Back in 1976, Julius Irving won the ABA All-Star Game Dunk Contest, the first professional competition of its kind. The same year the dunk was legalized in NCAA basketball. These two events collectively shaped basketball into the explosive and exciting sport it is today.
The NBA will celebrate its 60th anniversary of All Star Weekend this year at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, highlighted by two days of skills competitions and events leading up to Sunday’s All Star Game.
Part of the pre-game events includes the dunk contest, which will begin on Saturday, Feb. 19 at 7:30 p.m. The contest is considered by many to be the cynosure of the entire weekend, and it promises aerial stunts reminiscent of some of the league’s greatest all-time dunkers.
Who doesn’t remember Brent Barry winning the 1996 title before he started balding and settling for three-pointers like the white man that he is? Wait, you don’t remember that?
Everybody in my generation probably remembers Barry as an old-school role player who stayed in the NBA a bit too long. After watching highlights, I was surprised to see that this white boy could jump.
Most people my age have no recollection of anything before Vince Carter literally killed the competition in 2000, when he threw down historic between-the-legs dunks and the unforgettable “elbow hanging” slam.
There hasn’t been a superstar even in the field of dunkers since “Vinsanity” and Kobe a few years before him. Kobe won in ’97 when, at 18, he was the youngest winner of the contest. Since then, people have been pleading for more star players rather than no-names. Take a hint, LeBron.
A reason for the lack of stardom, though, is due to a change in format. When the NBA held its first Dunk Contest in 1984 after the ABA/NBA merger, there were nine contestants, and eight the following year. In each of these competitions there were at least three future Hall of Fame players, including guys like Dr. J and Clyde Drexler.
Elite lineups just haven’t been seen in recent years, mostly due to the fact that the field of contestants has been dwindled to only four. The contest has thus become more predictable, severely depleting the level of competition.
The late ‘80s matched Michael Jordan and Dominique Wilkins, two future Hall of Famers and arguably the two best dunkers of all time. The two battled for years to see who would be crowned the best dunker in the NBA.
The contest was unforgettable in Chicago in which MJ barely won, despite using his trademark dunk from the free throw line in front of the home crowd. ‘Nique participated in a record five competitions and became the oldest champion in history when he won in 1990 at age 30.
Nobody is driven to participate that many times to claim the title besides 5’7” guard Nate Robinson, who participated four times and is the only contestant to win three trophies. Kobe and Vince both won it their first tries and never participated again. Where is the pride?
In the early years of the competition, it meant something to be called the king of this contest, because it struck fear in opponents’ eyes as you drove the lane. Not only were players like MJ, Dominique, Shawn Kemp and Vince Carter creative dunkers, they would dunk hard and in your face.
In a regular season game, Shawn Kemp served up a rim-rocking dunk over a defenseless opponent, leaving the victim helpless on the ground. Kemp landed over his prey and pointed in the victim’s pleading face with both hands before finally jogging to the other end of the court.
Players in the league were warned of this death from above as the deserving received nicknames like Dr. Dunkenstein, Air Jordan, The Human Highlight Film and Sky Walker.
Current rookie forward and LA Clipper Blake Griffin may be in the process of creating a nickname for himself. Griffin is already known as a ferocious victimizer who is an early favorite to win this year’s dunk contest. The Raptors’ DeMar DeRozan, the Wizards’ JaVale McGee and the Thunder’s Serge Ibaka complete this year’s dunking crew.
Eventually, the elite players step up and make at least one appearance. Michael Jordan is without a doubt one of the best basketball players ever to live, and he is a slam dunk champion. Kobe, the Air Apparent, has won it as well.
Therefore, it seems appropriate that LeBron refuses to enter a competition; earning the title of best dunker in the league seems to be a pre-requisite for best-of-all-time status.
LeBron is right by deciding to practice his jump shot rather than his dunk. And if King James finally decides to compete, it should be remembered that he failed to even reach the finals of the McDonald’s High School All-America Dunk Contest, which was his last formal dunk competition.
James can be seen in the All-Star game on Sunday, which tips at 7:00 p.m. Although, don’t be too eager to skip past Saturday, because the real action happens above the rim.