Image via Complex Original
Today marks Darryl "Chocolate Thunder" Dawkins' 56th birthday, and if you didn't know, he was a bad man. One of the best dunkers of his generation, Dawkins wasn't into the flash as much as some of his peers, but more about the power. Power that sometimes led to backboards being shattered and fans losing their shit. He wasn't the only man to ever do it though, Shaq sent a few backboards to the graveyard, a couple high school ballers triple teamed one rim, and even MJ got into the mix. In honor of these ridiculously awesome feats of athleticism and power, we've wrangled together the best we've ever seen. Without further a do, The Greatest Backboard-Shattering Dunks Of All Time.
15. Bryant "Big Country" Reeves, Oklahoma State
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.
14. Shaquille O'Neal, Orlando Magic
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
13. Half-Man, Half-Amazing & Main Event, AND1
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!"
12. Blue Edwards, Eastern Carolina
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.
11. Boomer, Indiana Pacers (Mascot)
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.
10. Devin Thomas, Central Dauphin High School
Date: 2/16/2012
Homie delayed the tournament for a day. King.
9. Richard Nelson, Encina High School Alumni Team
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!
8. Three Players, Hamilton High School
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.
7. Kevin Love, Lake Oswego High School
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.
6. Jason Keep, Oklahoma State
Date: 12/19/2000
Props to Keep for acting like he won the championship after this crazy jam. White dunkers rejoice!
5. Darvin Ham, Texas Tech
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?
4. Shaquille O'Neal, Orlando Magic
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.
3. Darryl Dawkins, Philadelphia 76ers
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.
2. Michael Jordan
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.
1. Jerome Lane, Pittsburgh
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.
