Anthony Edwards probably dropped the play of the season at Target Center yesterday. The Minnesota Timberwolves star showed why his games are must-watch TV for all NBA fans after he caught a self-given alley-oop off the glass and dunked the basketball on a few unwitting Memphis Grizzlies defenders. The play perfectly summed up Minnesota’s campaign this season, spearheaded by their 22-year-old centerpiece. But how does Edwards’ fascinating dunk fare against other great self-sufficient alley-oop dunks from the league’s rich history? Let’s have a look.
Edwards’ superslam came in the wake of a 28-5-5 performance that secured Minnesota a 118-103 victory over the Grizzlies.
With two minutes to go in the third quarter, Ant received the ball outside the three-point line. After a ball screen from Rudy Gobert forced a switch between two Grizzlies defenders, Edwards swiftly drove towards the top of the key before pumping his brakes suddenly.
After a few hesi-step-backs and a pump fake, the 6 ft. 4″ saw the paint open and threw a lob at the glass. He then ran across the open space and dunked the ball with both hands, leaving the Grizzlies players with no option but to stare at him throwing it down.
Edwards’ brilliant play has a worthy predecessor in Kobe Bryant’s brilliant slam against Utah Jazz in the 2008 Western Conference semifinals.
During a road game in Salt Lake City, Kobe stunned the home crowd with a move for the history books. With five minutes to go in the fourth quarter, the Lakers star received the ball just outside the three point line.
The Jazz were up by eight points at this point in the contest. Therefore, Kobe got an immediate double-team outside the line, which prompted him to fake a contested jumper. The pump fake cleared the lane up for the Lakers star, who threw the ball at the glass, caught it and slammed it down on an approaching Utah defender.
LeBron James probably doesn’t have a lot of fond memories from the 2018 NBA Finals except for this self alley-oop dunk in front of an energetic Cleveland crowd. The King almost lost the ball to JaVale McGee before recollecting himself, duping McGee with a pump fake and then throwing it up at the glass.
The then three-time NBA Champion caught the lob easily in the paint and slammed it down in an open basket. The Warriors defenders steered clear of the rim to not end up on a poster. The effortlessness of the play is nothing but a testament to LeBron’s freakish athleticism.
The next two self-given alley-oop dunks both come from Orlando Magic stars albeit from different eras. In 2003, Tracy McGrady found himself on a fastbreak sprinting towards the paint.
As two opposition defenders approached him, McGrady threw the ball at the glass and soared over everyone to dunk it in. The play prompted ‘MVP’ chants among a fired up Orlando crowd.
The last one is from the 2019-20 season. During a road game at Staples Center, Magic star Aaron Gordon cut into the paint and lodged a pump fake that threw off a couple of Lakers defenders. The Magic star then threw the ball against the glass and dunked it with one hand on a couple of Lakers players.
There’s no doubt that Edwards’ dunk can give all of these a run for their money. However, Kobe’s dunk against Utah probably takes the prize among all of these incredible plays.
To manoeuvre such a move in a regular season game is one thing. But to pull off a self alley-oop in the fourth quarter of a second-round series while your team is trailing by eight points is something out of this world.
