It's 1986, in Dallas, in the middle of the All-Star game to watch the Slam Dunk Contest. This is the third edition of this competition, won in 1984 by Larry Nance, and in 1985 by Dominique Wilkins. The latter is also the big favorite to succeed him. The Hawks winger combines relaxation and power like no one else at that time.
Joining him for this competition are his brother (Gerald), the late Jerome Kersey, Paul Pressey, Roy Hinson, former Levallois player Terence Stansbury, and a certain Anthony “Spud” Webb, a rookie chosen in the 4th round of the 1985 Draft, whose 61st birthday we celebrate this July 13.
A regional player since he was born in Dallas, Spud Webb is the smallest player in the league. Unknown to the general public, everyone wonders what a 1m70 boy is doing there, among the giants.
A pioneer
It's 1986. No YouTube. No social media. The Hawks aren't necessarily favored by the national network, and few have actually seen him play.
Yet, one try will be enough to silence everyone. What follows are mind-blowing dunks for a boy of this size. Rarely have we seen such explosiveness and such ease.
In front of a crowd that was won over by his cause, Spud Webb won the competition against his teammate and favorite, Dominique Wilkins. A pioneer for a whole generation of players (Muggsy Bogues, Earl Boykins, Nate Robinson and Isaiah Thomas), he proved that year that he was more than just a dunker, averaging nearly 10 points.
Nearly forty years later, Spud Webb has returned to Dallas where he is the president of the Texas Legends, the G-League franchise, little sister of the Mavericks.
