Slam dunk The shot that changed the game

Before discussing the slam dunk's place in basketball history, Doeden's text describes an actual, pivotal play. In the closing seconds of a 2023 NBA game, Anthony Edwards weaves through defenders, launches himself toward the basket, and delivers "a rim-shaking windmill dunk" and the win. Doeden calls the slam dunk "one of the most exciting moments in all of sports." Its point-scoring usefulness, dramatic impact, and popularity with fans are indisputable, but so are the facts that have sometimes made it controversial: it favors taller players and leads to injuries that sometimes end careers. The book spotlights key players who have helped popularize the play through the years, from Joe Fortenberry in the 1930s to Zach LaVine and Zion Williamson today. In women's basketball, Lisa Leslie was the first to use the move in a WNBA game, while Brittney Griner holds the league's record for slam dunks. A sports journalist and the author of many middle-grade books, Doeden weaves the facts into an enjoyable and informative narrative, illustrated with well-chosen color photos of players in action.

A tribute to one of basketball's most showy and dramatic feats. Despite the aid of many big, colorful action photos, Doeden struggles to stretch his topic out to book length. Still, young fans may find their appreciation for the game enhanced by the easily digestible doses of historical context, the expansive gallery of renowned dunkers, and even the anatomical diagrams and descriptions of muscle groups that have to work in concert to sink the shot. The author traces the slam dunk's development from a disparaged and even at times banned move to its status as "a pillar of modern NBA strategy." Though he highlights many spectacular, if ultimately repetitive-sounding, examples of its use, he doesn't neglect to mention its hazards to vulnerable bodies and breakable backboards. And, along with shoutouts to such high-flying royalty as Michael "Air" Jordan and LeBron James, he gives women their due, from Georgeann Wells (the first reported dunker in a women's game, 1984) to Brittney Griner (most prolific WNBA dunker). Whether or not readers readily buy his claim that a slam dunk is "one of the most exciting moments in all of sports," they'll have to admit that Doeden has built a feasible case. Slender topic, but high enough in interest to keep young basketball players engaged. (glossary, source notes, further reading, index, photo credits)(Nonfiction. 9-11) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.