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Best Big Man Dunker Ever: Italy’s Shawn Kemp, Team USA’s Dwight Howard, or Darryl Dawkins?



August 18 08

On Saturday, I had a late nineties flashback when reading my man Shawn Kemp is back in basketball. Well, sort off. Turns out, Seattle’s ‘Reign Man’ inked a deal with an Italian club for 2008-09.

The Italian team Premiata Montegranaro announced on Sunday that 38-year-old Shawn Kemp has agreed to play for the team starting in November.

"I am happy that a player that has made basketball history would come to Montegranaro," coach Alessandro Finelli said.

Finelli believed that the six-time NBA All-Star, who last played in the NBA in 2002-03, could still contribute.

"He is very motivated," Finelli said. "And he has been staying in shape to show up at our camp in good shape." (ESPN)

The news got me reminiscing. Not too long ago Kemp was a superstar –in fact, he was the second best player in the 1996 Seattle-Chicago Final, where the Sonics took Michael Jordan’s Bulls to six games.

His personal issues soon set in. There were drugs and enough baby-mama-drama to keep Jerry Springer and Dr. Phil busy for an entire season. Unfortunately, these off-court issues overshadowed his explosive play, which reminds many of Orlando’s Dwight Howard.

The Howard comparison is interesting because Kemp has recently claimed he’s the best big man dunker ever. Watching the highlights he could be right. Notice I said could be.

Of course, Howard warrants consideration after winning the Slam Dunk Title last February. Year ago, Darryl Dawkins –another post who went from high school straight to the pros- tore up the NBA by breaking backboards and poster-jobbing opponents.

With Kemp back in basketball, we decided to re-ignite this classic debate. Who is the best big man dunker of all-time: Kemp, Howard or Dawkins?

Option 1: Shawn Kemp, the newest Italian.

 

Option 2: Dwight Howard throwing down in games.

Option 3: Darryl Dawkins also known as ’Chocolate Thunder’.


Kemp, Howard, or Dawkins? Who is the best big man dunker ever? Get at us in the comment box below and come back to HoopsVibe The Blog for more NBA tidbits. Photo courtesy of majiscup. Part of this post has appeared before in HoopsVibe.



17 Comments: Best Big Man Dunker Ever: Italy’s Shawn Kemp, Team USA’s Dwight (...)

Posted by
chuck
on 02.17.2009		 the reignmanonce he dunked so hard sparks flew off the rim and the chain links .
Posted by

on 01.1.2009		 it’s Shawn Kemp. That’s very obvious. Kemp was way better than Howard during his prime. Kemp’s dunks were not easy, ’cause he do his acrobatic and thunderous dunks with 1-2 guys trying to stop him in the air from doing it. and he looks gracious in the air every time he do it. .
Posted by

on 10.17.2008		 Kemp and Howard would just be Darryl’s ball boys. Darryl was simply the best power dunker of all time.His charisma is missed in the NBA.He just didn’t take life so serious. .
Posted by
JELLON
on 09.12.2008		 NO DOUBT IT’S THE REIGN MANHOWARD LOOKS WAY TOO HEAVY WHEN HE DUNKS. NOT LIKE KEMP WHO MOVES LIGHT AND FAST YET VERY POWERFUL .
Posted by

on 08.29.2008		 shawn kemp .
Posted by
Macy
on 08.24.2008		 Shawn Kemp .
Posted by
Dave
on 08.21.2008		 Of these three, you can’t deny that Kemp is #1. Kenyon Martin should be in the mix. .
Posted by

on 08.20.2008		 Shawn "the reign man" was the man, could have easily dunked over howard and choc thunder .
Posted by

on 08.19.2008		 Howard easily!!! .
Posted by
yya
on 08.19.2008		 Kemp All Day dwight is good and dawkins was good the only reason he shattered backboards because of back in the day they were weak and the rims had no support like springs and he dad that two handed one all the time Kemp thoush was gettin up there and his slams were harder and more fierce .
Posted by

on 08.19.2008		 Got to go with Choc. Thunder .
Posted by
KING MIKE
on 08.19.2008		 I’M GOING WITH (SHAWN KEMP)......HE WAS A BEAST IN HIS TIME. .
Posted by
in yo face disgrace
on 08.19.2008		 yeah kemp is numero uno. dawkins 2nd then howard, howards a dunking machine, so much power, by the end of his career id say hel have had better highlights then dawkins, but not yet.

id put amare stoudemire up there probly top 5 what a pitty he got injured tho .
Posted by

on 08.18.2008		 Shawn kemp easily, dwight jumps high, but he does the same dunk every single time, his dunks arent as entertaining as the shawns, and therefore hes the best bigman dunker. This dawkins guy is not that bad at all. hes even better than dwight in my opinion. .
Posted by

on 08.18.2008		 Kemp All Day...Sorry But It’s Kemp .
Posted by
Reign Man
on 08.18.2008		 Kemp is better than Howard -by a mile. .
Posted by
that one guy
on 08.18.2008		 shawn bradley .
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Oly Sandor is an NBA analyst and sports journalist based out of Vancouver, Canada.After years of the free-lance game, Oly Sandor is bringing his unique brand of NBA analysis exclusively to (...) More  






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© 2009 CraveOnline Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved. NBA Blog : Best Big Man Dunker Ever: Italy’s Shawn Kemp, Team USA’s Dwight Howard, or Darryl Dawkins? - Updated on 08.18.2008