There was a time when the game’s best and brightest dominated the Dunk Contest: Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Vince Carter, Dr. J, Clyde Drexler, and many others up through Blake Griffin and Donovan Mitchell. The last five Dunk Contest winners? Hamidou Diallo, Derrick Jones Jr., Anfernee Simons, Obi Toppin and G-League star Mac McClung.
Boston’s Jaylen Brown may be trying to change that — he is “strongly considering” entering the Dunk Contest, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Just in — East All-NBA/All-Star forward is seriously considering participating in the Slam Dunk Contest at All-Star Weekend: pic.twitter.com/tm3vyzChp8
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 6, 2024
“Sources tell me Boston Celtics All-NBA All-Star Jaylen Brown is seriously considering participating in the Slam Dunk Contest at All-Star weekend this month.”
Brown is an elite in-game dunker, but that is a very different style than the exhibition dunker with no defense. We’ll see if Brown can thrive in that setting.
McClung, who put on a spectacular show a year ago, is expected to return to defend his crown. The rest of the participants in the Dunk Contest — and the rest of All-Star Saturday night — will be announced later this week.
