Despite Michael Jordan & Kobe Bryant’s Presence, Real Reason Behind NBA Stars Rejecting Dunk Contest Explained by Knicks Star

“I think, ultimately, in this media era, some players are just afraid to get turned into a meme or whatever.” Jaylen Brown was not shy to participate in the dunk contest, though the G-League’s 25-year-old Mac McClung would emerge the eventual winner. Shannon Sharpe, on his podcast, raised the same question about players not being available for the dunk contest as opposed to the time when Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant played and even won. Karl-Anthony Towns had a similar view to share for that.

“I just feel like… you know, we in a new era with social media. We got more eyes, we got more chances to see more talent.” The latest New York Knicks recruit said on the Club Shay Shay podcast. “You know Anthony Edwards, Zion Williamson, Ja Morant. I mean, they are enticing names who have the ability to use athleticism at the highest level in game.”

When asked if the increased popularity of the three-point contest has somewhere hindered the dunk contest’s appeal, KAT had to say, “I think public scrutiny has kind of messed up the perception of the contest.” He’d also later mention, “Sometimes, as fans, we get so caught up in names, we are not caught up in art,” hinting at the absence of popular names in the contest, eventually leading to decreased interest among the audience.

But Towns calls it a special opportunity for players who specialize in dunking to showcase never-seen-before dunks. Naming McClung as an example, he says, “Here’s guys out here who are using that dunk contest as an opportunity to prove what they are to the NBA and to the game of basketball and you know for them to have that opportunity, I think it’s special.”

McClung is not only the winner of this year’s dunk contest, but last year’s as well. He thus became only the fifth player in the history of the contest to win it back-to-back. Michael Jordan, Jason Richardson, Nate Robinson, and Zach LaVine are the other people on the list. The 2x Dunk Slam champion also won the G-League MVP award, scoring 25.7 points per game which was also the league’s best. Interestingly, he beat Jaylen Brown’s score thanks to help from Shaquille O’Neal.

With an average score of 49.1 to win, McClung reverse dunked while leaping over Shaquille O’Neal, and the Lakers legend also wore McClung’s Gate City High School jersey. The eventual winner won with a perfect score of 50, where Dominique Wilkins, who was one of the five judges at this year’s event.

Did you know Wilkins is also a 2x Dunk Slam champion himself? And he once had an issue with Michael Jordan winning the contest back in 1988.

Michael Jordan and his Dunk tales

The 1988 All-Star Weekend was in the Chicago Bulls‘ home stadium. Interestingly, Wilkins had already won the dunk contest against Michael Jordan three years ago, in 1985. That was against the young MJ and now he truly established his place amongst the Windy City die-hards. During the dunk contest, Wilkins made a perfect 50 for his first attempt. Landing a windmill slam for his next, he had expected the same result. But the panel of 5 would give him a 45.

Throughout the contest, both of them showcased some of their finest, nicest, and cleanest dunks ever seen. His Airness had the final shot, and the fans were expecting showering extraordinarily. So, the 6x NBA Champion delivered as he leaped from the free-throw line, double-clutched midair, and made a memorable shot.

After this, MJ got a perfect score and regained the slam dunk title from the previous dunk contest. But Wilkins had a problem, which he revealed on Vlad TV. “I thought the dunk contest was over and they’re like, ‘no, no he got one more. And so that was the famous free-throw-line dunk that he attempted twice.'” Even Jordan once thought that the title and the win had to go to his rival, but today nobody has no regrets. Wilkins would win another again in 1990.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.