It's boring. It had it's time and now it's time to move on to something a little more creative or something. An entire contest that revolves around the easiest shot in basketball only has so long a shelf life.
Spontaneous slam dunks in a game situation are exciting, pre planned dunks are not
It's boring. It had it's time and now it's time to move on to something a little more creative or something. An entire contest that revolves around the easiest shot in basketball only has so long a shelf life.
Spontaneous slam dunks in a game situation are exciting, pre planned dunks are not
I respectfully disagree on most levels. As I say in every thread regarding the dunk contest's proposed demise, I do not understand why it's always the first to go, while most naysayers seem content with the Shooting Stars Competition (featuring out of shape retirees struggling), the Skills Competition (where players jog at half speed around the court), and the 3 Point Shootout (which is always just guys shooting spot up jumpers). I enjoy watching all the competitions, I just don't see why the dunk contest gets singled out as if it's the only thing on All-Star Saturday that isn't absolutely magnificent and riveting every year.
I also disagree with the notion that dunks are the easiest shot in basketball. I'd say they're the highest percentage shot, but not the easiest. That is to say, if someone can comfortably dunk, then once they were able to put themselves in position to do so it'd have a good chance of going in. However, most people in the world cannot dunk, hence there's a bit of a "forbidden fruit" aspect to the contest. It's players attempting to perform things on a basketball court most of us can only dream of, because dunking is not easy.
I also disagree that pre-planned dunks are not exciting. In fact, I would count watching Vince Carter's dunk contest performance in 2000 as one of the most exciting moments of NBA basketball I've ever seen. On a lesser level, Jason Richardson and others were able to provide similar feelings.
The dunk contest will always have down years. And when the league shoots itself in the leg by lowering the number of competitors to four, eliminating judges, reducing the contest to one round, introducing a host, and encouraging terrible skits and gimmicks, the contest will suffer longer than normal. However, assuming the NBA continues on the right track in adjusting their contest back to normal rules and regulations, it'll only be a matter of time before our next Vince Carter moment. And the fact that those moments are so rare is what makes them special.
I would count watching Vince Carter's dunk contest performance in 2000 as one of the most exciting moments of NBA basketball I've ever seen.
Me too but that was 13 years ago. It's become a dwindling commodity. Just look at the participants. For the most part it's become the realm of players that wouldn't be at the allstar weekend at all if it wasn't for the dunk contest.
It used to be the contest of stars, now it's the contest of players half the crowd has never heard of
Me too but that was 13 years ago. It's become a dwindling commodity. Just look at the participants. For the most part it's become the realm of players that wouldn't be at the allstar weekend at all if it wasn't for the dunk contest.
It used to be the contest of stars, now it's the contest of players half the crowd has never heard of
Well, to be honest, the dunk contest has a history of welcoming players of all skill levels - this isn't just a recent phenomenon. I understand some people need stars to be contestants, but I'm someone who just needs NBA players who can dunk very well.
Still, for as long as the contest has been around, it's always had its share of stars, young guns, and no-names. After all, while past champions include the likes of Michael Jordan, Dominique Wilkins, and Vince Carter, they also include Dee Brown, Kenny Walker, and Cedric Ceballos.
Moreover, there's actually been some pretty notable names in the contest over the past years. Blake Griffin, Gerald Wallace, Dwight Howard, J.R. Smith, Rudy Gay, Josh Smith, Andre Iguodala, and Amar'e Stoudemire to name a few.
I just think if a player can do dunk contest dunks, they should be able to perform. If they show out, they'll earn respect and viewers will go home happy, whether they're stars or not. Had Eric Bledsoe made each of his dunks on the first attempt, I do not believe people would have refused to enjoy his performance just because his name wasn't LeBron James. Many players have actually used the contest as a big leap toward becoming stars, if not skills-wise, at least in popularity (which is likely the sole reason Dee Brown and Harold Miner are still a household name to most basketball fans).
Their are a large number of dunks never done before in a dunk contest that are possible.
360 + between the legs
Windmill + free throw line
Vince Carter elbow + windmill
720 (or even 540)
Any of those dunks would bring down the house at a dunk contest...and they have been done by Air Up There, James White (when he was younger and wasn't nervous), and others. So they are possible.
all they need is to have 3 rounds instead of 2 and have more dunkers the biggest problem is the small sample size. the more dunks there are, the more chances of something great
The best dunkers (Lebron) are afraid they might miss a dunk on TV. An NBA dunk contest is pretty lame when the NBA stars are a bunch of females (Lebron).
To be honest I've never thought much of it. I could appreciate more when you had stars doing things that we never saw in game. Now the in game dunks by the best in the league are better than the one's in the dunk contest by a bunch of no names. I put it on par with the Harlem Globetrotters, an aspect of basketball but not real basketball and since I enjoy basketball for the competition...
As far as stars being in the contest What was it this year? one guy was a starter, the rest come off the bench for their teams. I mean when you have Shaq referring to the contestants as "what's his name" you got problems
The Dunk Contest is still necessary...
