Is it Shaquille O’Neal’s thunderous dunks or Vince Carter’s gravity-defying slams? Hard to say who gets the absolute call to rank a better dunker. But given the fact they both of them are legends in their own right, you’d assume the choices to come somewhat close. But during TNT’s Postgame Show, Vince Carter picked the Dunk of the Week, leaving Big Diesel in complete disbelief.
During the show, panelists Candace Parker, Adam Lefkoe, Shaquille O’Neal, and Vince Carter reviewed dunk highlights to select the Dunk of the Week. Shaquille O’Neal declared his choice to be the recent dunk by Denver Nuggets’ Christian Braun, where he put Brook Lopez on a poster during the last matchup against the Bucks.
Shaq’s rationale? The former Los Angeles Lakers star believes Braun dunked on Lopez, who was actively defending and not avoiding the play. The very same logic that made him question Vince Carter’s pick for Dunk of the year: Shaedon Sharpe.
Watching the highlight of Sharpe’s dunk, Shaq said, “Look, watch this guy [defender] move out the way. He moved out the way…” Candace Parker, however, tried backing Carter’s choice saying that was basically Shaedon Sharpe floating right by defense.
Furthermore, VC explained that part of his reason to pick Sharpe was the distance the Portland Trail Blazers covered, launching himself for the dunk. “Number two, the fact that he’s able to move and fly by. Slide by. Going away from the rim… And still dunking it with force.”
Both Parker and Carter picking Sharpe over the Nuggets’ Braun gave Big Diesel nothing but frustration, which he hilariously released on paper. Nevertheless, there is no denying that Sharpe’s poster dunk was spectacular in its own right.
A single dribble and Sharpe rising to post a one-handed dunk over Justin Champagnie: the visuals were a treat in themselves, but still paired with such energy that the Blazers star went crashing down to his back. The description alone screams Dunk of the Week. And that’s exactly what Parker and Carter did by a 2-1 vote against Shaq.
Shaedon Sharpe’s poster or Ja’s baseline jam @SHAQ couldn’t believe @mrvincecarter15‘s pick for dunk of the year pic.twitter.com/CnGs9Qp5Jp
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) March 5, 2025
But don’t get it twisted, Big Diesel, in no way, would’ve intended any disrespect against Cater’s judgement. If anything, he low-key misses the unrealistically athletic dunks by Vinsanity.
Shaquille O’Neal wanted Vince Carter to recreate his iconic dunk
Shaquille O’Neal has never been shy about giving props where they’re due. And when it comes to dunking, Vince Carter is in a league of his own, as mentioned earlier. After retiring and seeing his jersey immortalized, Carter enjoys life away from the NBA while staying connected to the game through TNT and NBA TV.
In a related moment of the show, Shaq highlighted his admiration for Carter’s dunking prowess. The 52-year-old playfully offered a substantial sum to see a reprise of Carter’s iconic dunk. Shaq offered Carter a jaw-dropping $200 million to come out of retirement and pull off his most iconic dunk one more time. And you already know which dunk Shaq was talking about.
The 2000 Slam Dunk Contest was stacked. It featured stars like Steve Francis, Tracy McGrady, and Jerry Stackhouse, but Carter owned the night. That between-the-legs dunk? Unforgettable. No wonder Shaq wanted to see it again. But Carter? He had the perfect response, joking, “Where’s the local hospital?”
It’s safe to say that neither of the stars is too proud of their own dunking abilities to disregard the other’s opinion without a strong belief of their own. So let’s call Carter putting a different Dunk of the Week on TNT what it is. A difference of opinion between two legends.
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