It should come as no surprise top MLB talent had skills in other sports, but some of the league’s best participated in dunk contests throughout the 90’s, and they’re incredibly entertaining.
Cut4 assembled an impressive list of MLB stars facing off against a dunk contest. I suggest you check out their post here. We’re going to focus on two of the contests featuring some elite baseball talent.
The first Foot Locker Slam Fest dunk contest featured Hall-of-Famer Ken Griffey Jr. and Cleveland Indians speedster Kenny Lofton. Lofton played college basketball at the University of Arizona before choosing baseball. He pulled off a nice dunk here, while Griffey showed off some creativeness but ultimately didn’t finish his attempt.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUupyaNiW1s
Another matchup was Barry Bonds and Deion Sanders (who could apparently play basketball in addition to baseball and football). A mustachioed Bonds pulled off a high-flying bounce dunk for a 9.5, while Sanders blew a dunk to lose. Dick Vitale calling the whole thing makes it extra fun.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hj9tokcc8-A
Now, if they ever wanted to reboot the contest between non-basketball athletes, there’s a bunch of eligible candidates. Brett Lawrie showcased his leaping skills before, as did Taijuan Walker.
Or how about Dee Gordon pulling off a dunk on teammate Christian Yelich for real?
These highlights serve as perfect reminders that athletes across sports can be extremely talented in more than just one sport. That might seem unfair, but, when you’re blessed with natural athletic ability, your skill knows no bounds.
[MLB Cut4]
