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Are the stars returning to the dunk contest?
Ja Morant sounds ready. As does Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Morant, inspired by G Leaguer Mac McClung’s sensational perfect run to a three-peat in Saturday’s dunk contest, suggested that he was ready to throw his hat into the ring. Morant made his proclamation on social media, just minutes after McClung defeated Stephon Castle in the final of Saturday’s dunk contest at the NBA’s All-Star Saturday night in San Francisco.
See Saturday’s contest that featured G Leaguer McClung, Bucks role player Andre Jackson Jr. and rookies Stephon Castle and Matas Buzelis. They’re nice players, but these aren’t the first names to come to mind for the marquee of All-Star Saturday’s headliner.
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Mac McClung YOU ARE CRAZYYYYYYYpic.twitter.com/tASjuE7wv9
This is a contest that once featured Michael Jordan, Dominique Wilkins and Julius Irving — in the same contest. Jordan and Wilkins were regular participants and faced off twice.
Kobe Bryant won it in 1997. Vince Carter won it in 2000 in what’s considered by many the greatest performance in dunk contest history. But with a few exceptions, star power has fizzled since the turn of the century.
Dwight Howard, Blake Griffin and Donovan Mitchell have all won it since. And LaVine and Gordon put on a dunk contest for the ages in 2016.
But names like these are the exception since the turn of the century. LeBron James never saw fit to lend his talents to All-Star Saturday. And the star power’s dwindled to a flicker since 2019 in contests that have featured Hamidou Diallo, Derrick Jones Jr., Anfernee Simons, Obi Toppin and McClung (3 times) as winners.
All-NBA players like Morant and Antetokounmpo would signal a throwback to the days of the superstar dunk contests featuring sensational dunkers. Especially if, say, Anthony Edwards joins them. Add in McClung in a quest for a four-peat in a G Leaguer vs. NBA superstars showcase, and the NBA would have appointment viewing next All-Star Saturday.
Let’s just hope Morant and Antetokounmpo aren’t teasing us.
