Been digging into dunk stats recently. Less because I’m interested in dunks, more because I’m interested in this weird sorta data anomaly.
Officially, Rudy Gobert holds the single-season dunk record with 308 dunks in his 2018-2019 season.
Dig a little deeper and you discover that the NBA only started recording dunk stats in 1996. You may note that Shaq was drafted to the Magic in 1992. This means that Shaq’s first 4 seasons of dunks don’t count.
And then I found this [Topps Frequent Flyer basketball card](https://hoopsong.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Screenshot-2023-10-14-at-8.57.17-PM.png) that lists Shaq’s rookie season dunk total as 322. Seems kinda bonkers. He blew away the record in his rookie season, and it was just mostly forgotten to time? I figured the card was a misprint or something.
Curious though, I tracked down a copy of the 1993 Sixers Media Guide on EBay. Sure enough, [on page 146](https://hoopsong.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Untitled-design-2-1-jpg.webp), it lists Shaq’s 1992 dunk total as 322. It also lists his season high single-game dunk total as 13 (debatably, another record). If you’re not familiar with the Sixers Media Guide and Harvey Pollack, this stuff is very reliable.
So now, Dwight Howard is typically credited as the career all-time dunk leader with 2,950 dunks. If you take Shaq’s official career dunk total and add just that rookie season total, you get 2,948 dunks. Pretty sure he knocked down those 3 dunks and then some in the 3 additional seasons he played before dunk stats were introduced.
I just find this super interesting. We’re awfully obsessed with data these days. It’s getting to the point where we can analyze an entire playing field at specific timestamps. But for the majority of pro sports history you had to scrape together what you could from newspapers, books and memory.
And yet, in an attempt to frame discussion and debate in NBA media, it’s convenient to just dismiss the numbers that you can’t bring up on bballreference. And I get that we have to draw the lines somewhere, but this is data collected and printed by a very highly regarded NBA employee who basically set the bar for statistical analysis in the NBA.
There’s a similar story that comes up with the triple-double debate. Long story short, Wilt probably had more triple-doubles than Westbrook by a lot, and they were almost all on blocking. But there’s much less proof of that one.
by Select-Resource4275
45 Comments
that is absolutely fucking bonkers
If you could somehow get this info to shaq, knowing his obsession to be #1, he’ll get the count fixed lmao.
Tweet at the guys on TNT and see if you get lucky. I know they sometimes show stuff from fans on their televised days. Maybe underdog can do a deep dive.
You should tweet this @ the inside the NBA twitter acc
Well, I think part of the reason that the league don’t dig so much on old stats is because they are trying to keep the league interesting and dynamic.
You have all kinds of useless stats, like being the 3rd player in the league history with 35 points 12 ast and above 7 rebounds while playing with a red headband.
Sure, it’s great, but not quite a big deal or impactful in any way.
SHAQ needs this info asap
Thank you op very cool.
/r/NBA about to light the twitterverse up again.
or the x-verse.
actually, fuck it.
dunks, erneh
Now imagine what Wilt Chamberlain’s career total must have been
I have that card.
Can we get an update once you tweet this goldmine?
This might be a lot to ask, but I would be *very* interested in a scan of that 1993 Sixers Media Guide. I think it would make a good post if you ever feel like it.
How good was rookie Shaq?
I only went back to watch the Lakers 3 peat stuff when he was a monster in the paint.
I’m guessing Wilt probably had multiple years of over 300 dunks per season.
We need a new word for regarded now.
I witnessed r/nba history.
Nice find OP!
Get this to Shaq before the next TNT game
Nice op !
This is really interesting. Not just the Shaq dunk stats but the point about how easy it is to dismiss any stat you can’t find on basketball reference. Because that sentiment is so true. For a lot of people, convenience seems to be the most important factor in determining the validity of something.
The more work required to answer a question the less valid people seem to think the answer is.
It’s the same with those JJ Reddit type of guys who like to dismiss any era of basketball before the 80s. The primary reason is because it is simply harder to find footage and analysis for those guys. It’s not like it’s impossible, there is still lots of footage and even more analysis and books about the 50s, 60s, and 70s eras of basketball. But since it takes more time to find that footage and analysis, people just choose to question the validity of those eras as a whole.
I think the issue is, while you have verified high-quality data for Shaq during that time, you don’t for all the other players before 1996. It would mess up the data set, which is why you have to draw the line at 1996.
How would a guy from the Sixers media team get an accurate count on Shaq’s dunks? He couldn’t have been at every game and many weren’t televised. I’m not saying you are wrong, but genuinely curious how he could have obtained that info.
Great find. Let’s get this on TNT.
Only started tracking in 1996? Had no one tried to go back and get an unofficial count? Seems bizarre since dunks are usually cut and dry and we have footage.
I was here, i am a part of history.
Shaq should see this, get it to his eyes he would be very interested!
They tried to erase our boys history!
Quality post. Keep up the good work 👍
Im sure I will see this copy and pasted by some Youtuber with a crazy clickbait title … I just hope they at least give you some credit
There is a 98% chance that ESPN, bleacher report or one of the other vulture sites will steal this post and not give you credit
Really interesting find
went down a similar dunks rabbit hole years ago. saw people claim DRose was the most explosive guard and thought it was Westbrook. so I looked it up, and the results were insanely one-sided
iirc the total dunks in the most prolific 3-year dunking stretch of Westbrook’s career was more than double that of the total dunks in the most prolific 3-year dunking stretch of DRose’s career
shaq only succeeded cos he played against piss easy competition. like shrek at the beginning of shrek 1 where hes smashing the villagers. its a piece of cake. bullshit stat padding.
Don’t let JJ Reddick steal this from you.
Great find.
Couldn’t a person or AI go back and watch these old games to fill out more stats?
“Officially, Rudy Gobert holds the single-season dunk record with 308 dunks in his 2018-2019 season.”
I beg to differ, Shaquille O’Neal accomplished that feat no more then 26 years ago.
1) It’s true, all of it
2) This reminds me of Deacon Jones and the NFL sack numbers debate
3) *Julius Irving has entered the stat chat*
This is about to become one of the most legendary moments in this sub’s history.
and that’s why he is arguably the most dominant player to ever step foot on a basketball court.
dominant straight away from his rookie year. he didn’t take 6-7 years to develop like some players.
I love the shitty graphic design on that card so much.
I mean, um, I **love** the shitty graphic **design** on that card so **much**.
When someone on twitter eventually steals your work
Sue for their profits bc this is phenomenal
This is some good shit.
Legendary
I don’t remember Shaq not dunking in his rookie season. He was on a personal quest to demolish every backboard on the NBA. If you weren’t around then, it was an absolute carnival atmosphere with everyone just waiting what crazy thing Shaq would do next.
My father’s brother-in-law (it’s an entire segment of family I refuse to claim) was a drywaller, and took me to Shaq’s house while it was under construction. 8-foot door frames, and 10-foot ceilings.
Following this in case shaq sees it
Can’t wait for this to an Inside the NBA segment