Spud Webb was the shortest person to ever compete in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest at 5 foot 7 inches ….winning the event in 1986 at Dallas’ Reunion Arena during the 1986 All Star Game Saturday competition….as his participation surprised the media….including his Atlanta Hawks teammate and defending dunk champion Dominique Wilkins….who had “never seen me dunk before” as Webb said. During the competition, his dunks included the elevator two-handed double pump dunk….the off-the-backboard one-handed jam….a 360-degree helicopter one-handed dunk….a reverse double-pump slam….and finally, the reverse two-handed strawberry jam from a lob bounce off the floor….as Spud defeated Wilkins with two perfect 50-point scores in the final round. Atlanta coach Mike Fratello said, “Spud kind of duped him. He told Wilkins he never had anything prepared, didn’t practice for it. So, Wilkins maybe thought his normal assortment would be good enough to get through”.
Twenty years after Webb’s victory in the Slam Dunk contest….he trained New York Knicks point guard Nate Robinson….who stands at 5 feet 9 inches tall…. to win the event….as Webb tossed the ball to Robinson….who leaped over Webb and dunked, earning 50 points from the judges….so, Robinson went on to win….thus making him and Spud the only two people in NBA history under six feet tall to win a slam dunk contest.
This video finishes with the 1986 All Star Weekend Legends Game….which was called by Skip Carey and Boston Celtics legendary coach Red Auerbach…..in a game that included such great legends of the game like Bailey Howell, Slater Martin, Connie Hawkins, Nate Thurmond, Bill Russell, Pistol Pete Maravich, John Havlicek, Walt Bellamy, Dave Cowens, Oscar Robertson and Bob Cousy….as this line-up alone is well worth the watch.
