YouTube Hosts Amateur Slam Dunking Contest

Google's YouTube unit is getting into the spirit of the NCAA tournament. It is having its very own slam dunk contest. Anyone can shoot themselves pulling an air Jordan and then upload their video to YouTube, where it will be judged by NBA pros.I remember when Michael Jordan won the NBA slam dunk contests in 1987 and 1988. His leaping power was outrageous. There's an amazing image of him in mid-air heading towards one of his famous dunks. I think every kid I knew growing up had that image stuck on their wall at home, or in their locker at school. It was the ultimate slam dunk picture.

Now, Google is set to harness the power of YouTube to let all the average Joe slam dunkers out there take their best shot at the title. Google says, "The dunk is one of the most exciting plays in sports - it represents athleticism, elevation, creativity and power combined in one moment. Incredible dunk videos are always popular on YouTube, and in many cases, amateur dunkers have view counts that rival the pros. The YouTube Slam Dunk contest seeks to discover and reward the best amateur dunk artists in the United States."

Lest you think dunks will be voted on just by YouTube viewers, Google has secure some real talent to scout out the talent. Judges include Chris Bosh and Jalen Rose from the National Basketball Association, as well as the Team Flight Brothers. These judges will select the top 20 dunks, which will then be voted on by the general YouTube public. The winner will be the dunk that gets the most votes from viewers. The winning dunker will get to reenact their dunk with the Team Flight Brothers at a TFB event.

If you have the jumping power and some serious dunking abilities, this is the contest for you. You can read all the rules here. Happy dunking!