Photographic memory: Spud Webb

Stan Kasten asked me about a week before the contest if I would be in it. I was surprised that they wanted me because I was a rookie. I had twisted my ankle, so I didn’t get to practice any dunks before the contest. And then I was on Johnny Carson the night before, so I couldn’t practice then, either.

So the dunks I did were just ones I had in my mind; it was nothing I practiced or put together in advance. I had been doing them since about my senior year of high school. Up at the gym, we would get through playing and a lot of guys would sit around and kill time dunking.

All of the guys in the dunk contest were superstars, but I wasn’t intimidated. You’re going to be nervous because there are guys there you have been watching on TV and idolize. But once it started, I knew I had a chance. The only reason you get into the dunk contest is to win. But I knew my work was cut out for me. I tried each round to bring out something that would let me advance, but also tried to save the best for last.

I don’t even remember what the last dunk was. I never watch it, so I don’t know. I know I bounced it off the floor and off the backboard. I didn’t name my dunks; I just did them. I was a quiet and laid-back kind of guy, so I didn’t do much talking. Dominique was doing all the talking during the competition. He tried to talk you into not being nervous.

[Five-foot-nine former Rockets player] Calvin Murphy was about the only person in the gym rooting for me at the beginning. I was thinking, ‘You know if you fail here, this is what you’ll be remembered by because this is the city you grew up in.’ Everywhere I go around Dallas now, people say they were there.

I didn’t want to lose, but it wouldn’t be embarrassing to lose to Dominique because he is just the best dunker ever.