You don't get the nickname "The High-Ayatolla of Slamola" for just an occasional dunk here and there. Before Jordan there was Larry and I'm not talking about Bird either. Nance who was a 3-Time NBA All-Star had a great all around game but he loved to dunk and dunk is what he did best. In 1984 the very first NBA dunk contest was held in Denver and Nance was a contestant but he was conflicted when the contest. Nance wanted to be respected as a great player, not a great dunker. Winning the contest 25 years ago only made him worry more that, as the new "Ayatollah of Slamola," his game would be typecast. Nance would prove to be a dunk-champ anomaly - a big man who outperformed Dominique Wilkins and sentimental favorite Julius Erving with reverses, cradles and a toss off the backboard. I would say a good portion of the dunks you see today were inspired by Nance, so all the youngans out there......pay homage!
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