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Is dunking allowed in the NBA?

Author

Noah Mitchell

Published Jan 18, 2026

A lot of serious injuries resulted and few players attempted dunking. While it became a standard move in the NBA by the 1970s, dunking was banned in the NCAA for nine years when Kareem Abdul-Jabbar became the first superstar to regularly dunk the ball.

What year did they allow dunking in the NBA?

Guys like Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlin could dunk, but it was more of a force then finesse and style. It wasn't until the late 60s that the modern dunk was invented, and it wasn't invented in the NBA. In 1967 owners in many smaller cities that could not lure an NBA team, formed their own league.

When did basketball ban dunking?

Lew Alcindor, who later became Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, dominated his opponents because he was a master of this move. To limit the player's dominance, the NCAA banned the slam dunk from 1967 to 1976. The invention of Basketball took place in very interesting circumstances.

Who can't dunk in the NBA?

Steve Nash, Los Angeles Lakers

Not being able to dunk hasn't hindered Steve Nash at all during a 17-year NBA career. Nash managed to win back-to-back MVP awards with the Phoenix Suns in 2005 and 2006.

Can Kyrie dunk?

Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving (2) has 12 dunks in his NBA career.

41 related questions found

Can Stephen Curry dunk?

Stephen Curry dunks. He tried a dunk during opening night of the 2021-22 NBA season against the LA Lakers but failed. 26 dunks in 13 years is 0.2% of his total field goals and he has never averaged more than 0.4% in a single season.

Why was dunking illegal?

Many people have attributed the ban to the dominance of the college phenomenon Lew Alcindor (now known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar); the no-dunking rule is sometimes referred to as the "Lew Alcindor rule." Others have attributed the ban to racial motivations, as at the time most of the prominent dunkers in college ...

Is dunking allowed in college basketball?

Now there is the Lew Alcindor Rule. College basketball's rules makers decided last week that players may no longer "dunk" or "stuff" the ball by ramming it through the hoop from directly above. The no-dunking rule was frankly aimed at Alcindor, the 7-ft.

Can you dunk on a free throw?

In 1956, in response to reports that Wilt Chamberlain was able to dunk free throws, the NCAA established a rule requiring that free-throw shooters keep both feet behind the free-throw line during an attempt. The NBA later adopted this rule.

Who was first NBA player to dunk?

When the ball fell under the basket Oklahoma A&M was attacking, Kurland picked it up, followed his instincts, and became the first player to dunk. “The ball happened to be under the basket,” Kurland told Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel in 2012.

What counts as a dunk?

A slam dunk, also dunk or dunk shot, is a type of basketball shot that is performed when a player jumps in the air, controls the ball(s) above the horizontal plane of the rim, and guides the ball(s) downward through the basket with one or both hands contacting the rim.

Was the slam dunk ever banned?

So, in 1967, the NCAA actually decided to ban the dunk, claiming that it was not a “skillful shot” and also citing injury concerns. Whether or not it was a skillful shot was highly debatable and the injuries due to dunking were a very small percentage compared to other injuries that occurred while playing basketball.

Can anyone dunk from the 3 point line?

As alluded to above, for a player to dunk from the three-point line they will have to be very tall, probably around 7 feet (2.13 meters) tall and long arms. There are many NBA players that fit this specification, but most players at this size do not have the coordination and athletic ability to make a jump of 23 feet.

Who invented the dunk shot?

Within the history of the game, dunking is a recent innovation. Olympic gold medalist Robert Albert “Bob” Kurland emerged as a de facto inventor of the dunk shot– or the jam as it is also called.

Can you jump over the line for a three pointer?

A player is allowed to jump from outside the line and land inside the line to make a three-point attempt, as long as the ball is released in mid-air.

When did dunking become legal in high school basketball?

From 1967 to 1976, the NCAA banned dunking with a rule that may have been inspired by the dominance of Lew Alcindor (now Kareem Abdul-Jabbar). High school basketball followed suit. Yet even when both college and high school lifted the ban, dunking was still not allowed during pregame warm-ups.

Does slam dunk have an anime?

Slam Dunk is an anime series adapted from the manga of the same title by Takehiko Inoue.

What height can dunk?

Standard: 6 feet 1inch – 6 feet 3 inches

This height allows you to dunk comfortably without having to go through too much vertical jump training. Many NFL football players are at this height, and they prove that they can jump better than basketball players.

Who is the smallest player to dunk?

Given the fact that Muggsy Bogues didn't ever dunk in-game, the title of “shortest NBA player to dunk” belongs to Spud Webb. Measuring just 5-foot-7, Spud Webb not only dunked in games, but even won the 1986 NBA Slam Dunk Contest.

Has anyone ever shot 100% in the NBA?

Wilt Chamberlain has posted the most points in a game with a field-goal percentage of 100.0, with 42 points against the Baltimore Bullets on February 24, 1967.

What's the farthest dunk ever?

More videos on YouTube

On the set of Lo Show Dei Record in Milan, Italy, Jordan Ramos broke his own world record for Longest Slam Dunk From a Trampoline when he flew through the air 32 feet 9.7 inches (10 meters) before sneaking the ball through the hoop.

What is the longest dunk ever?

Mikey Williams Dunks On Flight, Sets World Record For Longest Dunk (3 Hours) - YouTube.

Do you have to touch the rim to dunk?

Many times, players opt to go up for a dunk but gently put the ball in the basket without touching the rim. Also not a dunk. If you remove your hands at the last second, that's called a layup, although Merriam-Webster defines a dunk simply as “throwing the ball into the basket from above the rim.” Not so.