The easiest way to understand the latest social media viral challenges is not to approach them as the age you are now. Instead re-imagine being in high school and if planking and the Mannequin Challenge would appeal to you. Then you begin to grasp the appeal. And there’s little doubt my high school self wouldn’t love the Drive-By Dunk Challenge. It is a glorious invention of simplicity and potential. Drive around your neighborhood until you find an empty basketball hoop. Then film yourself exiting the car dunking on it.
The inception of the drive-by dunk seems to come late last year from Instagram user @t.currie. He claims to be the originator of the trend, posting five days ago a simple drive-by dunk with the caption, “Bitch I’ll dunk on your court [basketball emoji].”
A few days later he posted an impressive compilation that included rap music and 360 dunks. The highlight is when he asks a neighborhood kid to serve him an ally-oop and the kid is stunned by the dunk, adorably repeating “Damn.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/BW5dlJAl71I/?tagged=drivebydunkchallenge
But the trend gained steam this past weekend because NBA star Anthony Davis posted himself participating. Pulling up to an unsuspecting hoop, listening to Lil Wayne and sipping a Red Bull, Davis slammed one down. NBA young up-and-comers also joined the fun. Sacramento King rookie De’Aaaron Fox hit a dunk, and Boston Celtic Jaylen Brown stole the ball at a random pickup game.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BWyy4YpFB1I/
This post was popular on Instagram feeds, where the Drive-By Dunk Challenge backfires on one kid. Pro-tip: Make sure no dogs are loose when attempting a Drive-By Dunk Challenge. Though, I should mention the video suspiciously cuts before the dog reaches him so who knows how bad it really was.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BW53FFXjyzU/?tagged=drivebydunkchallenge
I give it approximately one week until this appears on the Today show or any of those morning shows. Then the trend will die, as it always does when it no longer is cool. But it is now, so get your dunks in while you can.
