Love it or hate it, you have to admit that the NBA slam dunk contest is pretty darn exciting. This Saturday, the NBA will celebrate the event's 30th anniversary — a testament to just how big of a pop culture fixture it has become.
Though fans sometimes complain that the dunk contest features young non-stars, its participants have gone onto accomplish great things in the league. For instance, a player you may have heard of, Michael Jordan, won the 1987 slam dunk contest and then six NBA championships in the 90s. Another present day no-name, Kobe Bryant, won the dunk contest ten years after Jordan and went on to capture five titles.
See also: 20 NBA Twitter Accounts to Make This Season a Slam Dunk
This year is no different. Sure, we'd love to see LeBron James finally enter a dunk contest, especially because he talks so much speculative smack about being able to win it, but we'll sure as heck settle for Pacers forward Paul George, who's third in the East in scoring this year and is quickly becoming a top-tier superstar in the NBA.
But, we'd be remiss not to mention last year's Sprite Slam Dunk champion Terrence Ross, who acquitted himself well by jumping over a kid among other rim-rocking theatrics. He'll be back to defend his crown in 2014, poised to battle George, the Portland Trailblazers' Damian Lillard, John Wall of the Washington Wizards, Harrison Barnes of the Golden State Warriors and Ben McLemore of the Sacramento Kings.
If George, Ross and their four foes aren't reason enough to watch this year's dunk contest, think about this: Where else besides maybe a drunken birthday party at Home Depot are you going to find dudes dunking over tables, ladders and, every once in a while, each other?
The below infographic highlights just how awesome the NBA slam dunk contest has been over the last 29 years.

Image: Mashable Infographic