2026-08-08, Simply Saturday

The men don’t need to travel for that. The best could dunk from the free throw line. If they can dunk from the free-throw line, they certainly don’t need to travel for a regular dunk 😁

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Brave Ai: Yes, Michael Jordan famously dunked from the free-throw line on multiple occasions, most notably during the 1987 and 1988 NBA Slam Dunk Contests. 

• 1987 Contest: Jordan executed the dunk in Seattle to win his first Slam Dunk title, dribbling the ball before taking off from the line. 

• 1988 Contest: He performed the dunk again in Chicago against Dominique Wilkins, scoring a perfect 50 to defend his title. 

• Technical Detail: While iconic, slow-motion replays and analysis suggest Jordan’s takeoff foot was slightly in front of or on the line rather than cleanly behind it, allowing him to maximize hang time and vertical reach. 

• Other Occasions: Jordan also completed a tip-dunk from near the free-throw line during a regular-season game against the Philadelphia 76ers in 1990 and performed variations of the dunk in street clothes during exhibition events. 

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Brave Ai: Yes, Wilt Chamberlain reportedly dunked from the free-throw line, but his feat differed significantly from Michael Jordan’s in context and execution. 

Key Differences and Evidence
• The Feat: Chamberlain was said to be capable of dunking from the free-throw line without a running start (or with only a 2-3 step approach from the top of the key), utilizing his 7’1″ height, 7’8″ wingspan, and estimated 48-50 inch vertical leap. 

• Jordan and Julius Erving required a full-court running start to generate enough momentum.

• Purpose: Chamberlain used this ability as a method to shoot free throws during his college days at the University of Kansas. 

• Because the rules at the time allowed a shooter to leave the floor before the ball crossed the plane of the foul line (as long as they didn’t touch the line or court inside it before the ball went in), he could technically “dunk” a free throw.

• Rule Change: His ability directly caused the NCAA to change the rules in 1956 (and later the NBA), mandating that a free-throw shooter must keep both feet behind the line until the ball touches the rim or backboard. 

• This effectively banned the practice before Chamberlain could do it in an official professional game.

• Evidence: Unlike Jordan’s iconic televised dunks, there is no known video or photographic evidence of Chamberlain dunking from the line in a game. 

The claims rely on:

• Eyewitness Testimony: Primarily from Tex Winter (a rival coach and later NCAA rules committee head), who stated he saw Chamberlain do it multiple times in a 1955 freshman-scrimmage.

• Chamberlain’s Own Account: Wilt confirmed in a 1989 interview that he practiced the move, stating, “I would take a step back to just inside the top of the circle, take off from behind the line and dunk.”

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Brave Ai: Yes, Julius Erving famously dunked from the free-throw line, predating Michael Jordan’s iconic performances by over a decade. 

The 1976 ABA Slam Dunk Contest
Erving executed the dunk during the first-ever Slam Dunk Contest at the 1976 ABA All-Star Game in Denver. 

• The Setup: While the rules only required a dunk from 10 feet out, Erving decided to “exaggerate” the requirement for showmanship. He started his run-up from the opposite free-throw line. 

• The Execution: Unlike Jordan, who dribbled the ball the full length of the court, Erving started his sprint from a standstill at the far line without dribbling. 

• The Takeoff: Slow-motion analysis reveals Erving’s takeoff foot was significantly over the line (closer to the basket) compared to Jordan’s later attempts, which were closer to the actual line. 

Influence on Michael Jordan
Erving is widely credited as the direct inspiration for Jordan:

• Mentorship: During the 1988 contest, Erving sat courtside and reportedly gestured for Jordan to “go back” and attempt the full length of the floor, advice Jordan credited for his winning dunk. 

• Legacy: While Jordan’s version is often considered more difficult due to the dribble and takeoff point, Erving’s 1976 performance introduced the concept to a national audience and established the free-throw line dunk as the ultimate standard of aerial ability.
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