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Can pain describe what we were feeling about the Dunk Contest?

I’m not just talking about this Dunk Contest, I am talking about all the ones that absolutely mean nothing because the Dunk Contest holds no more significance. Ouch, a bit harsh? Maybe, but it is very warranted. Before I go into this any further I want to state a few things: I am not putting down the players that go into these contests and perform their absolute best. That would be wrong of me and I support them 100%. I want every player to succeed well, but it can not take away from the fact that the Dunk Contest is 100% lack-luster.

From 2011 to 2022, there has only been four relevant players to win the contest. That is pretty bad considering that in the past four years no one has even heard of these players before. Sure they are talented, but does that even matter to people? Before we get into all of this, let’s break down the past eleven winners of the NBA Dunk Contest.

From good to garbage…

Blake Griffin (2011)
Jeremy Evans (2012)
Terrance Ross (2013)
John Wall (2014)
Zach LaVine (2015/2016)
Glenn Robinson III (2017)
Donovan Mitchell (2018)
Hamidou Diallo (2019)
Derrick Jones Jr. (2020)
Anfernee Simons (2021)
Obi Toppin (2022)

I’m not going to talk about everyone who participated as if someone very talented and well-known was in the dunk contest; then we would have seen them win over Hamidou Diallo, etc. Look, I am going to be brutally honest here. Robinson III, Diallo, Toppin, and even Jones Jr. are players that might deserve to be in the contest but the consequences will be dyer.

What do I mean by that? I mean that when the NBA puts players that nobody cares for, then why would fans care to see the Dunk Contest of which they have no one to cheer for? Obi Toppin is not a guy someone is going to back and say, “we want him to win because he is the best dunker out there!” Or even some guy named Glenn Robinson III, why? Because nobody has heard of this guy (who isn’t even in the league anymore) will lead to many tuning out the Dunk Contest entirely.

Have well-known dunkers and the NBA will have a better audience for this showdown, right? It is that simple, I’ll prove it. When Aaron Gordon and Zach LaVine had their showdown, people were there to see it because those were two respected, up-coming dunkers and talents. Two fantastic players that actually played the game of the basketball and people knew who they were. Same for John Wall, exciting guy coming into the 2014 NBA Dunk Contest in which people were interested to watch. Same with Blake Griffin, who was the dunk king back then. Come on, during that contest he jumped over a car.

Memorable players will have memorable moments that will carry the show for the fans. Am I right or am I right? Juan Toscano-Anderson in the final round against Obi Toppin is not going to catch anyone’s eye, nobody cared and rather be doing work than watching that snooze-fest.

Should we be so critically about this?

Yes, if it is trash then call it out. Simple as that, if NBA fans are going to purchase tickets to these events then make it good. If NBA fans are taking time out their day to watch these events, then make them good. Don’t have the entire event covered with new guys nobody thought could dunk, or even heard of. Spread them in with guys that are dunkers and that are known enough for people to carry.

This is marketing 101. Excluding the possibility of injuries or setbacks; the NBA should put in someone like Giannis, Ja Morant, Donovan Mitchell, Anthony Edwards, LaVine, or whoever else is an exciting performer. Those guys I just listed are players that fans want to see in the dunk contest. Fans want excitement, not boring matchups just to have. Personally, we do not want fillers but entertainers that actually know how to make an interesting dunk.

So, in conclusion, we shouldn’t be beating this thing to death. But we should be objective to this and realize that there are better options to sprinkle in with the new guys. As I am not saying we should eliminate new guys from trying to win the contest; what I am saying is that the NBA needs to give fans a reason to care. That is why you spread guys like Obi Toppin, Jalen Green in with guys like Donovan Mitchell, Ja Morant.

Reviewing the 2022 (eye-gauging) Dunk Contest

Warrior’s Juan Toscano-Anderson against Knicks’ Obi Toppin, final round… as this was one of the most sorriest rounds I have ever seen. After so many botched dunks by Toscano-Anderson, who was wearing the Warrior’s Jason Richardson jersey, had to go to the scorekeeper’s table to his final result turn into a flaming pile of garbage. Miss after miss burnt him out as he got six’s across the board by each judge due to him failing to make any sort of dunk attempt.

That led to the commentators hoping for something magical to come by Toppin at the end to send the fans into a state of excitement ; however, he couldn’t as he got out with the easy second-round win to seal the deal on the Dunk Contest Championship.

Legends, commentators in anger/disbelief

It got so bad that the legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar left the arena in disgust… and most likely anger. Also, Shaq was seen to not be pleased reportedly. What an embarrassment as the second round was better than the first round.

The dunkers went 7-25 (28%) in the first round.

Jalen Green went 1-9 (11.1%) on his first dunk. pic.twitter.com/R4VIKK1Ea7
— StatMuse (@statmuse) February 20, 2022

Jalen Green was so cold during his turn that he put the entire crowd to sleep. Everyone got annoyed and the commentators couldn’t do anything else to electrify this contest; they knew this contest was hosed. Dwayne Wade, Richard Jefferson, and everyone else was advocating for the Dunk Contest to be at the middle of all the different events happening Saturday. Why? Because the Skills Competition (won by Team Cavs) was great and so was the Three-Point Contest (won by Big KAT), but when it came to the Dunk Contest… it was anything but great.

Non of the dunks were electrifying as players were trying to be innovative but failed miserably. Fans wanted a show while the first round of this contest put them all to sleep. No one knew that Cole Anthony was this ‘elite’ dunker that made his way into the contest. Nor did anyone know about Jalen Green and those other two players. The Magic and the Rockets have had terrible seasons so their spotlight has grown to diminish; then no one really cares about Toppin or Toscano-Anderson. Too much talent is on both teams, with all the headlines making their way, that anyone even realizes that those players actually play. Sad but true.

The highlights the NBA put out about the Dunk Contest even highlights the atrocities that came in the second round, why? It isn’t there fault, but the second round wasn’t good at all so they were forced into that. May sound extreme, but trust me it isn’t.

I encourage you all to watch the NBA Dunk Contest in it’s entirety, because by the end of the Dunk Contest you will be wanting to gauge your eyeballs out faster than you can say “Dunk Contest of 2022.” Straight facts.

Shift our focus: what happened to our great Dunk Contests?

Originality is not apart of these contests anymore, and it isn’t because these players don’t care or show no lack of enthusiasm for them. It is simply that every single dunk humanly done has been achieved. Even the impossible done by Spud Webb caught the attention of millions; now think about that for a quick second. Vince Carter’s legendary dunk, Jordan being Jordan, Superman Dwight Howard, the incredible feats of Gordon and LaVine, etc.

Dunks from the beginning of this wonderful contest have been done over and over; there is nothing new. Want to jump over a car? Already done. Dunkers blowing out birthday candles while dunking? Done. Body parts through NBA hoops? Again, already done. Dunkers doing 180, 360 dunks? Many times have been done. Alley-oops to a player’s self? Done one-thousand times. You guys picking up on what I am laying down? Every dunk humanly imaginable has been fulfilled by the greatest dunkers out there.

That is why the excitement for the Dunk Contest has gone down because there is no more originality and redefining the term “impossible.” So combine that with having nobody-cares players, then that is the perfect creation of disaster.

That is why I am advocating to leave alone the pathetic Dunk Contest and reshape the future of the All-Star events.

My proposal to leaving the fans amazed after Saturday’s incredible events

My proposal is to keep the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, that doesn’t have to change as that game has been very exciting for a very ling time. For Saturday, the NBA keeps the Skills Competition first but make the Three-Point Contest last. For what reason? That reason being that fans can enjoy more and have a lasting impression that isn’t clouded by negativity or bad moments left in their mouthes.

The Saturday list will go good, bad, good. We start with good and we finish with good. The Three-Point Contest had fans in all sorts of excitement, cheers, and everything else. Seeing Timberwolves’ Karl Anthony-Towns win that event was history. Seriously, he was the first-ever center to win that contest. Talk about an honor beyond rewards? Truly incredible.

Look up highlight videos, or watch the All-Star game in it’s entirety, as you will feel the fans reaction just from watching the video. The Three-Point Contest was unlike anything we have witnessed before; that contest kept me, and everyone else, engaged and ready to go.

Big KAT, Luke Kennard, Patty Mills, CJ McCollum, Desmond Bane, and even Trae Young was apart of this incredible event. See what the NBA did here? They took Bane and put him into something incredible with the fans giving him a great reaction for what he did. What do I mean by this? I mean that Bane was introduced into something new, while fans were able to watch the great shooters of the game compete in high-level stakes.

There wasn’t one person in the building, or around the world, to not enjoy the Three-Point Contest. Truly incredible to say the least.

Continuing with my proposal:

The makers of this event allow fans to leave on good terms. End with the exciting, never failing Three-Point Contest and no one gets upset. This way there is no drama surrounding this event to do better next season; because who would want that to happen?

You have a good Skills Competition to bring the crowd to their feet, then back down to reality, then back to their feet to have one of the most electrifying moments of all time. Fans would certainly love that as this is not a bad proposal. I wouldn’t be surprised if this actually happened – I would be super happy if this did happen.

Conclusion to “Can pain describe what we were feeling about the Dunk Contest?”

In the end, I do not believe pain can describe what feelings went on during these contests. However, the Dunk Contest could have a solution. That solution being what? It being that they have better talent and have well-known dunkers to set the tone for excitement and rare, high-level dunks.

I’m telling you guys that if Ja Morant enters into next year’s Dunk Contest, then people will care more. However, I think a few things would have to be cleared up before he would want to join the contest. Edwards, Mitchell, LaVine, or anyone else with a high-level of respect as a dunker would be incredible. Fans will care more, facts guaranteed.

But if they won’t, then go with my proposal as it will be the best for both worlds. The Dunk Contest is what it is; the Three-Point Contest reigns supreme on Saturdays as that will be the new normal for years to come – unless the NBA does something to shake up All-Star Weekend.

That is my perspective, my viewpoint, on the Dunk Contest as it will be very interesting to see who will be participating in that year’s Dunk Contest. Until then, let us worry about our team their chances of making the postseason in less than six weeks.

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