Perfect scores in the Dunk Contest: How many times Mac McClung, Vince Carter and more achieved 50-point dunks
The allure of the perfect score—the flashing "50" across the judges' LED screens—remains the ultimate currency of NBA All-Star Saturday Night. Following the festivities of the 2026 All-Star Weekend, the hierarchy of high-flyers has shifted, cementing a new era of aerial artists alongside the game's greatest legends.
While the Slam Dunk Contest has seen format changes, judge rotations, and evolving criteria, the "50" remains the gold standard. Historically, Aaron Gordon held the crown for the highest volume of perfection. Despite never officially winning a trophy, the Denver Nuggets forward amassed eight perfect scores, largely stemming from his legendary 2016 duel and his 2020 runner-up finish.
However, the modern era has a new co-king. Mac McClung, the G-League sensation turned three-time Dunk Contest champion (2023-2025), has tied Gordon at the summit. With a staggering eight perfect scores accumulated during his historic three-peat run, McClung has turned the "50" from a rarity into an expectation. His 2023 debut featured three perfect tallies, followed by a clutch 50 in 2024 and a dominant showing in 2025 that vaulted him up the all-time list.
Sitting just behind them is Zach LaVine, whose back-to-back titles in 2015 and 2016 produced seven perfect scores. LaVine’s floating, through-the-legs mechanics set a technical bar that forced judges to recalibrate their grading scales for the next decade.
Below the modern triumvirate lie the contest’s founding fathers and early innovators. Michael Jordan, Dominique Wilkins, and Jason Richardson each recorded five perfect scores in their careers. Their dunks—from Jordan’s free-throw line liftoff to Richardson’s off-the-glass windmills—defined the event's golden eras.
Perhaps most surprisingly, the man often considered the greatest dunker of all time, Vince Carter, sits lower on the volume list with three perfect scores. Yet, context is key: Carter only participated once, in 2000. His three 50s that night in Oakland were not just scores; they were cultural resets that arguably hold more weight than higher counts achieved in longer, multi-round formats. While McClung and Gordon have the quantity, Carter’s efficiency remains untouched.
While the Slam Dunk Contest has seen format changes, judge rotations, and evolving criteria, the "50" remains the gold standard. Historically, Aaron Gordon held the crown for the highest volume of perfection. Despite never officially winning a trophy, the Denver Nuggets forward amassed eight perfect scores, largely stemming from his legendary 2016 duel and his 2020 runner-up finish.
However, the modern era has a new co-king. Mac McClung, the G-League sensation turned three-time Dunk Contest champion (2023-2025), has tied Gordon at the summit. With a staggering eight perfect scores accumulated during his historic three-peat run, McClung has turned the "50" from a rarity into an expectation. His 2023 debut featured three perfect tallies, followed by a clutch 50 in 2024 and a dominant showing in 2025 that vaulted him up the all-time list.
Sitting just behind them is Zach LaVine, whose back-to-back titles in 2015 and 2016 produced seven perfect scores. LaVine’s floating, through-the-legs mechanics set a technical bar that forced judges to recalibrate their grading scales for the next decade.
Below the modern triumvirate lie the contest’s founding fathers and early innovators. Michael Jordan, Dominique Wilkins, and Jason Richardson each recorded five perfect scores in their careers. Their dunks—from Jordan’s free-throw line liftoff to Richardson’s off-the-glass windmills—defined the event's golden eras.
Perhaps most surprisingly, the man often considered the greatest dunker of all time, Vince Carter, sits lower on the volume list with three perfect scores. Yet, context is key: Carter only participated once, in 2000. His three 50s that night in Oakland were not just scores; they were cultural resets that arguably hold more weight than higher counts achieved in longer, multi-round formats. While McClung and Gordon have the quantity, Carter’s efficiency remains untouched.
