Day 1 of the Dunk Camp 2023 at the Karl Malone Training Center in Utah kicked off with the big opening dunk session. I was 15 years old and 5’10” at the time, and I started the day by warming up and testing my vertical. I reached an 11-foot max touch with a 7’10.5″ standing reach, giving me a 37.5-inch vertical — a one-inch improvement from the previous year, even though I was still in the middle of AAU season.
After the vertical testing, the main event began. The pro lineup was stacked, featuring Isaiah Rivera, Jordan Kilganon, Jordan Southerland (1FootGod), and many others. The Dunk Camp’s Black Band Challenge was in full effect, with each pro required to land a 360 Eastbay, a 360 behind-the-back, an under-both-legs dunk, an Eastbay off the backboard, and a Scorpion all in the same session.
Watching those guys work was wild. Isaiah mixed in right-left takeoffs even though his primary plant is left-right (due to injury). Southerland had one of his best sessions ever, pulling off ridiculous dunks. Kilganon tested somewhere around 49 inches and jumped out of the gym. All three completed the Black Band challenge.
For my part, I hit three or four windmills, including one that felt especially good. I also got my first-ever back-rimmed Eastbay. When the pros took over the main court, I headed to a low rim to keep working. It was the right call; I wasn’t quite ready to mix it up with them at that time, though I have since gotten in on those sessions at later camps.
Overall, Day 1 was a huge success. The pros put on a show, I set a new vertical PR, and the energy at Dunk Camp was off the charts. If you want to see the entire session and the Black Band dunks, watch the video above. There’s also a full Dunk Camp 2023 Show on YouTube, which is worth checking out if you’re into dunking.
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