Calls Mount Against Adam Silver’s NBA Slam Dunk Judges as Kevin Garnett & More Join the Panel

The Slam Dunk Contest, once the All-Star Weekend’s highlight event, has seen a declined interest in recent years. Sure, the lack of star power has been tagged the culprit, but judging controversies haven’t helped the matter either. So this time, Adam Silver is shaking things up. The NBA has announced that fans will have a say in the judging through the NBAID program. But what’s really making noise? The lineup of judges.

The panel is stacked. 2008 NBA champ Kevin Garnett, two-time All-Star Baron Davis, seven-time All-Star Tracy McGrady, and two-time Slam Dunk Contest champion Jason Richardson will be calling the shots. Pretty solid, right? But there’s one name catching everyone off guard—content creator Jesser is joining the panel.

Meanwhile, the competition itself is just as thrilling. Two-time reigning champ Mac McClung (Osceola Magic) is back to defend his crown against some fresh faces—Matas Buzelis (Chicago Bulls), Andre Jackson Jr. (Milwaukee Bucks), and Stephon Castle (San Antonio Spurs).

So, where can you watch it all unfold? The Slam Dunk Contest will go down on All-Star Saturday Night, February 15, airing live on TNT and truTV. But with all the buzz around the judging panel, fans aren’t holding back their opinions.

Fans sound off on Adam Silver’s NBA Slam Dunk judges

As soon as the NBA announced the judges for this year’s Slam Dunk Contest, fans wasted no time sharing their thoughts. With Kevin Garnett on the panel—known just as much for his trash talk as his game—it’s hard not to wonder how he’ll react if a contestant botches a dunk. And fans are already predicting the scenario. “lol I can’t wait for a missed dunk and KG gives it a 1,” one user wrote.

But while there’s excitement around the NBA legends, there’s also skepticism about Jesser’s role on the panel. Some fans think his scores might be a bit too generous, leading to an interesting contrast. “KG will give every dunk a 1, but Jesser will give every dunk a 10,” one fan quipped, with another chiming in, “Jesser voting every dunk a 50.”

So why is Jesser on the panel? The content creator, who played in the 2023 NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, is representing the fans. This year, Adam Silver’s NBA is giving one of the five judging votes to the audience through the NBA ID program. Instead of texting votes, fans can cast their scores in real time via the NBA app or at slamdunkvote.nba.com. Jesser will then relay the fan vote as one of the official scores, making him a unique addition to the judging lineup. How he handles the pressure? That remains to be seen.

For now, fans are not on board with Jesser on the panel. “Jesser a judge? You can’t be serious… ” 

But it’s not just Jesser raising eyebrows. Some fans are questioning the selection of former NBA players as well. “I get Richardson, but where are the other past winners?” one fan asked. While Jason Richardson is a two-time Slam Dunk Contest champion, neither Garnett, Tracy McGrady, nor Baron Davis ever won the event.

However, all three have made their mark on dunking history. McGrady’s 2000 contest performance speaks for himself. However, despite his performance, he lost to his cousin Vince Carter. It is no wonder one had to chime in with “Not Vince??” 

Then there is Davis’ legendary “We Believe” dunk, which is regarded as the best dunk in Warriors’ history. “In my opinion: it was a top-five I’ve ever seen,” Jason Richardson said about his dunk. And Garnett? While he never participated in dunk contest, his in-game ferocity was well known. But that not it, he was a great dunker too. So, doubts aside on Silver’s choice, all eyes are now on the event itself.