Dunks are some of the most exciting plays in basketball. Many of us dream to be able to dunk a basketball on a standard 10-foot hoop. There are many different ways of dunking a basketball and only elite athletes are able to do some.
See Also: 19 Types of Barbells
14 Types of Basketball Dunks
Here are some of the many different types of dunks possible ranging from the basic to the most difficult.
1. One-Handed Dunk
The most basic type of dunk, the player goes up holding the ball in one hand before throwing it into the hoop. Can be done jumping off one foot or both feet. Using the off hand adds more difficulty.
2. Two-Handed Dunk
It is possible for the players to grip the ball dunking with using their both hands. And is what referred to as the two hands dunking concept.
3. Windmill Dunk
There is a peculiar way to perform the windmill dunk in which the players have to circle the ball around their arms. Dunking is done here by fully rotating the ball and that first start with ball in down and then turning the arm so as to circle it. The windmill can be performed with two hands or with one hand depends on the player.
Read Also: 7 Types of Bowling Games
4. Alley-Oop Dunk
This is the type of dunking which involves two players like one player would be assisting the other so as to pass the ball. The first player would be throwing the ball towards the basket direction passing high in the air. The role of second player is to catch this ball and put it down through the basket.
5. Reverse Dunk
In this the player will not be facing the basket, this type of dunk is executed under the basket but the player would be facing away from it. The player holds the ball with both of his hands and throws the ball extending his arms. The ball would be passed down through the basket and that too would be behind his head as he stands underneath it.
6. Tomahawk Dunk
In this type of dunking the players executes it holding the ball with two hands above his head and bring back the ball down behind his head. It would be in a circling motion the ball is brought back and passed down through the basket.
7. Free Throw Line Dunk
Michael Jordan made this dunk famous and even today, it remains one of the most difficult dunks to perform. In order to execute this type of dunk, the player needs to have good power of speed.
The player runs from one end of the court to the other and jumps from the free throw line where they literally soar through the air to dunk it. This can be done with one or two hands for extra difficulty. This type of dunk is also known as foul line dunk.
8. 360 Dunk
This requires a 360 degree jump while player executes this type of dunk system. It would be in a customary manner the ball is thrown down the basket.
9. 540 Dunk
This type of dunk requires one and a half rotations in the air making it even more difficult to pull off than a 360 dunk.
10. Between the Legs Dunk
In order to execute this type of dunk, the player need to pass the ball from one hand to anther and that too goes between his legs through air and then it goes for dunk as gets passed down through the basket. This type of dunk is very exhilarating to watch for the audience and so it is very much impressive for the judges giving good scores for the players.
11. Off the Backboard Dunk
This type of executed by the players with both of his hands. In this as the name indicates, the players bounces the ball off and that towards a blackboard and then the player grabs the ball making a dunk.
This type of dunk is very popular and here the player catches the ball in the middle of air and then only performs the slammer. This is a type of dunk which can be used as a combination with reverse dunk, tomahawk dunk and the windmill dunk. This is an enchanting way of dunking which the audience loves to watch.
12. Double Clutch (Pump) Dunk
In this type of dunk, it requires the players to execute it by extending their arms in the mid air and then to be bring back the ball to body or mainly the head and then again extending to throw it down the basket executing dunking once more. Here the dunk happens again and that is why it has a double in its name.
13. Rock the Cradle
This type of dunk is same as that of the windmill where the player circulates the ball around their arms before performing the dunk. The same does here and the difference lies in which the player holds the ball which is held in the palm and the wrist, unlike the windmill in order to circulate the ball, the player need to start circular motion of the ball from the bottom.
This type of dunk is the combination of 360 windmill, 360 between the leg dunk, reverse dunk and the double pump dunk.
14. Elbow Hang Dunk
Made famous by Vince Carter, the player jumps high enough that when the ball goes through the hoop, his entire forearm ends up inside the hoop where he dangles there for show. Not many can pull this one off.
