These NBA photographs can turn a fraction of a second into an eternal memory

This is the best action shot of Kobe Bryant, when he was young and dedicated to making noise in the league. This shot captures this moment in his career, literally beginning to take off in 1998. He was about flash and flair more than finesse. And it was fascinating. Even his teammates were curious to see what this kid could do.

Today the legend of Michael Jordan is so embedded that it's easy to forget there once was a time when there was doubt he'd ever hold the Larry O'Brien Trophy. The conventional wisdom was that guys who won scoring titles couldn't lead their teams to championships. The tears were for all of the doubters. And the reassuring grip on his right arm from his father makes it even better.

In 1988, the image of Michael Jordan in flight began morphing into the image of the NBA.This dunk from the free throw line in front of the home crowd at Chicago Stadium secured the victory in a memorable dunk contest showdown with Dominique Wilkins. He was wearing the Air Jordan III, the first shoe in his signature line that featured the Jumpman silhouette. He went on to win the first of his five Most Valuable Player awards that year, and in the playoffs he advanced past the opening round for the first time.

If the Olympics can include NBA players, then we can include an Olympic photo in our NBA list. Not only is this an amazing picture, capping the pinnacle of Vince Carter's dunk over Frederic Weis in the 2000 Games as Kevin Garnett and Gary Payton look on in disbelief. This photo provided early visual proof that the legendary dunk actually happened.

It's an exceptional moment in NBA history. It's the moment all basketball players have imagined: hitting a last-second shot to win a championship. Here it is, the culmination of Michael Jordan's career in a Chicago Bulls uniform, the conclusion of his 1990s dominance with the last shot he'd take in the decade.

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