The best dunks from the NBA Rising Stars Challenge, scored

The Slam Dunk Contest is Saturday, but Friday Night’s Rising Stars Challenge had a bunch of incredible dunks, too. My roommate just poured me a glass of red wine. I think for the next 30 minutes, I’m qualified to be a Slam Dunk Contest judge, don’t you?

Originally, I had planned to just lay out some of the best dunks from the night. But nah, that’s boring. Let’s score em, too! This is inspired by my co-worker, Kofie Yeboah, who put an inordinate amount of time into re-scoring every single perfect score dunk in Dunk Contest history.

Let’s see what we’ve got.

Here were the ones that didn’t make it in, that I felt compelled to include in this post anyway.

Score: 0 out of 10

Next.

Score: 5

This was fun! They tried to end it all with a bang. Instead, they shot a triumvirate of blanks. Shoutouts to O.G. for trying the 360.

Score: 6

I literally did not know Markkanen had this in his dunk package.

Alright, we’ve had our fun. Let’s get to it. Here were the most fire dunks from the Rising Stars Challenge. I tried my hardest to score them. I didn’t score them as if they were in a dunk contest; instead I scored ‘em as in-game dunks.

Score: 6

The best part of this was the pass. But it didn’t leave Collins much room to be creative in mid-air because both the ball and Collins’ head were so close to the rim.

Score: 9

OH MY GOD.

Look at it again in slow mo.

Score: 8

De’Aaron Fox is gonna be special for at least two reasons: he can pass, and he’s fast as hell. He chased this ball down then some how connected on a pinpoint, no-look bounce pass alley-oop. Fox gets a 10, Bagley gets a 6.

Score: 8

I love put-back dunks, and turning your back to the rim while putting the ball back off of a rebound sounds difficult as hell. Good stuff, DeAndre.

Score: 10

LOOK AT HOW HIGH HE GOT UP!

The man is in the Slam Dunk contest and this is exactly why. (OK, the dope aerial camera angle may also have added a point or two, but who’s counting?)

Look at it again in slow motion.

Score: 8.5

Collins is obviously my pick to win the Slam Dunk Contest. You can clearly see why.

Score: 8

I had no idea Kuz had the windmill in his dunk package, but I’m also not surprised.

Score: 15

This man got assisted by someone on the opposite team, then threw down a 360 before time expired. Yeah, I know they’re actual real-life teammates in Sacramento, but the thought is still funny as hell.