Andrew Wiggins won't do dunk contest: 'I lost in high school'

[Lebron23]

Andrew Wiggins has become one of the most electrifying dunkers in the NBA, but don't look for him to challenge Minnesota Timberwolves teammate Zach LaVine, the reigning Verizon Slam Dunk champion, any time soon.

"My story is, I lost in high school, right when I was in the McDonald's [All-]American Game, so I really don't do ... dunks anymore," Wiggins said during an interview with ESPN.com. "I kind of retired that back, left that in high school, so I don't really do it anymore.

"Right now, you can give it to him [LaVine]. I won't be doing all the surprise dunks. I just keep it simple -- one hand, two hands."

NBA All-Star Weekend is in Wiggins' hometown of Toronto, and Wiggins, last season's rookie of the year, will play in the BBVA Compass Rising Stars Challenge on Feb. 12 along with teammate Karl-Anthony Towns.

During the interview, Towns joked with Wiggins, "They want you in that [dunk] contest bad."

Wiggins shook his head and said, "Me? Nah. I lost. I'm not doing it again. Maybe one day, but right now, I lost in high school and I thought I should've won, so I'm just ..."

Wiggins competed in a dunk contest regarded as one of the best ever at the 2013 McDonald's All-American Game, which featured future NBA players Aaron Gordon, now of the Orlando Magic, Jabari Parker, now of the Milwaukee Bucks, and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, now of the Brooklyn Nets. Wiggins performed an incredible reverse 360 dunk but was beaten out by future Florida forward Chris Walker, who now plays for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in the NBA Development League.

Asked who the best dunker on the Timberwolves is, Towns said, "They both are too athletic. Every day they do something special, so it's not even mesmerizing anymore. It's just the norm."

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/14695362/sacramento-kings-scrap-planned-t-shirt-giveaway-demarcus-cousins-takes-issue

I love to see him in the dunk contest cause Lavine is probably going to do the same dunks over again.

[Dr Hawk]

So he lost once and gives up

[DCL]

the craziest dunkers in the world aren't in the nba. they're no-names on youtube.

[ClipperRevival]

That's some beta stuff right there. You think MJ/Kobe would pass up an opportunity to show the world their stuff in front of their home crowd? The LeBron mindset is filtering down to the next generation.

[SugarHill]

While not something you want to hear from someone as athletic as him, at least he keeps it real unlike LeBron who wanted the attention but feared the moment

[Spaulding]

So he lost once and gives up

Props for his honesty. However yes I can't disagree with the above statement.

[guy]

Lebron killed the dunk contest by setting this precedent. Before him, I can't think of many high flying superstar players not playing in the Dunk contest. Dr. J, Jordan, Nique, Drexler, Pippen, Kemp, Kobe, T-Mac, Vince all did it. Since 04, Lebron, Wade, Durant, Westbrook, Rose all declined.

[Angel Face]

Another mental fragile future star? :facepalm

[SugarHill]

Lebron killed the dunk contest by setting this precedent. Before him, I can't think of many high flying superstar players not playing in the Dunk contest. Dr. J, Jordan, Nique, Drexler, Pippen, Kemp, Kobe, T-Mac, Vince all did it. Since 04, Lebron, Wade, Durant, Westbrook, Rose all declined.
None of them aside from maybe Rose would do anything great anyway. What killed the contest was stagnation and the internet showing dunkers outside the NBA. No one is impressed by something Wade or Lebron would do when guys are cocking it back from one side of the rim and reversing on the other

[Rake2204]

the craziest dunkers in the world aren't in the nba. they're no-names on youtube.Perhaps, but I still have a draw and interest in watching the NBA guys, who I know are world class ball players as well, put on a great dunk show.

Sometimes, especially when it's just a video spliced and edited to make it appear everyone's hitting their first attempts, those Flight Brothers tapes are really cool, but also feel a little bit like a circus act. Something weird about the idea that they might not really be able to play ball and literally almost only train for dunking

[Lebron23]

I wish LeBron would have join the dunk contest in 2004.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbAvd35-CRs

Lebron between the legs dunk in 2004 Rookie Game > Fred Jones dunks in the 2004 Contest. ( Jason Richardson missed some dunks during the contest. Only reason why Jones won it.)

[miggyme1]

While not something you want to hear from someone as athletic as him, at least he keeps it real unlike LeBron who wanted the attention but feared the moment


"AS OF RIGHT NOW TODAY IM PRELIMINARILY PUTTING MYSELF IN NEXT YEARS DUNK CONTEST, YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST,LEBRON JAMES WILL BE IN THE DUNK CONTEST NEXT YEAR"


Next year rolls around and he went ghost like casper.smh and you got people who worship this guy...if that shit wasn't the fakest play for attention I ever seen in my life from a mega star I don't know what was.

anyway wiggins sound like A high school b*tch that lost her virginity a year to soon or some sh*t. I lost in high school.....LMAO. f*CK OUTTA HERE AND GROW A PAIR OF COJONES. I BET YOU WASNT F*CKING NO BAD B*TCHES IN HIGH SCHOOL EITHER BUT YOU ARE OR CAN NOW. SMH


IM DONE WITH THE NBA. THE SOFTEST LEAGUE IN THE WORLD. WHERE ARE WE FINDING THESE UBER TALENTED GUYS WITH DOWNS SYNDROME MENTALITIES???


NO OFFENSE TO ANYBODY OR TO ANYBODY WHO KNOWS SOMEONE WITH DOWNS SYNDROME BUT IM JUST TRYING TO PROVE A POINT

[Rake2204]

Lebron killed the dunk contest by setting this precedent. Before him, I can't think of many high flying superstar players not playing in the Dunk contest. Dr. J, Jordan, Nique, Drexler, Pippen, Kemp, Kobe, T-Mac, Vince all did it. Since 04, Lebron, Wade, Durant, Westbrook, Rose all declined.I respectfully disagree with this assessment. The stars truly began to taper off in the early '90s. With an early format featuring eight competitors, there was room for everyone — and it was the thing to do — so sure, you had Terry Tyler and Otis Smith, but you also had the aforementioned Jordan, Erving, Drexler, Woolridge, and even Sampson.

For one reason or another, probably a lot to do with the stars of the '80s and '90s showing a bit of age, the contest began shifting from star-driven to "any youngster who can get up". We can say Shawn Kemp was a star, but dude was averaging six points a night when he first gave the contest a shot (though respect for continuing to participate in subsequent years).

Otherwise, the contest lived on thanks to the likes of other middle road talent like Dee Brown, J.R. Rider, and Harold Miner. In fact, the dunk contest made those dudes into stars (maybe not All-Stars, but they're names we all know in present day mostly due to their contest theatrics). Even Kobe Bryant wasn't a crazy big name when he participated. He had hype but he was still a 13th overall pick and an 18-year-old playing 15 minutes a night for the Lakers.

Meanwhile, new stars like Latrell Sprewell, Penny Hardaway, and Grant Hill were all passing the contest over at the time.

And actually, despite my personal enjoyment of Bryant's contest (and Chris Carr), the league killed it for two years (to the objection of many). When it came back, it sort of restored the mystique and hype. In fact, one of the only reasons it did return was due to the existence of Vince Carter, who by all accounts was a dunking revolutionary.

If we think about it, there's still been a lot of great dunk contest moments over the past 15 years, even while we call the contest dead. VC, J-Rich, Desmond Mason, Dwight's sticker dunk, Andre Iguodala, Josh Smith, the 2011 contest (though people only want to remember the Kia dunk, the rest was highly competitive and largely impressive), etc.

Long story short, the one aspect a lot of people often overlook: If you want a really historic dunk contest moment like Vince Carter or Michael Jordan, you need a game-changing dunker like Vince Carter or Michael Jordan, and those guys aren't "every few years" types of guys. Vince Carter set the stage for the last 15 years of dunking with his contest.

People sometimes laugh, but the last "oh my god" type of moment I had in the contest may have been, in fact, Blake Griffin, on his very first one-footed, two-hand, waist-pump 360 attempt to start the 2011 contest. Despite all the Dunkademics mixtapes, there's still room for a guy like Griffin to come along and pull off something unique like that (though he eventually had to settle for an easier version despite being very close to finishing).

http://www.tremendousupsidepotential.com/img/blake-griffin-missed-dunk.gif

[r0drig0lac]

zeta

[Wiltside]

So he lost once and gives up
He tried to get the playoffs once too. Seems like a pattern.

[warriorfan]

at least he doesnt front about it like bron

:yaohappy:

[bdreason]

His teammate is defending champ. That's the real reason.

[Mawly-G]

Such a shame. This kid has some crazy bounce. He's had some nice highlight dunks so far.

[BurningHammer]

Wiggins knows he can't beat Lavine.

May be next time then.

[JohnMax]

Wiggins will get more athletic when he fills out his body.

[JimmyMcAdocious]

Where would this rank alltime?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9wIOtPFh20

[plowking]

Where would this rank alltime?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9wIOtPFh20

One of the worst dunks I've seen.

[stalkerforlife]

Sad.

Kobe is the last of a dying breed.

[9erempiree]

Sad.

Kobe is the last of a dying breed.

Don't be sad.

Be happy there was one Kobe Bryant.

GOAT.

[TheBigVeto]

That's some beta stuff right there. You think MJ/Kobe would pass up an opportunity to show the world their stuff in front of their home crowd? The LeBron mindset is filtering down to the next generation.

Dude said Kobe is the greatest of his generation, and you can't believe he is beta? Come on now.

[JtotheIzzo]

Not a surprise.

1-Wiggins teammate is defending champ and will only f#ck with Zach's main celebrity vehicle (think $$$) if he enters and wins.
2-probably cant beat Lavine, he is one of the best.
3-stars dont do the contest anymore, Bran made it redundant.
4-Wiggins is tired. Played summer league, a ton of minutes last year, Canada the following aummer and big minutes this year. His shooting and hustle is off as a result and likely will play big minutes for Canada this summer. Kid needs to rest whenever he can. Most rookies hit a wall, Wiggins never did, but I worry about a slow burn.

[FreezingTsmoove]

This is the dunk contest he was talking about

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYESAzucqR0

Featuring Jabari, Rondae from the Nets, Aaron Gordon, and D League player Chris Walker