Back in the summer of 2022, I went to The Dunk Camp in Utah. I was 14 years old at the time, about 5’9”, and this was my first real experience meeting other dunkers in person. Up until then, dunking had mostly been something I practiced on my own, so getting to spend four straight days surrounded by pros and other up-and-coming athletes was a huge moment for me.
Each camper got placed into a group with one pro dunker as a team leader. Mine was led by Christopher Spell. On the first day, we tested our verticals — I hit 36.5 inches — and then spent most of the time dunking on low rims, learning recovery methods, and picking up small details from the pros.
One of the biggest highlights was meeting Jordan Kilganon, who I had already been watching for years, and getting a lob from him. That moment meant a lot — easily one of the coolest experiences I’ve had in dunking so far.
The event brought together a ton of big names — Jordan Southerland (1FootGod), Isaiah Rivera, Jonathan Clark, and many others. Being around that level of talent was crazy. It showed me what was possible and pushed me to take dunking more seriously.
By the third day, I was recovering and preparing for the eight-foot dunk contest on the final day. The last day was packed with contests from seven to ten feet and ended with a dunk show featuring all the pros. I finished 2nd in the 8′ contest, which was a very fun experience. Watching the contests and the dunk show that night in person was unforgettable.
Looking back, The Dunk Camp 2022 was a turning point for me. It was the first time I really felt connected to the dunk community, and it motivated me to keep improving and eventually compete with the same people I looked up to.
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