The greatest collection of shattered backboards ever assembled, a compilation of every backboard we could find, from high school and college to the NBA, pro leagues, and European teams.
From the planet Lovetron, everyone loves a shattered-glass dunk, a rare spectacle in basketball, like a thousand flashbulbs exploding in sync with the crash of glass across the court.
The reason we don’t see backboards shattering like they used to is because manufacturers redesigned the entire system after the 1992–93 season, when both Shaquille O’Neal and Chris Morris caused major damage. Backboard, rim, and stanchion makers worked to prevent that kind of destruction from happening again.
The biggest change was bolting the rim directly to the support stanchion, with a single arm extending behind the backboard. That design transfers the force of a dunk away from the glass and into a reinforced support bar. The older designs, common in the NBA and college, had side supports and no reinforcement behind the rim, making them much easier to break. Sports Science once broke this down in an episode with Amar’e Stoudemire.
Darryl Dawkins
Darryl Dawkins shattered two backboards in a three-week span during the 1979 season, forever changing the game. His first came against the Kansas City Kings, followed by another explosive dunk against the San Antonio Spurs. Known as "Chocolate Thunder" and claiming to be from the Planet Lovetron, Dawkins brought a mix of power and showmanship the league had never seen. These two earth-shaking dunks led the NBA to reinforce backboards and eventually redesign the entire system.
Michael Jordan
On August 26, 1985, Michael Jordan played in an exhibition game in Trieste, Italy, sponsored by Nike. No one imagined it would become one of the most iconic sneaker moments in history. Jordan put on a show, scoring at will, flying through the air, and finishing with 41 points. But the real story wasn’t the stat line. It was the backboard he shattered with a thunderous dunk. The shoes he wore that night, a pair of Air Jordan 1s with a shard of glass still embedded in the sole, later sold at auction for $615,000. You seldom see a 200 pound guard break the glass, but its part of what made Jordan so unreal.
Darvin Ham
Darvin Ham was one of the most underrated dunkers of all time. During his senior year at Texas Tech, he delivered one of the most iconic dunks in NCAA history. In a second-round NCAA Tournament game against North Carolina on March 17, 1996, Ham soared for a two-handed putback dunk that shattered the backboard at Richmond Coliseum. The force of the dunk tied the game at 16 and caused a 26-minute delay as arena staff cleaned up the glass and replaced the hoop. The Red Raiders capitalized on the momentum, going on a 10-0 run after play resumed and eventually winning 92–73. Ham's explosive dunk was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated, solidifying his place in college basketball lore.
Jerome Lane
Jerome Lane’s backboard-shattering dunk came during a college game at Pittsburgh. On January 27, 1988, Lane delivered one of the most unforgettable moments in college basketball history. In a game against Providence, he soared for a powerful dunk that shattered the backboard, causing a delay in the game as the glass was cleared. The dunk is still etched in fans' memories, not only because of the force of the play but also because it marked a pivotal moment in Lane's career, earning him national attention. That dunk became a symbol of Lane’s power and set the bar for future college players.
Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille O'Neal's impact on the game was so profound that the NBA had to "Shaq-proof" their equipment. During his rookie season with the Orlando Magic in 1993, O'Neal's powerful dunks caused significant damage to backboards. In a game against the Phoenix Suns, his dunk was so forceful that it deflated the hydraulic system supporting the backboard, causing it to collapse . Later that season, in a game against the New Jersey Nets, O'Neal dunked with such intensity that he tore down the entire basket structure, including the rim, backboard, and shot clock . These incidents led the NBA to reinforce backboard supports and implement stricter equipment standards to prevent similar occurrences.
Arvydas Sabonis
Arvydas Sabonis, standing at 7'3" and weighing around 300 pounds during his prime, was a force to be reckoned with on the basketball court. Known for his exceptional passing, basketball IQ, and scoring ability, Sabonis also showcased his raw power in his early years. In a memorable incident on Christmas Day in 1984, Sabonis delivered a one-handed dunk so forceful that it shattered the backboard, leaving fans in awe of his strength and athleticism.
Jason Keep
Jason Keep, Oklahoma State's 280-pound forward, delivered one of the most memorable moments in college basketball history during the inaugural game at the newly renovated Gallagher-Iba Arena on December 19, 2000. With 43 seconds remaining in a 70–60 victory over Arkansas-Little Rock, Keep intercepted a pass at midcourt and raced down the floor for a thunderous dunk that shattered the backboard. The force of the dunk caused a 35-minute delay as glass littered the court and a replacement hoop was set up. Keep's powerful slam was featured on CNN's "Play of the Day" and highlighted in ESPN's top plays of the year, earning him an appearance on ESPN Radio's "Dan Patrick Show."
Big Country Brian Reeves
Bryant "Big Country" Reeves, the 7-foot, 290-pound center from Oklahoma State, delivered one of the most memorable moments in college basketball history during the 1995 Final Four practice. On April 1, 1995, while participating in a routine drill at Seattle's Kingdome, Reeves executed a rim-shaking reverse dunk that shattered the backboard. The force of the dunk caused a 35-minute delay as arena staff cleared the glass and replaced the hoop.
Kevin Love
Kevin Love, the Lake Oswego High School standout, etched his name into Oregon basketball lore during his senior year in 2007. In a game against Putnam High School, Love delivered a thunderous dunk that shattered the backboard, causing a significant delay as officials worked to clear the court and replace the hoop. This moment became a defining highlight of his high school career and is still remembered by fans across the state. In a retrospective video, Love narrates the events leading up to the dunk, providing insight into the intensity and excitement of that game. His narration adds a personal touch to the footage, allowing viewers to relive the moment through his perspective.
Blue Edwards
Blue Edwards, the East Carolina standout and future NBA player, made a significant impact during a 1994 Midnight Madness event at East Carolina University. During this exhibition, Edwards executed a powerful dunk that resulted in the backboard shattering, a rare occurrence in basketball. This event not only showcased Edwards' athleticism but also highlighted the potential risks associated with high-impact dunks
Robert Tractor Traylor
Robert "Tractor" Traylor, the massive 6'9", 290-pound power forward from Michigan, earned his nickname due to his sheer strength and dominance on the basketball court. During his freshman year, on November 26, 1996, Traylor delivered a thunderous dunk against Ball State that shattered the backboard at Crisler Arena. The sheer force of the slam caused glass to scatter across the court, resulting in a lengthy delay as officials worked to replace the hoop. Despite the chaos, Traylor remained unfazed, casually jogging back down the court as if it were just another play.
Chris Morris
Chris Morris, a 6'8" forward for the New Jersey Nets, was one of the NBA's most underrated dunkers during his career. In 1993, he made a statement with a dunk so forceful it shattered the backboard during a game against the Chicago Bulls. The impact of his two-handed slam left a stunning "spider web" crack across the glass, instantly etching the moment into NBA lore. While Morris may not have won the 1989 Slam Dunk Contest, his in-game dunking ability was undeniable, and this rare backboard-breaking play is a testament to his raw power and athleticism. The play solidified his status as one of the most explosive yet often overlooked dunkers of his time.
Honorable Mention - No Footage
Gus Johnson
Gus Johnson, known as “Honeycomb” for his sweet game and flashy style, was the original backboard-breaker in the NBA. In the 1960s, he shattered three glass backboards during his career, including one so forceful that the rim detached from the glass entirely. This led to the creation of the “Gus Johnson Rule,” which required NBA arenas to have a spare glass backboard on hand whenever Johnson was in town. Johnson's first backboard-shattering dunk occurred on November 8, 1964, during a game against the St. Louis Hawks. His final backboard-breaking dunk took place on January 10, 1971, against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Charlie Hentz
Charlie Hentz, known as "The Helicopter" for his leaping ability, made basketball history on November 6, 1970, during an ABA game between the Pittsburgh Condors and the Carolina Cougars in Raleigh, North Carolina. Late in the first half, Hentz executed a powerful dunk that tore the rim from the backboard, shattering the glass. The game was halted for approximately an hour while a wooden backboard was installed. With just over a minute remaining in the game, Hentz dunked again, destroying the opposite backboard. As no additional replacements were available, the game was called off, with Carolina leading 122–107
Chuck Connors
Chuck Connors, the first player to shatter a backboard in professional basketball, did so during a pregame warm-up with the Boston Celtics on November 5, 1946. While it's commonly believed that he broke the backboard with a dunk, Connors clarified in a 1986 interview that he took a harmless 15- to 20-foot set shot that hit the front of the rim, causing the glass to shatter. The backboard's failure was due to an arena worker's oversight in not installing a protective rubber piece between the rim and backboard .
Dwight Howard
Dwight Howard, during his senior year at Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy, was photographed for a SLAM Magazine feature. In the midst of the photoshoot, he executed a dunk that shattered the backboard. The impact was so intense that glass fragments sprayed across the court, and Howard sustained minor cuts from the debris.
High School & Small College Players
Several lesser-known high school and small college players from various levels, including Division II, Division III, JUCO, semi-pro, NAIA, and European leagues, have shattered backboards throughout basketball history. These athletes, often overlooked by the mainstream, have made their mark with powerful dunks that left an impact well beyond their local arenas.
Thanks to the pioneering players who shattered backboards, basketball equipment has significantly improved over the years. Modern backboards and rims are reinforced and designed to withstand extreme force, making backboard-breaking dunks a rare and almost mythical occurrence in today's game.
If you know of any high school, small college or european dunk that we missed, drop us a comment and well add the video clip to the page.
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