Shaq Johnson dominates NBA’s No. 2 pick in dunk contest
Note: Fast forward to the 2:02 point of the above video to see Shaq’s award-winning dunks
Is Shaq Johnson the best dunker in the history of Georgia high school basketball? We debated that topic in a recent blog here.
Johnson, who just started his senior year at Milton High School, added to his legendary status by winning the Under Armour Dunk Contest at Venice Beach, Calif., on Friday.
The featured contestant was Derrick Williams, the No. 2 pick of the NBA Draft.
“Derrick Williams had no idea what he was getting into with Shaq there,” Milton coach David Boyd said with a laugh. “Derrick Williams didn’t even know who Shaq was. He does now.”
The rest of the field consisted of 24 high schoolers, including Johnson, who committed early to Auburn.
The 6-foot-4 Johnson won with a windmill dunk, a high-flying dunk that cleared 6-foot-9 Tony Parker of Miller Grove High School, and a circus dunk by going through his legs and jamming left-handed.
Whatever you see on the above video does not compare to the below video. That’s the one that stirred the debate about: Who is the best dunker in the history of Georgia high school basketball? We think it’s Shaq, although there are a lot of old-timers that keep bringing up the name of Darrin Hancock.
What do you think? State your case below
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58 comments Add your comment
DeepDiver
August 28th, 2011
6:02 am
Scuse me, let me just slide into the first position here…
5manattackmachine
August 28th, 2011
6:05 am
looks like Tony Parker got teabagged!
anijahsdad
August 28th, 2011
6:10 am
Played against Darrin Hancock in high school. Hancock was one hell of an athlete. Managed to avoid getting dunked on by him. Hancock and Shaq are different kinds of dunkers. Shaq is like Dominique Wilkins, a two foot jumper. Darrin Hancock was a one foot jumper like Jordan. Don’t know who is the better dunker, they both are pretty good. But I will tell you that Hancock was probably the better athlete, he finished in the top three in the state 200m in track, at 6′6.
Joe
August 28th, 2011
6:48 am
Where do 24 high school kids come up with the scratch to spend a few days in Venice Beach? Basketball is more corrupt than the APS. I think Bill Campbell would make a great college basketball coach. He would fit right in with John Calipari and the litany of AAU scumbags.
Chi Town
August 28th, 2011
7:38 am
He sure will look great in CRIMSON next year.
what?
August 28th, 2011
8:11 am
no dominique wilkins? how soon we forget.
really dont think that most of today’s players can hold a candle to the old guard. tooooo many me player that concentrate on whatever strength they have and disregard fundamentals etc.
i was not impressed with those dunks sorry. they need to review some of the old timey dunks from guys like spud webb for instance.
im with joe.....
August 28th, 2011
8:14 am
these kids already think they are privileged. lord knows they dont need any more coddling.
stars before they’ve accomplished a thing.
maybe j crit would have been a better human being had he not gone this route too.
Tubby
August 28th, 2011
8:56 am
Ismail Muhammad…end of story!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoUNS_Sgbxs&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kh_efCaIFbM&feature=related
Dewayne
August 28th, 2011
9:05 am
Ok he can dunk!! But can he shoot or do free throws? just wondering
Teriyaki Dawg
August 28th, 2011
9:54 am
I find Hooters girls very attractive. I want to touch them.
Teriyaki Dawg
August 28th, 2011
9:58 am
Hooters girls just get me. They look good and they bring me beer….now if I could only get them to go home with me…..
Teriyaki Dawg
August 28th, 2011
10:07 am
I want a sandwich from Hooters right now!!!!! A boob sandwich.
hugedawgfan
August 28th, 2011
10:08 am
what contest? Not even close-appreciate the other guys showing up though.
Fan of the Game
August 28th, 2011
10:17 am
I could care less if he can dunk. Can he play defense and shoot? AAU, college basketball and these Prep schools are all corrupt. Just like alot of our society. These kids think they are entitled to stuff instead of earning it.
Hubie Green
August 28th, 2011
11:06 am
Winning that Slam Dunk contest is a great way for Shaq to finish the summer. He went from a two star player in the Spring and not ranked to a four star player and #93. He should be set to have a great senior year for Milton. Great recognition for the state of Georgia; not everyday you beat a pro. He and Travis Leslie have a lot of similarities.
Frank Lane
August 28th, 2011
11:31 am
Your earlier article listed his top five schools and Auburn was not among them. Has he actually committed to Auburn?
BOOGIES THE MAN FROM HARTWELL GA
August 28th, 2011
11:35 am
who gives a rip about Shaq or the Nba.
TampaGator
August 28th, 2011
11:56 am
Give me the “ultimate team player” over the “human highlight film player” every single time.
TampaGator
August 28th, 2011
11:58 am
About the only time a dunk wins a big game against a great team is in the NBA….not in college…and the reason I watch college basketball and never watch NBA basketball.
How soon we forget...
August 28th, 2011
1:24 pm
Nique didn’t play high school basketball in Georgia. But Herb “Elevator” White did …
Ernest
August 28th, 2011
2:50 pm
This is on ESPNU between 2:00 and 3:00 pm. Just saw the dunk mentioned in the blog. Not bad…
Milton Hoops
August 28th, 2011
5:09 pm
Fan of the Game: yes. He can play defense and shoot. And pass. And listen to his coach. And respect refs. He is a good young man. Celebrate it. Can’t wait to follow him and nolte at milton this season
Milton Hoops
August 28th, 2011
5:10 pm
Oh and he would have started on EVERY other team in the state last year – and all but a few in the country.
mase
August 28th, 2011
6:39 pm
Don Mason, a 6 footer out of dyersburg, tn with a 50 in vertical can soar over 5 guys that are 6′9..chose a gr8 military career… Michael Wilson, 6′5, a former globetrotter out of Memphis Melrose has a vertical of 55 inches….Hancock had wings, but these guys are good….
DBishop
August 28th, 2011
6:58 pm
Did the play by play on Griffin High games during Darrin’s career, he was unreal. Of many dunks that I called him doing, the one that sticks out is him coming downcourt at full speed and jumping a defender that had set up for a charge and dunking. The entire gym stood and applauded what they had just witnessed. He and Kenny Walker were the two best I ever saw in high school.
Taco
August 28th, 2011
7:24 pm
Who Rock! Hancock was the bomb!
bitter cravell hate---er
August 28th, 2011
10:20 pm
banne me new guy———————cravell————-this close to the biggest jaw-ja buuldogs game
———in 31 years and you——–looser have to write about some hood–lim—-ducking a b/ball
—————————-just saying——————-cravell——-you bamma fan you
Football Fan
August 28th, 2011
10:45 pm
Darrin Hancock was the best ever. When he went to Kansas for college Roy Williams said he was the best pure athlete he ever had in college and that is saying a lot. Also Hancock guarded Michael Jordan in the Bulls/Hornets playoff series and was able to fly high to keep up with MJ as well as could be expected.
Auntie
August 28th, 2011
11:05 pm
Shaq did his thing! This was a dunk contest and that’s what he was judged on. Yes, he can shoot. He is also a very humble young man and a team player. Shaquille did an awesome job representing the state of Georgia. Very proud of him!
Dan
August 28th, 2011
11:10 pm
Who Rock, Who Rock?!?!?
Hancock, Hancock!!!
marcu
August 28th, 2011
11:35 pm
It is funny how a simple question can go to someone questioning a young man character. The kid is a great dunker, don’t know if he is the best. I have not seen them all but from what I see he should be in the conversation. They went to Venise Beach because it was sponsored by UA.
bitter crowd--ed----uga "D"--backs
August 28th, 2011
11:38 pm
nite/nite cravell————-ps—-cravell is secretly—–tide roll———-hahahahahah
———–dunk that new guy——————–just saying————–hahahahaha
fan
August 29th, 2011
1:16 am
you right about darrin hancock it was a must see game when they played washington
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August 29th, 2011
1:48 am
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Droopy74
August 29th, 2011
8:32 am
This kid from Milton is extremely explosive; however being a fan of the old high school version of basketball.
Hancock Hands Down – The dunks in the game at Washington, Douglass, GA Tech Coliseum vs Westover and cannot forget the dunk vs SW Macon over Sherrod Wright and Newbill and some official called a charged.
1990 McDonald’s All American and Dunk Contest Winner at the event.
This is an easy answer.
Flo-Ri-Duh
August 29th, 2011
9:43 am
He can dunk but ask him to shoot fro 10 feet out and he can’t handle it. Also his defense is average at best. Talent but unrefined to say the last.
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BlueDawg
August 29th, 2011
11:10 am
And he played 6 minutes in the championship game as they lost to Norcross.
DawgFan
August 29th, 2011
11:47 am
love to see the kid from Georgia REPRESENT! Go Shaq, even if you’re not playing for the Dawgs!
dawgs01
August 29th, 2011
11:57 am
Hancock out of Griffin could jump out of the gym Griffin produces so many athletes it is unreal something in the water in that old mill town. I think his son just signed with fort valley state would not be surprised if he inded up in the NFL like so many Griffin kids do that go to small colleges but with hard work they make to the league. Watch out for Bobby Rainey out of Western Kentucky from Griffin High is the senior RB at WKU and will be a third round draft pick this year was second in the NCAA to CAM Newton in total yards and second to the Oregon RB in rush yards He did that with no help and with two less games he is that whole team would be at a big time program if he would have had the grades. THis kid will come out of nowhere next draft season and people will be like who is this kid repping G-town
Lowcountry bulldawg is a d---he
August 29th, 2011
12:40 pm
Come to Athens…. become a loser!
Phuch Le` Duch
August 29th, 2011
7:16 pm
[pronounced / foosh le duke]
I’ve heard about a white kid in N.Ga. by the name of Bishop.
It bears looking into.
Georgia state high jump champion 7′ 4″.
National Champion high jumper at North Carolina 7′ 7″.
I understand he was the best dunker ever and not just HS.
He stood, supposedly, 6-2, with a seven ft, plus wingspan,
and had hands similar to Dr. J.
I’ve heard stories or legends;
that he could palm a basketball with only his thumb and little finger.
Also, that he could sit in a chair and tie his shoes without bending over.
All adding up to an impressive formula for a dunking machine.
Phuch Le` Duch
August 29th, 2011
7:24 pm
[pronounced / foosh le duke]
*follow up:
Whether this man is myth, fable or actual history;
I do not know ?
If anyone has info or if he is an urban myth – chime in ?
Supposedly he played in the 80’s or 90’s maybe ?
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