The 2013 NBA Slam Dunk Contests lifts off on Saturday, Feb. 16, in Houston. The Jazz’s defending Slam Dunk Contest champion Jeremy Evans, Pacers’ Gerald Green (2007 Slam Dunk Contest champion), Clippers’ Eric Bledsoe, Nuggets’ Kenneth Faried, Raptors’ Terrence Ross and Knicks’ James White will follow in the flight paths of MJ, Dr. J and Dominique.

With that in mind, we judge all 22 Slam Dunk Contest champions since the ABA introduced the competition in 1976 and the NBA brought it back in 1984.

Sports are filled with statistics that uber-nerds and casual fans alike can enjoy. Numbers and records help fans define greatness and settle arguments on talk radio and at the local watering holes on a daily basis.

Who is the greatest quarterback of all-time? What about running back? How about Jordan vs. Kobe? Ruth vs. Aaron? Tiger vs. Jack?

Could the 2012 Team USA beat the 1992 Dream Team? Kobe Bryant thinks so, but Michael Jordan laughs at the idea. First things first, this year’s squad must win the gold medal — and do so in historic style — in order to challenge the throne.

Here’s a rankings rundown of the 16 USA men’s basketball teams in Olympic history:

Gold Standards 

Athlon Sports sat down with Kenny Smith, who covers the NBA on TNT — along with Charles Barkley, Shaquille O’Neal, Ernie Johnson and Co. as a member of the Emmy award-winning Inside the NBA — as well as the NCAA Tournament on CBS. “The Jet” was a first-team All-American point guard under Dean Smith at North Carolina and a two-time NBA Finals champion with the Houston Rockets in 1994 and 1995.

By Saul Hutson

Since NBA teams aren’t allowed to contact their stars during the lockout, your favorite pros have spent their downtime risking career-ending injuries at the local Y. It all came to a head this weekend when the country’s two most prominent pro-am leagues faced off and Kevin Durant’s Goodman League squad (Washington, DC) knocked off the Drew League team (Los Angeles) led by Brandon Jennings.