Orlando Woolridge's: the first Rider ever

During the 1984 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, Orlando Woolridge, Michael Jordan's former team-mate during the 80's, made one of the most significant attempt in the history of Dunking...
Indeed, he was the first popular dunker to pass the ball between his legs before dunking. For this dunk, he received a 48. This event changed many things in today's dunking because this move have now, been used a lot of times and upgrade by a lot of high flyers.
In 1994, Isaiah Rider (that's why we call it the Rider) re used this dunk in order to win the contest and Kobe Bryant too, back in 1997.
Nowadays this move include a lot of variations (fake, 360, reverse, from a lob) and it's still one of the most difficult dunk you can find.

Music: Flying Lotus - Tips and Tricks

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Orlando
• Woolridge
• 1984
• NBA
• Slam
• Dunk
• Contest
• first
• rider
• ever
• between
• the
• legs
• pass
• Chicago
• Bulls
• competition
• Dr

[AfroJones42]

Great vid. I was really suprised they didn't give him a 50, weren't the judges watching?

[TheReemix01]

Haha, yeah I agree with you ! 48 is still a good mark, but this dunk was the first of its kind and pretty technical.

Moreover he pass the ball behind his back before he jumped which is even more complicated.

This was maybe the best attempt of the competition: Dr J, Nique and Nance were good but sometimes not very flashy.

Dr J was a bit too old, Nique was good but not as in 1988 and Nance made too much rock da cradle dunks in my opinion.

It would have been good if Woolridge made the finals.

[sunswin532]

Rider is a bitch, he aint got shit on Woolridge.

How come you still call it the Rider when Woolridge was the first motha fucka to throw that nasty shit down.

[JSpekGooseKrew]

It was just a dunk to Woolridge but Rider named his the East Bay Funk...Thats y he gets credit for the dunk...I was 5 when Orlando did his but I was a teenager when JR did it and actually this is my first time seeing orlando do this dunk..I have seen the 84 dunk contest plenty times but never payed that shit any attention....

[Rawk4Life]

@sunswin532 Woolridge didn't just do between the legs either. He tossed it behind his back, THEN between his legs before dunking. I am shocked that this isn't on the All Time Dunks list.

[dre4eva]

I wish some NBA analyst would do their homework and stop saying Vince Carter was the first. Great Post!

[Kobeownzu81]

i think the fact that it was a little sloppy on the finish is the reason that he never got credit for creating it. but still it should have been a 50

[tmedny20]

i think it's a shame that you titled it the first rider when orlando came before him

[ElkkukklE]

48 for that in the 80s?? that's a 50 today in the nba dunk contest, in the 80s you got a 48 when you threw it off the glass and tomahawked.

[GoinabilityINC]

It's funny how the N.B.A. fiends amnesia to pump up these new dudes. He did this back in 84. I was watching NBATV the other day and they were showing all of the dunk contest from the 80s. If you pay close attention to the contest that he's in, you will see something else. He did the arm through the rim dunk during the warm-ups.

[kingmurray24]

its called tips and tricks by flying lotus

[jimcinema]

Easy? I'll grant you that dunking is easier for taller guys, but not THIS dunk. This dunk was made for shorter guys with vertical, and it's all the more amazing when you see a forward or center jam this.

"Guys this tall" have to bring the ball that much further down away from the hoop before they get it back up there. And if they only jump 20 inches, that's just less time for the ball to travel further. Look again and see how far the ball travels, up and down, before it goes through the hoop.

[pheeeel17]

don't get me wrong, i know Woolridge can get up there as well as anyone, but he only jumped about 20 inches on this dunk, which shows how easy it is for guys this tall to do a dunk like that