It's been 15 years since the NBA Slam Dunk Contest was relevant.

The dunk contest, held on the Saturday night of All-Star Weekend since 1984, used to be a signature event that helped to define some of the most legendary careers in basketball history.

But the event has lost a lot of its luster over the years. For the most part-and there are still some pretty great dunkers in today's game-players seem to have run out of moves. Their creativity has been blunted over time and the dunk contest, like the NBA in general, lacks the electricity it had 30 years ago.

It really was a golden age of jams when guys like Michael Jordan, Dominique Wilkins, and Vince Carter were soaring through the sky.

The 2015 Sprite Slam Dunk Contest will be held Saturday night on TNT, the fourth event of All-Star Saturday. Live coverage begins at 8 p.m. ET. Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks), Zach LaVine (Wolves), Victor Oladipo (Magic), and Mason Plumlee (Nets) are this year's participants, trying to revive a new age of jammers.

Here's a look back at the greatest moments in the history of the Slam Dunk Contest. If it feels like a long time ago, it's because it was.

5. 1991: Dee Brown Pumps and Dunks

In 1989, Reebok first introduced an inflatable basketball shoe that helped the company claim part of a space dominated by Nike at the time. There was a good amount of hype surrounding Reebok Pumps, but in 1991, the shoe became a part of pop culture history when Boston's Dee Brown pumped up his shoes as part of a pre-dunk routine. Brown went on to win the contest after jamming with his eyes covered, but the lasting impression of the night was Brown pumping himself up.

4. 1976: Where it all Started

This was the first Slam Dunk Contest, held during halftime of the 1976 ABA All-Star Game. Julius Erving, playing for the New York Nets at the time, was one of the greatest dunkers. Dr. J stuffed it from the foul line with an iconic jam that won the contest over the likes of Denver's David Thompson, Kentucky's Artis Gilmore, and San Antonio's George Gervin and Larry Kenon.

3. 1986: Spud Webb Becomes a Giant

In general, the NBA is made up of tall men. In 1986, the league's average height was 6-foot-7. Atlanta guard Spud Webb, one of the shortest players in NBA history was 5-foot-7 when he became a household name by winning the dunk contest against more popular dunkers. One of those was teammate Dominique Wilkins, one of the best ever, who said he never saw Webb dunk before facing him in the contest. Almost 30 years later, most basketball fans around the world have seen a Webb jam by now. In 2006, 5-foot-9 Nate Robinson won the Dunk Contest when he jumped over Webb.

2. 1988: Jordan Rules

Michael Jordan's foul line leap is the dunk that wound up on the poster but the entirety of the contest is what made this one so special. Jordan won the dunk contest in 1987 faced arguably the greatest field in contest history on his home court in Chicago. Jordan bested Wilkins, Clyde Drexler, Otis Smith, Jerome Kersey, Greg Anderson and Webb, earning a perfect score of 50 when he recreated Dr. J's free throw line dunk from 1976.

1. 2000: Vinsanity

Quite simply, no Dunk Contest participant has ever been able to match the leaping ability, mid-air creativity or sheer power that Vince Carter exhibited in the greatest performance the event has ever seen. The NBA was two years removed from bagging the Dunk Contest for lack of interest. It was cancelled in 1999 because of a lockout. While Carter put on a show for the ages and breathed life back into the event, what he did 15 years ago has not been matched since. And some say it never will be.

Tags
NBA