Sometimes, greatness just doesn’t land—literally. While the NBA Slam Dunk Contest has blessed us with jaw-dropping moments like Vince Carter’s iconic 360 windmill or Jason Richardson’s between-the-legs hammer, it’s also seen its fair share of flops. And then, there’s Baron Davis. Two decades after his infamous 2002 attempt, the former NBA star has finally revealed the hilarious backstory behind one of the competition’s most embarrassing blunders.

During a candid chat with Hustle Fund CEO, Baron Davis shared a bit more than just his journey from basketball to the tech world. Laughing at his 2002 Slam Dunk Contest failure, he explained what went down. “The people who have AI know I did not win this slam dunk championship,” he joked before diving into details.

“I did like this blindfold thing…I’ve put this freaking headband on my eyes, and I was gonna do like a blind dunk.” However, he tried to cheat, as he could not see through it. “David Wesley was like, dude, you can’t see sh*t. I was like, ‘I know!’ So he was like, ‘Dude, cut holes in it.’ I was like, ‘Cut holes in the eyes,'” Davis admitted.

But judges immediately disqualified him. While his teammate Wesley urged him to do a simple dunk and win it, Davis, stubborn and undeterred, took the gamble and lost.

“I was like, ‘Who cares? Like, I missed the first one on purpose, I’ll make the second one,'” Davis recalled on the chat. “And when I missed the first one, they were like, ‘Oh, he’s disqualified.’ And so, egg on my face.”

So, who won that contest? Golden State Warriors rookie Jason Richardson, who later became Davis’ teammate. Not only did he beat Gerald Wallace to win the contest, but he again clinched another victory in 2003, joining the ranks of dunk legends who achieved back-to-back titles.

However, while he failed to win, Davis wasn’t a bad dunker. Davis had claimed the 1997 McDonald’s All-American Slam Dunk title. He won the title by landing three dunks in the final round, compared to two for runner-up Kenny Gregory.

Yet, despite the slam dunk contest blunder, Davis’s dunking legacy lived on. Many people remember his incredible poster dunk over Andrei Kirilenko in the 2007 NBA Playoffs as one of the most spectacular in NBA history.

Baron Davis’ “We Believe” dunk

It was May 11, 2007, and the Oracle Arena crowd was buzzing. The Warriors, leading the heavily favored Utah Jazz 119-99 with just under three minutes left in Game 3 of the Western Conference Semifinals, were on the verge of another “We Believe” moment. Baron Davis stood at the three-point line with the ball, scanning for an opportunity. In true Davis fashion, he didn’t hesitate. He exploded down the baseline toward the rim, and it was clear he had something planned.

Charging toward the hoop, Davis faced Utah’s defensive powerhouse, Andrei Kirilenko—a three-time All-Defensive Team member and a former NBA Blocks leader. But Davis wasn’t backing down. Jason Richardson, watching the play unfold from the top of the key, knew something incredible was about to happen. “When he put his hand back and just cocked the ball back, I was like, ‘Oh, he’s about to do this.’”

Moments later, the crowd erupted as Davis delivered one of the most electrifying dunks in NBA history!

“He just put it down on him,” Richardson later said. “That dunk right there was so in-your-face. The fans were into it. It was a big moment. In my opinion, it was a top-five I’ve ever seen.” For someone who won back-to-back Slam Dunk Contests, that’s a bold statement.

Not only Richardson, General Manager Chris Mullin recalled, “It just shows you how talented and gifted Baron was.” Meanwhile, Matt Barnes summed up the emotions: “I just couldn’t believe it. One of the best dunks I’ve ever seen. The energy in the arena—it was a special moment.”

And special it was, forever marking Davis’ “We Believe” dunk as a Warriors legacy highlight.