The All-Star weekend may be over, but fans are fuming online over a clip showing Knicks’ Jacob Toppin performing a “lost & found dunk” that some believe should have been in the contest. Despite displaying top-tier skill, the 23-year-old didn’t make it past the first round, while Boston Celtics’ Jaylen Brown advanced. The internet is not happy!
The clip, posted by Chuck Millan, the official Dunk Contest Coach of the NBA and CEO of Team Flight Brothers, claims that he taught Toppin the dunk in only 10 minutes! Watch the clip here:
Here’s the dunk Jacob Toppin saved for the finals of the NBA Slam Dunk Contest.
It took me eghhh 10 minutes to teach him this 2 hand lost & found dunk.. He’s the only person in the world that has done this. pic.twitter.com/GsST8kdHy4
— Chuck Millan | THE Dunk Guy (@TFBChuckTheBoss) February 27, 2024
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In response, a Raptors enthusiast even tweeted, “The world was robbed of this brilliance.”
The world was robbed of this brilliance
— Stevie (@RaptorsShaq) February 27, 2024
Upon the clip’s release, the internet went into a frenzy. Fans’ comments ranged from “So sad we didn’t get a chance to witness it but instead we got a basic left hand dunk from jaylen” to”They had Jaylen brown and Kai cenat on my screen instead.”
Toppin’s rise to the Top?
Toppin, following in his brother Obi’s footsteps who won the contest in 2022, incorporated his sibling into his first dunk. He jumped over the taller Obi Toppin and completed a reverse slam, receiving a score of 47.8 from the judges. Notably, Jacob Toppin was the 8th player in Knicks history to compete in the event. For his second attempt, aiming to impress the judges, Toppin executed a between-the-legs 360 slam, but only received a score of 47.2.
Toppin’s dunk involved dribbling from the 3-point arc, then jumping and putting the ball through his legs with his back to the hoop. He completed the transfer, spin, and dunk with both hands. Even though the rookie came in hot with some impressive dunks, the judges were more impressed by Jaylen Brown’s second dunk, which earned him a score of 48, leaving Jacob behind.
Read More: Jayson Tatum Makes Major Sacrifice For Jaylen Brown in Knicks Game
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In a unique tribute to Dee Brown’s iconic 1991 dunk, Jaylen Brown, NBA All-Star, attempted to replicate the dunk by leaping over Kai Cenat and dunking with his eyes closed. While the execution wasn’t perfect, the dunk (achieved on his second attempt) earned him a score of 47.6 and advanced to the next round. Ultimately, Brown was outshone by McClung’s gravity-defying dunks, falling short of taking home the title and even receiving some “boos” from the crowd.
The night belonged to Mac McClung though. In the final round, he jumped over the legendary Shaquille O’Neal, nearly grazing the rim, and threw down a reverse dunk, receiving a perfect score and securing his dub.
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Many fans believe that young Toppin could’ve outperformed both Brown, a seasoned veteran, and McClung, a G-League player, had he shown this exceptional move in the actual contest.
Maybe next year, the future dunk champion will have his rightful place in the spotlight!