Dirk Nowitzki sent flying following failed dunk attempt

Only around one percent of people can dunk a basketball on a regulation-sized hoop.

Now imagine upping the ante by adding seven-footer Dirk Nowitzki to the mix: That’s a recipe for disaster.

One fan named Chris learned that the hard way.

https://twitter.com/TheDunkCentral/status/1801614559045636276

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Chris tried showing off his dunking dexterity prior to Game 3 of the NBA Finals by having the former Mavericks legend and Hall of Famer stand between him and the hoop while holding the ball.

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“Damn, Chris,” the announcer said following his dunk attempt.

The announcer wasn’t impressed, though.

Instead, he was in shock.

And it was the wrong kind of shock.

Chris barreled into Nowitzki instead of jumping over him.

The only thing Chris succeeded in doing was popping off the collar on Nowitzki’s blue shirt.

Had it gone worse, Nowitzki likely would’ve had a pleasant trip to the doctor.

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The kind of dunk Chris attempted is common amongst the NBA’s dunk contests, as it always evokes oohs and aahs from the crowd.

That is when it’s done correctly.

Aaron Gordon jumped over his former Magic mascot, Stuff the Magic Dragon, in 2016.

More recently, Mac McClung soared over Shaquille O’Neal in the 2024 NBA Dunk Contest. The slam earned McClung the full-fledged 50 points, which played a pivotal role in him winning the year’s contest.

What did Gordon’s and McClung’s dunk share? 

They actually jumped over their helpers.

However, everything ended okay for Chris and Nowitzki, with the announcer calling for applause following the attempt.