Who are the top five dunkers in past 20 years of Gophers basketball?

Sophomore Jordan Murphy's latest slam makes a strong case for him to be among the top five best Gophers dunkers in the past 20 years.

February 13, 2017 at 7:14PM
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Jordan Murphy's thunderous dunk on Rutgers' 7-footer C.J. Gettys went viral Saturday after it got posted on Sportscenter's Twitter account – and tweeted by pretty much anyone who watched the video highlight.

It was sick, as in very awesome.

That led me to look back and rank my top five dunkers in the last 20 years of Gophers basketball. Let me know what you think. Does Murphy deserve to be on the list? Saturday's dunk wasn't the first and it won't be the last time the 6-foot-6 sophomore forward posterizes a defender.

1. RODNEY WILLIAMS JR. 6-foot-7 forward 2009-13 -- Arguably the best dunker ever from Minnesota

2. SAM JACOBSON 6-foot-6 guard 1994-98 -- Didn't earn the nickname Jewish Jordan for nothing (even though he's Catholic).

3. VINCENT GRIER 6-foot-5 guard 2004-06 -- He was a first-team All-Big Ten player out of junior college

4. TREVOR MBAKWE 6-foot-8 forward 2010-13 -- Most ferocious in-game dunks of anyone on this list

5. JORDAN MURPHY 6-foot-6 forward 2015-present -- Led Big Ten with 47 dunks as a freshman

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Honorable-mention:

Michael Bauer 6-8 forward 2000-03 -- Also one of the best three-point shooters in team history

Jerry Holman 6-10 center 2001-03 -- Tallest player on this list at 6-10, but he could throw down

Rico Tucker 6-0 guard 2004-06 -- Rumor was he had a 46-inch vertical jump. Watch him fly.

Austin Hollins 6-4 guard 2010-14 -- Underrated athlete during his Gophers career.

Wally Ellenson 6-5 guard 2012-14 -- Rocked some rims before he transferred to Marquette.

Charles Buggs 6-9 forward 2013-16 -- Buggs was so long and best athlete under Richard Pitino

about the writer

about the writer

Marcus Fuller

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Marcus Fuller covers Gophers men's basketball, national college basketball, college sports and high school recruiting for the Minnesota Star Tribune.

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