Last Updated on April 16, 2026 by Mat Diekhake
Here is detailed information on Taurian Fontenette, aka Air Up There or Mr. 720:
Player Profile
- Full Name: Taurian J. Fontenette
- Nationality: American
- Age: Born October 15, 1983
- Hometown: Hitchcock, Texas, USA
- Height: 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m)
- Weight: 185 lbs (84 kg)
- Wingspan: 6 feet 3 inches
- Shoe Size: Size 12 (US)
- Number: Often wore #23
- Position: Guard
- High School:
- Hitchcock High School (Hitchcock, Texas)
- College:
- Prairie View A&M University (briefly attended before pursuing streetball career)
- Professional Career:
- AND1 Mixtape Tour: Taurian Fontenette gained fame through his participation in the AND1 Mixtape Tour, known for his incredible leaping ability and highlight dunks. He earned the nickname “Air Up There” after becoming famous for landing the first 720-degree dunk ever captured on camera, solidifying his legend in streetball history.
- Ball Up Streetball: He later became a star on the Ball Up Streetball team after the AND1 Mixtape Tour.
- Teams Played For:
- AND1 Mixtape Tour Team
- Ball Up Streetball Team
- Kids: Not widely publicized.
- Siblings: Not widely documented.
Player Archetype / Play Style
Taurian Fontenette’s player archetype was that of an explosive streetball dunk specialist, a highlight-driven wing creator whose game revolved around vertical pop, flair, and open-floor improvisation. Defensively, he was more of an energy athlete than a structured half-court stopper, using quickness and bounce to pressure space and recover rather than anchoring a set defense. Offensively, his role centered on transition attacks, acrobatic finishes, crowd-lifting dunks, and freestyle shot creation, with his reputation built largely on above-the-rim play and one-on-one creativity. Physically, Fontenette stood about 6-foot-2 and around 185 pounds, but he played much bigger because of his rare leaping ability, body control, and spring-loaded explosiveness. His overall play style was flashy, fearless, and highly unconventional, blending streetball rhythm with elite dunk innovation, which is why “Air Up There” became known more as a soaring showman than as a traditional system player. (Wikipedia)
Notes:
- Similar players to Taurian Fontenette include Vince Carter.
Photos
Sources:
SLAM — The Air Up Here…
Ballislife — The History of the 720 Dunk
Wikipedia — Taurian Fontenette
SLAM — J Clark The Jumper Wins VBL DunkFest 2.0