39 Years Ago, Larry Nance Won The First NBA Dunk Contest In History

Photo Credit: SLAM Magazine

While last year’s All-Star Game in Cleveland was definitely one of the most exciting in recent memory, All-Star Saturday’s dunk contest was one of the very worst in league history.

Granted, Dunk contests filled with NBA superstars, like Kobe Bryant, Dominique Wilkins, Vince Carter or Michael Jordan are long gone, but even without superstars, a great dunk contest is more than possible – just ask Aaron Gordon and Zach LaVine.

This year’s participants include Blazers rookie Shaedon Sharpe, Pelicans’ Trey Murphy III, Kenyon Martin Jr. and Mac McClung of the G League’s Delaware Blue Coats. 

Before this year’s contest takes place in Salt Lake City later this month, we’re taking a look back 39 years. This is when the NBA’s first All-Star Saturday took place in Denver at McNichols Arena.

The inaugural Slam-Dunk contest was won by Larry Nance, who used a two-ball windmill dunk to beat favorites Julius Erving and Dominique Wilkins.