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WATCH: The 30 best dunkers in college basketball

22-malik-monk

Malik Monk (Kentucky Athletics)

Everyone loves dunks. So here are the 30 best dunkers in college basketball, with video evidence. Clear out 20 minutes for this.

But first, a note: Here are links to all our preview coverage. Read through and get ready for college hoops.
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30. Zach Smith, Texas Tech

A 6-foot-8 forward with a better-than 40 inch vertical, Smith is a guy that will catch a lot of lobs and tip-dunks even if he isn’t the kind of player that will win dunk contests.

29. New Williams, Auburn

Now New Williams is a guy that could certainly win a dunk contest. The question is whether or not he’ll actually get into a game to show what he can do.

28. Mo Alie-Cox, VCU

Mo isn’t the tallest big man that you’ll see in the collegiate ranks, but good luck finding someone that is stronger or more powerful than the VCU center.

27. Khalil Iverson, Wisconsin

He’s not the most well-known of the Wisconsin Badgers, but he is maybe the only guy on the roster that can actually finish this dunk.

26. Chimezie Metu, USC

Metu has the kind of size and athleticism that will attract NBA scouts to USC games all season long, thanks to dunks like this.

25. Malik Pope, San Diego State

Pope has worlds of potential because he’s 6-foot-10, he can play the wing and he can do things like this. Consistently producing is a different story.

24. Dwayne Bacon, Florida State

Bacon turned into one of the best scorers in the ACC as a freshman, but don’t forget that he won the McDonald’s All-American dunk contest.

23. Darius Thompson, Virginia

Someone is going to have to step up for UVA and replace the offense that Malcolm Brogdon provided. I don’t know if that will be Thompson, but we’re OK with it as long as he does this more often.

22. Allonzo Trier, Arizona

Trier doesn’t seem like he’d be the most explosive dunker, but when he gets into space he is a powerful finisher.

21. Sindarius Thornwell, South Carolina

Thornwell has flown under the radar throughout his career, but as a senior, if he keeps doing this he’ll get some more attention.

20. Tyrique Jones, Xavier

He’ll replace Jalen Reynolds as the most vicious dunker in the Xavier front court.

19. Zena Edosomwan, Harvard

Edosomwan is a freakishly powerful athlete, and given that he’s playing in the Ivy League, he’ll have a chance to do this quite a bit.

18. Quinndary Weatherspoon, Mississippi State

Weatherspoon morphed into one of the best freshman in the SEC last season, partly for plays like this.

17. Hassan Martin, Rhode Island

Martin is one of the most explosive players in the country when healthy. Let’s hope he stays healthy this season.

16. Garland Owens, Boston College

You probably don’t know the name Garland Owens, but any dunkers list without him on it is one that you shouldn’t pay any attention to. Why? This is why.

15. Prince Ali, UCLA

He’s about the fifth-most well-known guard on UCLA’s roster, which is impressive when you consider that he’s done this multiple times in his short UCLA career.

14. Jaron Blossomgame, Clemson

Blossomgame is a sleeper NBA Draft prospect. He’s a good defender, a big wing and a three-point threat, but he’s also an athlete capable of doing things like this.

13. Rashawn Thomas, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

Thomas is one of the best dunkers at the mid-major level.

12. Rayjon Tucker, FGCU

The highlights weren’t quite there as a freshman, but no one was more impressive dunking the ball on the AAU circuit than Tucker.

11. Bam Adebayo, Kentucky

He is going to break a backboard this year. I’m convinced of it.

10. Josh Jackson, Kansas

He’s a freaky athlete that compares favorably to Andrew Wiggins.

9. Edmond Sumner, Xavier

Sumner is the surprising name on this list. Thanks to a late growth spurt and a redshirt year to get stronger, he’s now a 6-foot-6 athlete that is thrilling in the open floor.

8. Donovan Mitchell, Louisville

Mitchell is so strong and so powerful with such long arms that plays like this seem ordinary for him.

7. Grayson Allen, Duke

Love him or hate him, you cannot deny that Allen is a freight train in transition with the explosiveness to dunk in traffic.

6. Dennis Smith Jr., N.C. State

Now that his knee is back to 100% healthy, Smith looks like he might end up being a top three pick in the NBA Draft because of explosiveness like this. (No. 8 here is ridiculous.)

5. Kerwin Roach, Texas

This really might be one of the five best dunks I’ve seen in college basketball.

4. Malik Monk, Kentucky

When he’s got it going, there is not a more thrilling player in college basketball this season than Malik Monk.

3. Deonte Burton, Iowa State

This is still one of my favorite moments covering college hoops. I can’t believe how much power there is in this dunk.

2. Miles Bridges, Michigan State

Bridges is the most powerful player in the country this season. He is going to destroy at least one defender’s confidence.

1. Kwe Parker, Tennessee

I’m not ashamed to admit I’m a Kwe Parker birther. I will not believe he is human until I see a birth certificate.