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ANW11 Slam Dunk

American Ninja Warrior 11's Slam Dunk in Cincinnati

The Slam Dunk is an obstacle, firstly introduced as the eighth obstacle during Cincinnati finals on American Ninja Warrior 11.

It consisted of three balls, each with handholds on the left and right sides. Competitors must grab the first ball and build enough swing and momentum to hop it and land onto a ring-shaped cradle in front 4 feet away. Then, they must grab the second ball and repeat the same process as on the first ball to reach the third ball. On the third ball, competitors must build enough swing and momentum to make the dismount to the landing platform.

The obstacle eliminated five competitors (Dustin Rocho, Grant McCartney, Jeri D'Aurelio, Trevor West, and Sem Garay).

Other Season Appearances[]

American Ninja Warrior 12[]

ANW12 Slam Dunk

American Ninja Warrior 12's Slam Dunk

On American Ninja Warrior 12, the Slam Dunk appeared as the eighth obstacle during the finals. This time, competitors were required to hop the third ball and land it to the cradle before making the dismount, though the cradle was placed higher. From the 16 competitors, who attempted the obstacle, only 12 competitors managed to complete it, while the other 4 competitors, such as Jody Avila, Jon Alexis Jr., Jeshuah Lewis, and most shockingly, Joe Moravsky, failed to complete it, all of them, while making the transition to the second ball in a coincidence.

American Ninja Warrior 15[]

ANW15 Slam Dunk

American Ninja Warrior 15's Slam Dunk

On American Ninja Warrior 15, Slam Dunk appeared as the third obstacle in the National Finals' Stage Three, replacing Chop It Up in the previous season. It has a slight modification from the one used in American Ninja Warrior 11 as the fourth cradle was slightly lower from the third and that the space between the hoops were decreased to 3.5 feet. In this appearance, no competitor failed on the obstacle.

American Ninja Warrior 16[]

Slam Dunk (ANW16)

American Ninja Warrior 16's Slam Dunk

On American Ninja Warrior 16, Slam Dunk reappeared as the third obstacle in the National Finals' Stage Three, with no changes. It claimed its first victim Cal Plohoros on the transfer to the second ball, making him the fifth victim that this happened to.

Competitors' Success Rate[]

  • All results based on the NBC broadcast and external information found
ANW Clears Attempts Percentage
ANW11 9 14 64.29%
ANW12 12 16 75%
ANW15 14 14 100%
ANW16 14 15 93.33%
Total 49 59 83.05%

Trivia[]

Slam Dunk Screenshot

Screenshot of the submission of the Slam Dunk for the Obstacle Design Challenge

  • The Slam Dunk was one of the obstacles that won the third edition of American Ninja Warrior: Obstacle Design Challenge, designed by Kevin McCormack, although it wasn't announced on American Ninja Warrior 11. The original design of this obstacle resembled the Floating Monkey Bars, but the final version in the course resembled more on Sky Hooks.
  • The name of the obstacle comes from the basketball-themed phrase, referring to a shot in which a player thrusts a ball forcefully down through a hoop.
  • Originally before the filming of American Ninja Warrior 11's Cincinnati finals, competitors were still required to hop the third ball and land it to the cradle. However, the producers decided to remove the cradle for unknown reason, meaning competitors could directly make the dismount to the landing platform after reaching the third ball. It is possible that they believed the obstacle would be more difficult this way.
    • It was shown on Lucas Gomes YouTube channel (Link to video).
    • This original design would eventually be used on American Ninja Warrior 12 during the finals, though the cradle was placed higher than the original.
  • The obstacle is one of a handful of obstacles that is based on a different sport, in this case basketball. Other obstacles that are based on other sports include:
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