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Throwback Thursday: When NBA stars were dunking in college

Jeff Topping / REUTERS

Before they were big names, NBA stars were simply fresh-faced youths trying to make it on the college court.

Let's throw it back to some top players' best dunks of their collegiate career.

Michael Jordan - North Carolina (1984)

Buzzer-beater cradle dunk from the GOAT himself.

Russell Westbrook - UCLA (2008)

Young Westbrook may have killed that poor Oregon player in front of our eyes.

Vince Carter - North Carolina (1996)

Carter went up between two Clemson defenders for a timeless dunk.

Dwyane Wade - Marquette (2003)

Wade put on a show against all odds during the 2003 NCAA tournament. He led Marquette to an 83-69 victory over heavily-favored Kentucky, recording a triple-double - 29 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists - along the way.

Blake Griffin - Oklahoma (2009)

Griffin gave us life in the second round of the 2009 NCAA tournament with a slam that rocked a Michigan defender.

Zach LaVine - UCLA (2013)

LaVine's reputation as a premium dunker did not sprout overnight. The young UCLA alumnus has been hitting that windmill from time.

Andrew Wiggins - Kansas (2014)

Wiggins had us all believing he would fly when he sailed through the air for a one-handed jam.

Carmelo Anthony - Syracuse (2003)

A young Melo made Georgetown weep during the 2003 Big East Tournament when he slammed it home using only one hand.

BONUS: High school LeBron James

A 17-year-old LeBron James blessed a high school court with a between-the-legs dunk that we weren't doing when we were that age.

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