Bleacher Report's list of the NBA's 50 greatest dunkers includes six current or former Nets, led by Vince Carter at No. 1. Even more impressive, three of the top five players on the list spent part of their careers with the franchise.
The Nets have been home to plenty of elite dunkers over the years, and Bleacher Report's latest rankings are another reminder of that.
In its list of the NBA's 50 greatest dunkers of all time, Bleacher Report included six current or former Nets: Vince Carter (No. 1), Julius Erving (No. 3), Blake Griffin (No. 5), Darryl Dawkins (No. 12), Gerald Green (No. 20) and DeAndre Jordan (No. 26).
The biggest takeaway isn't just how many Nets made the list; it's how high they ranked. Three of the top five dunkers in NBA history, according to Bleacher Report, spent part of their careers with the Nets, a group spanning multiple eras of the franchise.
No player topped the rankings quite like Vince Carter.
Known simply as "Vinsanity" during his prime, Carter's combination of creativity, hang time and jaw-dropping athleticism made him the easy choice for No. 1. Bleacher Report pointed to his unforgettable performance in the 2000 Slam Dunk Contest, where he introduced a series of dunks that forever changed the event, along with his legendary "Dunk of Death" over 7-foot-2 French center Frédéric Weis during the 2000 Olympics.
Although Carter's most iconic moments came before arriving in New Jersey, he still delivered plenty of highlight-reel finishes during his five seasons with the Nets from 2004-09. Alongside Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson, Carter helped form one of the league's most entertaining fast-break teams while earning three All-Star selections in a Nets uniform.
Not far behind Carter was another Nets legend.
Julius Erving checked in at No. 3, recognized as one of the pioneers of above-the-rim basketball. Before becoming an NBA icon with the Philadelphia 76ers, Erving starred for the New York Nets in the ABA, leading the franchise to two championships while becoming one of the sport's first true aerial superstars.
Bleacher Report highlighted Erving's revolutionary style, from his famous free-throw line dunk in the 1976 ABA Slam Dunk Contest to his signature "Rock the Baby" slam against the Los Angeles Lakers. Long before high-flying finishes became common, Erving helped redefine what was possible in the air.
Blake Griffin rounded out the Nets' trio inside the top five at No. 5.
Griffin built his reputation with the "Lob City" Clippers, where his explosive posters and powerful finishes made him one of the NBA's biggest attractions. His famous dunk over Kendrick Perkins remains one of the defining highlights of the 2010s, while his memorable leap over a car to win the 2011 Slam Dunk Contest became one of the event's most recognizable moments.
By the time Griffin joined Brooklyn in 2021, injuries had diminished much of the elite explosiveness that once defined his game. Still, his body of work was more than enough to earn a spot among the greatest dunkers the league has ever seen.
The list didn't stop there for Brooklyn.
Darryl Dawkins landed at No. 12 after building a reputation as one of the most physically imposing finishers the game has ever seen. His backboard-shattering slams in 1979 were so forceful that they ultimately helped lead the NBA to adopt breakaway rims across the league.
Dawkins spent more than five seasons with the New Jersey Nets after arriving from Philadelphia, bringing the same intimidating style that earned him the nickname "Chocolate Thunder."
Gerald Green came in at No. 20 after making a name for himself with elite athleticism and creativity.
Green won the 2007 Slam Dunk Contest before following it up a year later with one of the event's most memorable moments, blowing out a candle sitting on the rim while completing a dunk. Although he appeared in just 31 games for the New Jersey Nets during the 2010-11 season, his reputation as one of basketball's greatest leapers was already firmly established.
DeAndre Jordan rounded out the Nets contingent at No. 26.
Jordan made a career out of finishing alley-oops, particularly during the Clippers' "Lob City" era alongside Griffin and Chris Paul. His unforgettable poster dunk over Brandon Knight remains one of the most replayed in-game dunks in NBA history, and Bleacher Report noted that more than half of his points during his first 10 NBA seasons came via dunks.
Jordan spent two seasons in Brooklyn from 2019-21, serving as the team's veteran center during the early years of the Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving era.
Whether they were soaring from the free-throw line, throwing down lob finishes or shattering backboards, the Nets have been home to some of the greatest dunkers the game has ever seen. Having six players appear on Bleacher Report's top-50 list is impressive in its own right, but having three of the top five speaks to the franchise's long history of unforgettable high-flyers.
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