Arizona Athletics posted a video montage of all the dunks from the Wildcats last season, we had to share.
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There’s something special about a basketball player flying through the air or jumping higher than anyone could imagine, capturing the ball with one or two hands, and slamming that ball through the net with reckless abandon. It’s something most people do not have the height or ability to do, or even try to do. It seems like a miracle each and every time it happens.
See what you think…(Announcer: Brian Jeffries, the Voice of the Arizona Wildcats on the IMG Sports Network)
After watching the video I was smiling. But more than that, I pondered which player was my favorite dunking Wildcat of last season and which dunk was the absolute best dunk of the season?
I’ll answer the last question first, and I believe A Players Program agrees since it was one of the last dunk shown in the video and got a lot of attention in the Twitter-verse. The best dunk of the season was when Rondae Hollis-Jefferson dunked on 7’6″ University of Irvine Anteater Center Mamadou Ndiaye. Unbelievable!
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson Monster Dunk on 7'6 Mamadou Ndiaye - Arizona Wil...: https://t.co/fIXlANNR0C SMH how didnt this make #DOTY #CBALive
— BEARDOWN🇲🇽🇺🇲 (@GatosLocoBTFD) April 11, 2015
Rondae wants to dunk on Oklahoma City Thunder’s Serg Ibaka next year and made it public. Twitter came alive with commentary.
Draftie Rondae Hollis-Jefferson said he wants to dunk on Ibaka next season...
— Thunder Nation (@ThunderNationCP) May 27, 2015
Ibaka said he'll be waiting for him. pic.twitter.com/KeMkxIpnyj
Serge replied to Rondae, with a supportive tone.
Lol I will be waiting for you young fella! Good luck in the draft! https://t.co/wZehxXL2Ca
— Serge Ibaka (@sergeibaka) May 18, 2015
Mar 28, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Arizona Wildcats center Kaleb Tarczewski (35) moves to the basket against Wisconsin Badgers forward Frank Kaminsky (44) during the second half in the finals of the west regional of the 2015 NCAA Tournament at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
Rondae is the teams most prolific dunker from last year with 43 total dunks.
As far as the best dunker on the team, the player that I enjoy the most when he dunks has to be, hands down, Zues!
Kaleb Tarczweski has the size, strength and finesse to make dunks look easy. I just thoroughly enjoy each and every one of his dunks partly because they are mostly “good” for two points, but I feel good for him as a player. I think that it gives him more confidence, and thus the team feels empowered to get out there and make something happen.
When Zues dunks the ball, I suppose fans including me let out a heavy sigh and think to themselves, “Thank God, Zues has his dunk on, we’re going to win this game!”
What you notice if you watch closely is that most of the assists on the dunks came from T.J. McConnell. Another interesting you may have caught that Gabe York and Elloitt Pitts can dunk, and maybe should try more often next season?
Rondae, Stanley and Brandon had some great moments and also got the team charged up during last season with their dunks, but for some reason, I enjoyed Kaleb’s slightly more.
I look forward to Rondae dunking on Ibaka, and Kaleb to keep dunking for the Wildcats next season, hopefully with even more confidence as the senior leader of the team.
Beardown Wildcats!