Aaron Gordon

For Aaron Gordon, it was one of the most spectacular second-place finishes imaginable. Participating in the Slam Dunk Contest for the first of three times, the Orlando Magic forward went dunk-for-dunk with Zach LaVine of the Minnesota Timberwolves in one of the most memorable iterations of the event. Entering the fray in a tuxedo, Gordon showed he meant business from the start by landing a between-the-legs reverse dunk that scored a 45 from the judging panel. He would only get better from there, unleashing a dunk in his second try that earned a 49 after he threw it down over Stuff, the Magic’s mascot. Sticking with what worked, Gordon went back to the mascot with a little more flair for his next attempt in the finals against LaVine, taking the ball and landing a jaw-dropping 360-degree throwdown. For a third and final time, Gordon enlisted Stuff’s assistance for an under-the-legs one-handed slam that scored a perfect 50. Gordon nailed his third consecutive perfect score as sudden death began by exploding for a double-clutch reverse, and for his final attempt the future NBA champion put the ball behind his head before throwing down another turbulence-inducing reverse slam for a 47. Although LaVine ultimately came out on top with his second straight Slam Dunk Contest title, few have forgotten Gordon’s runner-up effort on February 13, 2016.