The Dunk Heard ‘Round the World: Anthony Black’s Berlin Slam Captivates 85 Million Fans
BERLIN In an age of fleeting social media attention, one spectacular play has captured global focus.
Orlando Magic guard Anthony Black’s thunderous dunk in Germany has become a viral phenomenon. It is now officially the NBA’s most-watched highlight of the 2025-26 season.
The Play: A Drive into History
The moment happened with the game on the line. The Magic and Grizzlies were tied at 107 in the final minutes of their Global Games matchup in Berlin.
Four Memphis Grizzlies defenders converged in the paint. Two were in front of him, two were trailing. Undeterred, Black rose. He soared over the entire defense and threw down a ferocious, one-handed slam.
The sold-out crowd at Uber Arena erupted. Teammates leaped off the bench in disbelief. The play immediately felt historic. “I got the ball, I seen one man in front of me,” Black recalled in an interview with Marc Stein.
“I seen everybody else kinda getting back slower. So, try to get past my man… I just seen a lane. It was open, so you know, I felt confident and tried to take off.” He admitted he didn’t realize the full scale of his feat until seeing the replay.
The Meteoric Rise of Anthony Black
The dunk symbolizes a dramatic leap in Black’s career. The No. 6 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft was known as a defensive-minded guard. Offensive explosion was not his calling card.
This equates to more than one highlight-reel finish per contest. The Berlin dunk is the crown jewel. It showcases a new level of athletic confidence. Much of the credit goes to a legendary offseason addition.
The Shammgod Effect
The Magic hired renowned skills coach God Shammgod last summer. His mandate was to develop the team’s young offensive talent. The impact on Anthony Black has been profound.
“Put in a lot of work with Shammgod this summer,” Black explained. “I’m shooting off the dribble, playing one-on-one, just different moves that I can go to in different scenarios.”
This work is now paying historic dividends. Black’s improved handle and decisiveness created the lane in Berlin. His newfound explosiveness finished the play. The result is the most viewed NBA highlight of the year.
A Global Game’s Perfect Moment
The setting made the moment even more magical. The NBA’s Global Games in Berlin were designed to showcase the league’s best to an international audience. Anthony Black delivered the perfect showcase.
The play spread across every social media platform instantly. It was featured on sports highlights shows worldwide. It dominated conversation among basketball fans from Manila to Madrid.
More Than Just a Dunk
While the dunk is a single play, it represents a larger story. It is the story of a young player’s hard work manifesting in a legendary moment.
It is the story of the Orlando Magic’s commitment to player development paying off. It is proof of the NBA’s ever-expanding global reach.
For Black, the Magic, and the NBA, it was a perfect convergence of skill, opportunity, and stage. It created a highlight for the history books and 85 million reasons to believe in the power of a single, spectacular play.