The Greatest Backboard-Shattering Dunks of All Time

Image via Complex Original

Date: 4/1/1995

Big Country was white people's answer to Shaquille O'Neal. Unfortunately, he couldn't live up to the hype. R.I.P. to that backboard, though.

Date: 4/23/1993

Forget shattering, how about bringing the whole court down? Thanks to this monstrous flush and other dunks like it, the league was forced to equip new NBA hoops with breakaway rims in the '90s. The Big Diesel changed the game! #clapforhim

Date: Summer 2007

Back when AND1 was at the height of its popularity, Half-Man, Half-Amazing and Main Event had a double jam rim slam sandwich that resulted in the instillation of a new backboard. Try explaining that to the repair man, "Yeah so Half-Man, Half-Amazing and Main Event broke the rim, Jim...No, that's their names, they're in this streetball league, I'm not fucking with you dude!"

Date: 10/16/1994 (NCAA Midnight Madness)

Another case of going hard when you probably shouldn't, Blue Edwards wanted to put on a show for Midnight Madness and he over did it. You can't have a name like Blue and not be smooth, you just can't.

Date: 1/20/2012

Usually when mascots complete their halftime show dunks or visit schools to put on a show, it's borderline cool, but usually a tad cheesy. For some reason though, the kids at this high school got dumb hype, and the Pacers mascot followed suit. Advantage Boomer the Panther.

Date: 2/16/2012

Homie delayed the tournament for a day. King.

Date: Unknown

So, you thought all alumni games are full of overweight has-beens still living in the past? Not so for Richard Nelson of Encina High School. Cue the soundtrack, please!

Date: 1/13/2006

Three youngins on a triple-team smash sounds like a video that'll get you face time with Chris Hansen. But nope, SFW.

Date: 1/12/2007

Here's a clip of Kevin Love shattering a backboard in high school. He was even brolic back then. We like how he just stood there taking it all in.

Date: 12/19/2000

Props to Keep for acting like he won the championship after this crazy jam. White dunkers rejoice!

Date: 3/17/1996

Current Lakers assistant coach, and former NBA journeyman, Darvin Ham could do one thing on offense, and that was dunk. North Carolina ran into an upstart Texas Tech team and caught both a vicious upset and a mean yam from the Ham man. Why didn't anybody give him a sponsorship solely to use that rhyme?

Date: 1992 Draft Combine

This probably wasn't his first backboard shattering and it clearly wasn't his last. How bad do you think Ahmad Rashad felt watching The Diesel go down like Frasier? Inside Stuff should be brought back for this clip alone.

Date: 11/13/1979 & 12/6/1979

Ah the good ol' "Chocolate-Thunder-Flying, Robinzine-Crying, Teeth-Shaking, Glass-Breaking, Rump-Roasting, Bun-Toasting, Wham-Bam, Glass-Breaker-I-Am-Jam." Yes, he actually said this. And yes, he did this twice in one month span.

Date: 8/25/1986

MJ was so good he did things like this in Italian exhibition games. It wasn't televised but his Airness made it rain on them spogliareslliste. Literally.

Date: 1/25/1988

Send it in, Jerome! Ayo! This was probably the highlight of Lane's career but at least it's something to be proud of. Super ill backboard-breaker + nasty facial = Amazing.