dunk shot

sports

Also known as: dunking

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Last updated

June 25, 2026

Quick Summary

A dunk shot in basketball involves a player jumping high and forcing the ball downward through the basket. This athletic maneuver, first recorded in 1935, became a significant part of the game, particularly after being banned and then reinstated in collegiate basketball in the 1970s. The dunk shot is known for electrifying fans and players alike. While the term "dunk" can refer to the act of dunking, it most commonly signifies a dunk shot. The phrase "dunk on" can also mean to make a dunk shot over an opposing player.1234

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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
…to score at will, made dunking illegal prior to his enrollment at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), in 1965. Despite the new rule, he set a UCLA scoring record with 56 points in his first game. Playing for renowned coach John Wooden, Alcindor helped lead UCLA to three…
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…to score at will, made dunking illegal prior to his enrollment at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), in 1965. Despite the new rule, he set a UCLA scoring record with 56 points in his first game. Playing for renowned coach John Wooden, Alcindor helped lead UCLA to three…
Read More

basketball
U.S. high school and college basketball
… at Los Angeles (UCLA), the dunk shot was banned from collegiate basketball, ostensibly because the rules committee felt, again, that the big men had too great an advantage. The rule was rescinded beginning with the 1976–77 season, and the dunk shot became an important part of the game, electrifying both…
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… at Los Angeles (UCLA), the dunk shot was banned from collegiate basketball, ostensibly because the rules committee felt, again, that the big men had too great an advantage. The rule was rescinded beginning with the 1976–77 season, and the dunk shot became an important part of the game, electrifying both…
Read More