When the Lakers acquired Shannon Brown from the Charlotte Bobcats not much was expected from the young guard. He had his occasional poster and every chance he got he would put on a show for the crowd. Little did the Lakers know that Shannon would blossom into a very good role player for the purple and gold.
He continues to change the momentum of games with thunderous dunks, and given to his improvement offensively, he is definitely a great spark off the bench. He has shown glimpses of a vastly improved offensive game, especially his overall shooting, but Shannon Brown will always cause you to stay on the edge of your seat when he goes up in the air. So in honor of one of the highest flyers in the game today, let’s take a look at Shannon Brown’s Top Five Dunks with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Number 5
At number five, one of Shannon Brown’s most recent amazing dunks was against the New Orleans Hornets on March 27th, 2011. The play unraveled because Jarrett Jack lost control of the ball and luckily for us Shannon Brown was there at the right place and time and picked up the ball with an open lane to the hoop. As everybody who is watching Brown and his clear path to the basket we can only wonder what he was going to do with the ball, and then he goes up with his right and while in the air switches hands and finishes with his left. Definitely not something that is seen everyday.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARTVPTZ-uVw
Next: Air in MSG
Number 4
Let’s stay in this season for the number four spot. The Lakers were visiting the Knicks in Madison Square Garden and on a break away Steve Blake is able to feed Shannon Brown with a high pass but Brown was able to get to the ball with his right hand. What happened next is what makes him special; Brown had time in the air to get both of his hands on the ball and finish with the emphatic dunk.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nX6tFgVQfMk
Next: Flying Higher than a Bird
Number 3
During the 2009 Western Conference Finals the Lakers were facing the Nuggets for a spot on the NBA Finals. In the always-crucial game five Shannon Brown poster-ized Chris “Birdman” Anderson after a turnover led to a fast break. Anderson who is better known for his defense and rebounding was going to contest Brown and challenge the dunk attempt. Brown got the better of Anderson and he created a poster for all of Lakers Nation to put on their wall or screen saver.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hg0abLeIKv0
Next: Get off me
Number 2
At the number two spot we are graced by Shannon Brown’s amazing ability to get off the ground. What is overlooked is his amazing timing, and that is understandable because his leaping ability is such a sight to see. In this occasion he gets a running start from the perimeter and times Kobe Bryant’s missed jumper to not only out jump everyone on the court but dunk on his own teammate. There was nothing stopping Brown from him getting to the ball and flushing it through the rim, not even a teammate.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8KfGYse4Iw
Next: WOW!
Number 1
Wow! That is the initial reaction when watching this dunk for the first time and although the dunk happened during a pre-season game, it will haunt Mikki Moore forever. In a pre-season match-up between the Lakers and Warriors in the Honda Center in Anaheim, Shannon Brown would electrify the crowd by poster-izing Mikki Moore. It started with Brown getting a steal and then managed to go the length of the court and go hard to the hole. As he lifted off the ground Mikki Moore decided he wanted to take a charge but was too late. Brown was able to plow through Moore, absorb the contact, and still dunk the basketball. The added bonus was the spin after the dunk and finished off with a smooth landing. It was the combination of air, contact, and power that elevated this dunk to the top.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NC4G69Uq6U4
Shannon Brown has spoiled Laker fans with his mind-blowing throw downs, but it seems like always has something up his sleeve. Whenever there is a fast break, missed shot, or strong drive to the basket by Shannon we can only wonder what is going to happen next!