Basketball fans remember the iconic performance of Vince Carter in the Slam Dunk Contest in 2000. His dunks set a new standard for stars and participants of the famed event. Since then, there have been a few players who have entertained viewers with their aerial displays. One of the players who’s been loved by fans for how he presented himself in the contest is Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon.
Gordon joined the contest twice, once in 2016 and again in 2020. Unfortunately for Gordon, he lost in both events despite putting on a jaw-dropping performance. Many fans believe the forward should have at least won one of the contests he’s been in.
On a video posted on Tuesday, Gordon appeared on FanDuel TV’s “Run It Back.” In his guest appearance from February, the Nuggets forward was asked to talk about his 2016 performance against Carter’s four dunks in his sole appearance at the contest.
“Respectfully, Vince Carter is the GOAT,” Gordon said. “But I think if you put my four dunks up against Vince Carter’s four dunks, objectively, I think my four dunks were better.”
Who are you taking?
Vince Carter’s ICONIC 2000 dunk contest performance? Or Aaron Gordon’s legendary dunks in 2016 against Zach Lavine?
“Respectfully…My four dunks were better” 👀 – @Double0AG @MichelleDBeadle | @TeamLou23 | @ChandlerParsons pic.twitter.com/t3XtiyRlrR
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) March 11, 2025
Carter and Gordon were both creative in their ways during their appearances at the event. No one had ever seen what they were able to present to the fans before. For the former Toronto Raptors star, many dunkers have paid tribute to some of the dunks he presented, specifically the windmill 360 dunk.
However, no one has tried to replicate what Gordon did in 2016. With that, it’s obvious to see the difference in difficulty for both players.
Health will play a role in the Denver Nuggets forward’s return to the Dunk Contest
Over the past years, fans have become bored with the dunk contest. One of the reasons is that there’s been a lack of starpower who have participated. In the past seasons, Mac McClung has secured the dunk contest title, winning it for three straight years.
While the Denver Nuggets forward isn’t an All-Star, his past performances at the competition have made him a household name. Last month, he was asked if he’d ever join the contest again when he appeared as a guest on “Run It Back.” According to Gordon, his health will play a role in his return, and he revealed that he still has a lot left in the tank.
“This is a young man’s game. I do still have some sh*t in the tank, I do have some sh*t in the arsenal, I’ve got something in the back still. But you know it’s a long season. If I’m healthy, maybe I’ll do it,” Gordon said.
Additionally, All-Star guard for the Memphis Grizzlies Ja Morant teased that he could join the dunk contest next season and even called Gordon and Zach LaVine on X (formerly Twitter).
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Reign also writes NBA and WNBA news updates on Sportskeeda. He started as a feature writer for AirAlamo, an NBA website that covers the San Antonio Spurs. Some of his work can also be seen on Valley of the Suns, a Phoenix Suns-centric website, where he served as a contributing writer.
