Career years: 2004–2023
The 8-time All-Star tops the list with the most dunks ever at a staggering 3,252 so far in his career. Howard was a nightly highlight reel playing for Orlando Magic, leading the league multiple times thanks to his superior athleticism and 7-foot frame attacking the rim.
In his prime, the three-time Defensive Player of the Year constantly kept defenders on a swivel with his ability to explode to finish lob passes and overwhelm smaller matchups with force. Though he has bounced to eight different teams more recently, Dwight Howard is cementing his place in history with the most emphatic throwdowns ever.
2. Shaquille O’Neal – 3,200 Dunks
Teams: Orlando Magic, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics
Total games: 1207
Career years: 1992–2011
Another paint-dominating big sits right behind Howard in second all-time with an estimated 3,200 slams in his Hall of Fame 19-year career. Shaq famously brought down entire basket support frames with his jaw-dropping power jams before becoming a more grounded scorer in the post.
During his early days with the Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Lakers, O’Neal, weighing over 300 pounds, shook the rims every night. Surprisingly quick, he moved like a cat near the hoop. Shaq weighed over 325 pounds for much of his prime. His imposing will with devastating throwdowns was a scary sight for any defender forced to rotate over. He often led the league with most dunks in a season.
3. DeAndre Jordan – 2,461 Dunks
Teams: Los Angeles Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers, Denver Nuggets
Total games: 1048
Career years: 2008–present
Currently with the Denver Nuggets, DeAndre Jordan originally made his name starring for Lob City with the LA Clippers thanks to his high-flying finishes. His dunks come easy at 6’11” with a 7’6” wingspan, as he’s led the NBA in total slams and dunk percentage for multiple seasons.
Jordan punishes small-ball lineups with his ability to play far above the rim and aggressively hammer down pick-and-roll passes. He lacks other elite big man skills but makes up for it as an imposing center who dominates vertically versus teams unable to match his size and graceful athletic fluidity up high.
4. LeBron James – 2,377 Dunks
Teams: Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers
Total games: 1470
Career years: 2003–present
Even in his 20th NBA season at age 37 having recently hit more than 40,000 career points, LeBron still frequently defies age. He throws down vicious dunks, thanks to his unmatched athleticism. His signature tomahawk slams have ripped through over 2,300 times and counting on his way to becoming a top-five all-time scorer.
From epic chase-down blocks to improbable alley-oops, LeBron’s ability to seemingly teleport to the rim with force has devastated defenses for nearly two full decades. As he evolves his transcendent game to rely less on otherworldly athleticism with age, the King’s earth-shattering posters will hammer down in highlight reels forever.
5. Tyson Chandler – 1,843 Dunks
Teams: Chicago Bulls, New Orleans Hornets, Charlotte Bobcats, Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets
Total games: 1160
Career years: 2001–2020
Tyson Chandler spent nearly two decades excelling at finishing alley-oops and putbacks by aggressively attacking the rim. He was a former Defensive Player of the Year. His 1,843 dunks come thanks to being a true 7-footer who perfectly understands his role as an elite pick-and-roll big.
Chandler jumped from Dallas to New York to Phoenix over his career. He proved a nightmare when paired with an elite passing guard like Chris Paul or Rajon Rondo. His innate lob chemistry and ability to locate lobs turned simple handoffs into loud dunks, constantly using his condor-like reach.
6. Rudy Gobert – 1,764 Dunks
Teams: Cholet, Utah Jazz, Minnesota Timberwolves
Total games: 734
Career years: 2011–present
The Utah Jazz’s three-time Defensive Player of the Year continues punishing small-ball lineups nightly thanks to his 7’9” wingspan. This allows Rudy Gobert to snare lobs with ease for rim-rattling slams. He does this over outmatched, undersized defenders again and again.
Like Jordan and Chandler, Gobert is perfectly built to prey on modern spacing-driven schemes that can’t match his size inside. His screening gravity and elite rolling remain perfect fits alongside playmaking guards like Donovan Mitchell. They regularly find Gobert slipping behind defenses for rear attacks.
7. Giannis Antetokounmpo – 1,702 Dunks
Teams: Filathlitikos, Milwaukee Bucks
Total games: 773
Career years: 2011–present
Former NBA champion and Finals MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo continues striking fear into defenses every time he takes just one dribble with a head of steam anywhere in the half-court. His signature smooth Eurostep maneuver flows directly into devastating dunks thanks to an unprecedented blend of skill and graceful athletic ability.
Though officially listed at 6-foot-11, the “Greek Freak” moves unlike anyone in league history. This is due to his Swiss Army knife handle and preternatural ability to contort his limbs midair seamlessly. Giannis likely has many loud oop slams still to come during his prime years. This is combined with his maniacal work ethic to hone skills every offseason.
8. Amar’e Stoudemire – 1,733 Dunks
Teams: Phoenix Suns, New York Knicks, Dallas Mavericks, Miami Heat
Total games: 846
Career years: 2002–2016
Chronic knee issues prematurely ended Amar’e Stoudemire’s 14-year career. He became one of the NBA’s most powerful and creative dunkers ever. This cemented his legacy. He constantly made thunderous baseline finishes and blocks-turned-highlight slams during his days starring for Mike D’Antoni and Steve Nash with the “Seven Seconds or Less” Phoenix Suns.
During his athletic prime, Stoudemire unleashed an intimidation factor unseen in decades for defenses. Every time, he caught the ball with a live dribble within 10 feet of the hoop. Sadly, recurring major knee surgeries robbed fans of more than a decade of human highlight film finishes. This came after many early video game years starring in Phoenix, which would have seen him higher on our list of most dunks in history.
9. Andre Iguodala – 1,707 Dunks
Teams: Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat, Denver Nuggets, Philadelphia 76ers
Total games: 1231
Career years: 2004–2023
Iggy is known for his defensive versatility, veteran leadership, and high basketball IQ. But, in his early career, he built an identity as an acrobatic leaper with a jaw-dropping slam dunk package. He finally won his first title at age 34 as a key cog for Golden State, choosing to unleash his trademark athletic rim attacks more sparingly.
Iguodala earned the nickname “Iggy Azalea” for his aerial acrobatics and impressive throws during two stints with Philadelphia. Later on, he evolved into more of a cerebral do-it-all swingman. He picked his spots wisely to display fading above-the-rim explosiveness after many high-flying years as a 76er. He never led the league in most dunks in a season, but he was always a threat.
10. Shawn Marion – 1,608 Dunks
Teams: Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Phoenix Suns
Total games: 1163
Career years: 1999-2015
Shawn Marion’s extremely unorthodox shooting form and flipped release didn’t stop him from igniting Phoenix’s iconic “Seven Seconds or Less” attack by finishing creatively at the rim with power. Though relatively small for an NBA combo forward at 6’7”, “The Matrix” utilized unmatched hops and hang time to finish over bigger defenders inside.
Marion built his reputation right away as a rookie playing alongside dynamic guards like Jason Kidd and Steve Nash, thanks to his innate ability to run the floor. His complete lack of textbook shooting mechanics translated perfectly into aggressively and unconventionally attacking the rim during the decades before analytics took over.
FAQs
How are players’ career dunk totals tracked?
Official dunk statistics were not recorded over large portions of NBA history. The career totals featured above rely partly on thorough research, available data, and reasonable estimates. They are based on seasons played, games appeared in, and evolving scoring efficiency.
Big men and true dunk specialists understandably dominate the lifetime list. This is due to inherent factors like height and a playing style centered around working near the rim. Also, their longevity sets them apart.
Who has the most dunks in a single NBA game?
According to official stat tracking, Dwight Howard holds the record for most dunks in one game with 12. He set the record against the Warriors on January 12, 2018, playing with the Charlotte Hornets.
Legendary high flyer Vince Carter is also widely recognized to have unofficially recorded at least 12 dunks in half on a few occasions as a Toronto Raptors star in the late 1990s and early 2000s. However, game logs cannot fully confirm this.
Has increased three-point shooting affected dunk rates?
As the math-savvy NBA continues fully embracing analytics by hoisting exponentially more efficient three-pointers versus mid-range twos, historical league-wide dunk rates have decreased slightly. Teams now opt to space the floor around the arc more than ever rather than always pound the ball inside.
Still, some franchises like Minnesota, Memphis, and Utah build rosters that enable relentless rim attacks thanks to personnel strengths and strategic commitment to attacking vertically. The past decade has seen “small ball” become more popular, though imposing bigs who can overpower scoring with force – like various players on this list – remain extremely valuable and efficient commodities.