February 8, 1997: Kobe Bryant (age 18) of the Los Angeles Lakers wins the Nestlé Crunch Slam Dunk Contest in Cleveland. Bryant defeated Chris Carr of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Michael Finley ...

However, in 1997, Kobe Bryant made his Slam Dunk Contest debut and brought home the Lakers’ first trophy. At just 18 years old, Bryant’s leaping ability was already legendary. Known for his ...