Kenny Gregory (45.5-inch combine vert)- 1997 High School Dunk Contest (McDonald's All-American)

Despite being the most spectacular dunker throughout the evening's proceedings, a pair of critical misses on his final attempts knocked Kenny Gregory out of the top spot and instead gift-wrapped the 1997 McDonald's All-American dunk title to Baron Davis.

Standing 6’3.5” barefoot with a 8-foot-5 standing reach, Gregory boasted a max vertical of 45.5 inches (39.5 standing), both of which stood an NBA Combine records for 20 years before Keon Johnson emerged with a max vert of 48 inches (41.5 standing) in 2021.

Gregory played four years at Kansas, leading the Jayhawks to the Elite Eight in 2001 alongside a supporting cast that included future impact NBA players Drew Gooden, Nick Collison, and Kirk Hinrich. Gregory himself went undrafted in 2001 before embarking upon a decade-long international professional basketball career.

Footage courtesy of slam40dunk (aka EKH111), whose channel features a near endless supply of '90s and 2000s dunk highlights. The full 1997 McDonald's All-American Dunk Contest can be seen here:    • 1997 McDonald's All-American H.S. Dun...  

NBA Combine Vertical Leap Leaders (as of 2023): https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba/n...