Everybody is going to be looking for something different when it comes to dunking inNBA 2K22. Some gamers want to keep it simple; whatever has the least chance of getting blocked and the highest chance of success is best. Others are looking for jaw-dropping slam dunks that get fans on their feet and courtside ticket holders down on the floor.
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The good news is thatNBA 2K22doesn’t make players choose which dunks to use. With a whopping fifteen open dunk slots, players can, and should, equip a variety of safe and special dunks. The MyPlayer will automatically use the dunk that makes the most sense for the situation, so players don’t have to worry about getting a ball slapped away while they are hot-dogging it.
Updated on May 6th, 2022 by Hodey Johns:Players have many different needs for their dunk animations. While many of these are utilized for being flashy, each animation provides a new place on the court to make the jam from. Those without the right package can still dunk, but will often do so clumsily, missing the slam, or in a way that can be routinely stripped. Unlike some other shot and dribble packages, players can use a plethora of dunk packages and they absolutely should fill all of these slots up for maximum amounts of versatility. Because so many packages are required to make a complete player, this list has been expanded with even more jams and extra commentary so players know the strengths of each package. Finally, since not all players can use all dunk packages, requirements for each dunk have been bulleted at the beginning of each section.
Shawn Kemp
Big men are given a good amount of packages this year, but not a whole lot of driving packages that are worth writing home about. Not all big men build their players to be incredibly slow and many feast on drives to the rim. For players interested inshowing off some style with double clutches and reverses without sacrificing speed, give Shawn Kemp a try.
Scottie Pippen
Those who like Blake Griffin’s ice cream cone hold on the ball will love Scottie Pippen’s hold. Griffin is one of the best dunkers of this generation, but even he can’t start a dunk windup further out than Pippen, whobegins the dunk from around the three-point line.
It’s a great way to get away with traveling. Also, it helps for slashers who want to dunk but the game forces them to take a long-range shot. This animation helps the player actually go to the rim with the dunk input.
Karl-Anthony Towns
For players who love theunpredictable, give Karl-Anthony Towns a spin. The package has driving dunks, standing dunks, reverses, tomahawks, back-scratchers, and rim hangers. Most importantly, this hasTowns' signature backboard slapper finish.
Clyde Drexler
With theperfect mix of style and speed, Clyde Drexler’s dunks are the stuff of legend. The announcers will be floored byhow far the jump occurs away from the basket. Therefore, this package is both fancy and practical. Defenders under the net can usually not react in time when a Drexler jam comes flying in from the free-throw line.
Putting a member of Phi Slamma Jamma’s dunk animation overthe player’s own scanned facebrings the immersion of feeling like an NBA superstar to its peak.
Vince Carter
Topping the list of top ten’s all over, Vince Carter obviously one of the most electric dunkers of all time. Hisspin-machine moves on his way to the rimmight look like just showing off (and, to be fair, sometimes they were), butthis twist kept the ball away from the hands of taller defenders. This build is great when dunking against players who are taller than the MyPlayer.
When inthe right situation as a shooting guard, these moves are perfect from moving from the exterior to the interior and make a bucket.
Draymond Green
There are two major reasons to use Draymond Green’s dunks. The first reason is that these dunks are strong;even a well-timed and positioned block will usually not be able to jar the ball loose. The next reason is thatthis package includes driving, standing, and contact dunks. Instead of getting just a few animations, players are getting a veritable suite of jams.
Green himself is most notable for hisincredible defensive and rebounding badges. But don’t discount his scoring ability as he’s made a career out of exploiting brief and tight holes in the paint.
Michael Jordan
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This package is all about style, but, come on, it’s Michael Jordan. The package hasa great array of cradles and leaners that get the crowd humming. Most importantly,the dunk package includes his signature dunk. Yes, THAT signature dunk. The one on all the logos with the legs out wide and the arm straight up. Pulling it off in a game feels like a million bucks.
While there are manyfundamental mistakes people make while playingNBA 2K22, one problem is that people forget that it’s a video game. Flashy dunks keep the game fresh and exciting.
LeBron James
Imagine being able to dunk like LeBron James and Michael Jordan. Dreams really do come true inNBA 2K22.LeBron’s signature tomahawk slams are on full display here. Beyond the power and sheer violence of the dunk, these are quite intelligent dunks for those athletic enough to use them. By keeping the ball behind the body,blockers under the rim can’t get a hand on the ball.
LeBron James is one ofthe best small forwardsto ever play the game and his dunk package helps the MyPlayer become one of the best ever, too.
Russell Westbrook
Even the best dunk packages slow down just a little bit as they approach the rim, but not for Russell Westbrook’s dunks.These dunks almost seem to turn up the speedas the MyPlayer goes screaming toward the hoop, completely cutting off any hope of stopping him in time.There are some great tomahawks and back-scratchers here, too, which only add to the package’s great ball protection.
Westbrook is known for his triple-doubles, but he’s got all ofthe best finishing badgesto be an elite pure-scorer. For fast MyPlayers, this dunk package is mandatory.
Zion Williamson
While many of the famous dunkers on this list have some incredible moves heading toward the rim, they usually lack any notable moves while standing underneath the hoop. That’s where Zion Williamson’s package comes into play,adding some of the strongest and quickest moves to the hoop from both inside and outside of the paint.
It’s part of what makes him one ofthe best power forwardsin the NBA today.
Baseline Reverses Off One
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At least one baseline package is an absolute must, the default animation gets blocked almost every time. The reverses off one are the preferred among all of these because theyget the ball away from the defense as fast as possible. The dunk on the opposite side of the basket prevents defenders who are in position from making a play.
Quick Drops Off One
A quick drop dunk will take the ball up very high and then quickly slap it down when over the top of the rim. When it comes to getting vertical distance against tall defenders,this is the package that keeps the ball furthest out of the opposition’s reach. The drawback is usually a decrease in speed, but off of one foot, the penalty is negligible.
Hangs Off One
In some circles, hanging off of the rim can be considered a chump move. But anybody who playsNBA 2K22for a few days will have seen at least one or two dunks go horribly wrong.The best way to add some safety to the jam is to keep both hands on the ball and see it all the way through the rim with a hanger. Showing off? Maybe. But in the name of security, why not?
NBA 2K22was released on September 9th, 2021, and is available on Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
