For every player other than the first-round picks, the NBA Summer League is all about making a name for yourself. Heat guard Alondes Williams did just that with one stunning moment Wednesday.
Williams' thundering slam dunk in the fourth quarter of Miami's 92-79 win over the Dallas Mavericks ignited the crowd and fired up the Heat bench, sending just about everyone into a frenzy.
Mavericks guard AJ Lawson was fortunate to get out of the way. He was nearly put on a poster — and arguably still was — but Lawson at least avoided the brunt of Williams' force and quickly inbounded the ball to put that moment behind him.
The Heat are known to develop unheralded players into NBA rotation pieces. Could Williams' athleticism be coming to Miami soon?
Here's a look at Williams' dunk and some of the best fan reactions to it.
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Alondes Williams Summer League dunk
Williams got all the way up before delivering a monstrous dunk Wednesday, bringing the house down about as much as anyone can in the Summer League.
ALONDES WILLIAMS DUNK OF THE SUMMER🔥🔥🔥
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) July 17, 2024
OH MY GOSH.😱
pic.twitter.com/vqaa8AolNg
Lawson was able to get out of the way of Williams as quickly as he could, but the Mavericks never recovered from the blow. Dallas was outscored 25-15 the rest of the way, with the Heat winning by a comfortable 13-point margin. Williams finished with nine points, three rebounds and five assists.
This angle of Alondes Williams’ poster 😳
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) July 17, 2024
🎥: @NBA pic.twitter.com/68IrLQyj0U
Fans quickly came to a consensus: not only does Williams' dunk stand out as the dunk of the summer, it might be one of the best dunks in recent memory.
The reach back on that dunk was absolutely absurd. One of the top dunks we’ve seen.
— TSavvyy (@tsavvyy17) July 17, 2024
I think Alondes Williams just killed someone. Gasps here at Thomas & Mack after that dunk.
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) July 17, 2024
He was flexing before his left foot even hit the ground. This level of disrespect is ADMIRABLE. Sweet lawd...
— Jay H. McCabe (@JayMcCabe) July 17, 2024
— Le Swish🏀 (@LeSwishhh) July 17, 2024
ALONDES WILLIAMS YOU DIDNT HAVE TO DO HIM LIKE THAT!! 😱
— Ron (@SummedUpwithRon) July 17, 2024
Alondes Williams, whew. #BloodOnTheFloorpic.twitter.com/UgVDRLfwny
— Niko (@nikotaughtyou) July 17, 2024
The Summer League is often viewed a showcase for some of the NBA's top rookies, and in many cases, it is. Heat first-round pick Kel'el Ware finished Wednesday's win with 24 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks, giving Miami fans a taste of what might be ahead.
For many players, though, it's the best chance they will have to prove they deserve an NBA opportunity. That's the situation Williams finds himself in as he enters his third season out of college.
Here's a closer look at Williams' background and his G League stats to this point.
MORE: 2024 NBA Summer League rosters
Who is Alondes Williams?
Williams went undrafted out of Wake Forest in 2022. He started his college career at the community college level before joining Oklahoma and then transferring to the Demon Deacons.
He spent the 2022-23 season in the G League with the Long Island Nets, appearing in one game with the Brooklyn Nets, and he took on a premier role with Heat affiliate Sioux Falls Skyforce this past season. Williams also briefly appeared in seven games with the Heat.
Here's a look at Williams' career G League stats:
| Season | Team | Games | PTS | REB | AST | FG% | 3P% |
| 2022-23 | Long Island Nets | 11 | 9.9 | 3.5 | 2.5 | 36.8% | 34.1% |
| 2023-24 | Sioux Falls Skyforce | 16 | 18.0 | 4.9 | 6.7 | 46.2% | 34.9% |
| Career | 27 | 14.7 | 4.4 | 5.0 | 43.2% | 34.6% |
One dunk won't convince a team to give Williams an NBA opportunity, but the 25-year-old guard's improvement at the G League level last season and penchant for highlight-reel plays just might bring him closer to that goal.
