Ranking Top 8 WNBA Dunks Of All Time

Basketball history features the dunk as its most famous athletic feature. At the start of the game, dunking did not play a leading role but during the 1980s and 1990s, it started getting more spotlight. It started because stars such as Michael Jordan, Dominique Wilkins, and Vince Carter combined strength and personal style in their dunks.

Now to answer the question of what is a dunk, it is when players lift themselves in the air to guide the ball beyond the rim’s level. Now this move provides them two points as part of field goal scoring in basketball. The term “dunk shot” describes this action. Later Chick Hearn created the now-famous word slam dunk as a broadcasting term for the Los Angeles Lakers.

In 2002 Lisa Leslie achieved the historic mark of dunking in WNBA history which led to breakthroughs due to her exceptional athletic qualities. The 6’5″ height combined with Leslie’s excellent jumping ability, basketball IQ, and incredible strength qualified her among the high-class basketball players.

List of Players with Most WNBA Dunks in History

Here is the list of WNBA athletes with the best dunking record. The women in this league display amazing athletic abilities while executing impressive high-flying dunks which remain rare occurrences in the sport.

#8. Awak Kuier, Dallas Wings,1 Dunk

Awak Kuier was the second overall selection in the WNBA Draft by the Dallas Wings (2021). In the 2022 season, the player competed for Dallas at 33 games while delivering 2.8 points alongside 2.5 rebounds and 0.9 blocks per game. The dunk during a breakaway before June 2022, sparked her status as the WNBA’s 8th dunker against the Seattle team.

In the third quarter of the Dallas Wings versus Chicago Sky match Awak Kuier entered a transitional game situation. Following defensive stops or ball rebounds the Wings conducted fast passes which enabled them to initiate a quick offensive transition. Kuier was positioned perfectly as the Dallas Wings executed a forward ball push leaving her unguarded in front of the basket. Her elevated height along with her speed reached its peak during fast break plays.

The 6’4″ height of Kuier provided her with the necessary block but her combination of vertical jump and athletic capabilities was essential for the successful dunk. After moving toward the basket she exploded toward the height to finish the jump.

#7. Michelle Snow, Houston Comets, 1 Dunk

The historical moment happened on November 30, 2000, when Michelle joined only two other NCAA college basketball women who executed a successful game dunk. She performed a dunk and gained recognition as at that time it was very rare to perform a dunk. It was her 6-foot-5-inch height that proved to be more advantageous to reach such a milestone. After being successful in her college career she is being selected by Houston Comets.

In the year 2005, Michelle Snow played for the Houston Comets while showcasing her dominant post presence and exceptional defensive blocking. The dunk took place in a fast break when Snow applied her six-foot-five height as a center to drive for the basket.

#6. Jonquel Jones, Connecticut Sun,1 Dunk

The only dunk of her WNBA career occurred when Jonquel Jones performed during a normal season matchup between the Connecticut Sun and Washington Mystics teams on July 7th, 2021. The dunk happened as her position was near the basket where she stood during an inbounds play and received the pass which produced an open route to the basket.

Jones successfully performed a one-handed dunk because of her 6 feet 6 inches height with natural athletic capabilities. Now coming to her current accolades she holds 2021 KIA WNBA Most Valuable Player, 2018 Sixth Woman of the Year, and 2017 Most Improved Player awards near her.

#5. Liz Cambage, Australia,2 Dunks

The Opals collected another victory at the London Olympics after Liz Cambage led them through their tough game against Russia which ended 70-66. The 6’6 leading scorer acquired 17 points in addition to a memorable dunk. This helped Australia achieve their fourth win from a total of four matches in Group B.

The players performed the dunk while the game reached its second-quarter mark while Cambage found herself in the key lane where she positioned during a fast break before receiving a passing ball in front of the basket. Cambage successfully elevated and dunked the ball to finish the play with a one-handed dunk.

Alongside Cambage Suzy Batkovic delivered 15 points while the Opals maintained a slight advantage throughout most of the match. The Australians allowed Russia to close their lead but Russia built a comeback that brought them two points behind in the final moments.

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#4. Sylvia Fowles, Chicago Sky,2 Dunks

The audience of over 9,500 viewers delivered a standing ovation to WNBA great Sylvia Fowles as she performed a dunk during her breakaway during the initial half of the 2022 All-Star Game. During a break at full speed, she received a flawless pass before slamming it with a single-hand dunk. Sylvia delivered a slow yet strong dunk which displayed her dominance and athletic skills during her key lane moves.

The audience applauded her due to her endurance to perform a dunk and achieve such a milestone. Fowles was enthusiastically welcomed by her teammates on Team Wilson after she joined from her former team Chicago Sky to Minnesota Lynx in 2015 and helped them secure two championship titles there.

#3. Lisa Leslie, Los Angeles Sparks, 2 Dunks

The dunk happened while Leslie played a fast break during the second half of the match. Leslie received a perfect throw from Taj McWilliams-Franklin while trailing at the play as the Sparks team rushed toward the offensive end. When Leslie caught the ball it was perfectly timed as she stood adjacent to the basket without any barriers on her route.

Because Leslie was six feet five inches in height, she could smoothly lift herself up toward the basket. She demonstrated her exceptional jumping ability and body poise by snagging the ball before dunking it one-handed. A loud celebration from the crowd began when Leslie executed the dunk.

#2. Candace Parker, Los Angeles Sparks, 2 Dunks

Candace Parker reached a historic achievement by being the first WNBA athlete to perform two dunks in one WNBA game. With her size of 6’4″ Parker waited in the perfect spot that allowed her to catch a pass before finishing the move. As a standout for dunking contests, Parker brought a combination of strength and speed which made her well-suited for break situations. McWilliams-Franklin passed the ball to Parker when she advanced through the play.

Despite not reaching peak heights like male athletes during the dunk she managed to reach enough height through her body size and strength to execute the play dominantly. Parker’s vertical leap enabled the 6’4″ player to clear any defensive hurdle on her path to the rim since she was of sufficient height but her jumping motion protected her from blocks. Parker handled the ball perfectly to prevent any errors before properly throwing it through the hoop with sufficient power for a successful basket.

#1. Brittney Griner, Phoenix Mercury, 27 Dunks

WNBA history identifies Brittney Griner as the most skillful dunker of all time in league history. Griner performed her first slam dunk of the 2023 season when she received the pass and approached the key lane and then lifted to dunk with one hand over a defender due to her 6’7″ height and athleticism.
She displayed natural elevation before performing a powerful dunk which ended the play without hesitation. The spectators around the area lost control in excitement as they cheered for Griner’s athletic dunk.

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First woman to dunk in WNBA

During a Los Angeles Sparks vs Miami Sol WNBA regular-season match Lisa Leslie became the first WNBA player to complete a dunk when she did so on July 30th, 2002. The game took a historic turning point because it showed the rising performance capabilities and athletic abilities of WNBA players. The WNBA star Lisa Leslie is one of the top dominant players because of her achievements.

Leslie’s successful dunk occurred during the final minutes of the second quarter phase of the match. Her physical attributes such as her strength and height provided her with what she needed but her training and expertise allowed her to achieve such an impressive action.

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The moment of her dunk ranked among her career’s most significant achievements when considering her achievements of two WNBA championships, an MVP award, and four Olympic gold medals. The milestone of a WNBA dunk belonged to Leslie after her successful exploit, even though Debbie Black and Charlotte Smith had executed similar moves in international games previously because of Leslie’s total career graph.