"The footage is grainy, obviously transferred from videotape to YouTube, but it's still possible to see Darvin Ham flying toward the basket, grabbing a rebound and shattering the backboard with a dunk.

The play has followed him throughout his life, helping Texas Tech beat North Carolina in the second round of the 1996 NCAA tournament, landing him on the cover of Sports Illustrated next to the title "Smashing!" and serving as the most entrancing part of a basketball career that included eight NBA seasons."