Скачать или смотреть Mickey Johnson - 1977 NBA Slam Dunk Contest

Aired May 6, 1977 - While the NBA's modern slam dunk contest format didn't debut until 1984, the league's first foray into organized slam dunkery actually occurred in 1976, just after the ABA debuted their own contest months prior. Contrary to the modern, single-event format, the NBA's inaugural dunk contest took place over the course of the 1976-77 season with players from various regions battling head-to-head for the right to advance. Rounds were generally televised during halftime of NBA on CBS broadcasts.

Here, Chicago Bulls forward Mickey Johnson was the odd man out in a three-player round-robin, doomed by his first round misses and securing a spot in the next round for both Darnell Hillman and Richard Washington. This was one of the few rounds that featured three competitors rather than a two-dunk head-to-head matchup.

As a semi-interesting sidenote, not only did Mickey Johnson compete in the 1977 Slam Dunk Contest, but he also returned to participate in the year-round battle of H-O-R-S-E the following year. His round against Cazzie Russell can be seen here:    • Cazzie Russell’s Perfect H-O-R-S-E Round v...  

The final round of the 1977 dunk contest was broadcast at halftime of the NBA Finals. There, Darnell Hillman defeated Larry McNeil with an array of dunks that featured significantly more flair than what Dawkins and Hayes offered in their own rounds. In 2017, Hillman was finally gifted an official NBA Slam Dunk contest trophy in a surprise presentation in Indiana:    • Darnell 'Dr. Dunk' Hillman finally gets hi...