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The best dunkers in NBA 2K22

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Is there anything more exciting in basketball than a high-flying dunk? A solid dunk is just as wild in NBA 2K22 — an energetic slam can embarrass your opponent, rev up the crowd, and turn the tide of a game if your team uses it as fuel. Most players in NBA 2K22 can dunk here and there, but you’re going to want to check out the best dunkers in the game at some point.

Whether you’re building a team of ultimate athletes in MyLeague or just want to throw down on a friend in PlayNow, these are the best dunkers in NBA 2K22 that you’ll want to play with.

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Zion Williamson

Zion Williamson in NBA 2K22.
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Zion Williamson is an absolute tank. The star forward and center for the New Orleans Pelicans is massive (just look at this man’s arms) but is somehow still athletic enough to throw down monster dunks at will against anyone who dares step in his way. In NBA 2K22, Williamson has a standing dunk rating of 95 and a driving dunk rating of 97, combined with a vertical rating of 99. In other words, you better get out of the way if you see Williamson headed to the rim.

Zach LaVine

Zach Lavine in NBA 2K22.
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Two-time NBA Dunk Contest winner Zach LaVine may have upped his shooting over the past couple of seasons, but he’s still a dunk master. Built as a Scoring Machine archetype in 2K22, LaVine can score from anywhere on the court. This just makes him a more dangerous dunker. Pump fake your defender out of his shoes at the 3-point line, then take it to the hole for a monster slam. Unlike other dunkers on this list, LaVine has the ball-handling skills and speed to beat his defender and get to the rim with ease.

Aaron Gordon

Aaron Gordon in NBA 2K22.
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An NBA Dunk Contest legend at this point, Aaron Gordon has more perfect-score dunks in the competition than any other participant in its history. Somehow, he’s never actually taken home the title, but he’s made up for it with some wild dunks in the regular season. Though the Denver Nuggets forward only has an overall rating of 78, his dunk-related states are top-notch — he’s got a 95 standing and driving dunk rating and a 92 vertical rating. He’s got ups.

Derrick Jones Jr.

Derrick Jones Jr. in NBA 2K22.
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At just a 75 overall rating, and as the only player on this list coming off the bench, Chicago Bulls’ Derrick Jones Jr. isn’t the best player to run your entire offensive through. He is the best player to put on your squad if you want fantastic dunks on back-to-back fastbreaks, though. Jones took home the NBA Dunk Contest crown in 2020 and can throw down just-as-impressive slams on the court. An Athletic Finisher archetype player, Jones has a 94 driving dunk rating, 93 vertical rating, and 90 hands rating, making him a great target for alley-oop passes.

Ja Morant

Ja Morant in NBA 2K22.
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Ja Morant is one of the rare dunking point guards in the league. The young Memphis Grizzlies is an offensive threat from anywhere on the floor but is known for downright embarrassing defenders who try to get in the way of his dunk attempts. Like LaVine, Morant has the ball-handling skills to take the ball to the rack all on his own. Combine his 92 ball-handle rating with a 94 driving-dunk rating and a speed rating of 92 — he’ll throw down a dunk and be back on defense before his defender realizes what happened.

These are the top five best dunkers in NBA 2K22, but they aren’t the only impressive athletes in the game. The list of other top-rated dunkers in 2K22 includes John Collins, Hamidou Diallo, Donovan Mitchell, Andrew Wiggins, and others.

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Sam Hill
Sam Hill
Gaming Guides Editor
Sam Hill is a journalist and the gaming guides editor at Digital Trends. He's also written tech guides for Input and has…
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