It seems like every February, many journalists and talking heads clamor for the NBA to either change up the dunk contest, or scrap it altogether. Seldom do they have any ideas for what should replace it, but the media’s grumpy old men and jaded Generation X’ers always seem to find fault with the crown jewel of NBA All-Star Saturday Night.
It’s somewhat understandable. The contest went through some lean years in the 2000s and endured a spell in which the game’s elite were all too cool for school and declined to participate. Even after 11 years, people are still waiting on LeBron James to “save the dunk contest”. All of this complaining though is highly unnecessary.
The first official slam dunk contest was won by Julius “The Doctor” ERRRRRRRRRVING!!! way back in 1976. In the 38 years since then, we should’ve all learned by now that virtuoso dunk contest performances are not owed to us, rather they appear to be highly cyclical in nature. Watching Dr. J fly from— the foul line, which was unprecedented in those days, was cool (I can only assume— it happened years before I was born), but 10 years passed before the next milestone moment in dunk contest history took place when the 5’nothing Spud Webb out-dueled teammate Dominique Wilkins in Dallas.
Two years later, the epic ‘Nique vs MJ showdown happened in Chicago and authored probably the greatest moment in the history of the contest.
Sidebar: Although some would happily swap out the word “robbery” for “showdown”, as conspiracy theorists are convinced the fix was in for Air Jordan, who was dunking in his own backyard that year. Also, can you imagine if twitter existed back then? That would’ve been unbelievable!
Aside from that, the next landmark moment didn’t take place until Vince Carter (the greatest dunker of all-time for my money, BAR NONE!) took center stage in 2000. That’s another 12-year gap.
The point is, we’re not guaranteed an epic “contest-saving” performance each year, and I for one prefer it that way. And sure, does it suck when you blow off Valentine’s Day plans with your lady to watch Birdman! Birdman! waste everybody’s time? Absolutely, unless of course you’re a huge advocate of unintentional comedy. But fans will never learn to appreciate the classic performances without the duds in between. This year’s Super Bowl was a dud too, but that doesn’t mean the NFL should add a fifth quarter or a third team to spice things up. Our next Vinsanity moment will come in due time— it’s nothing that a little patience, creativity and star-power won’t remedy.
The NBA needs recognizable dunkers in the contest. Jeremy Evans, Harold Minor and Fred Jones won’t cut it, unless they’re truly exceptional at throwing it down. This year’s crop consisting of John Wall, Paul George, Damian Lillard, Harrison Barnes, Ben McLemore and Terrance Ross on paper is fantastic. Two former Rookies of the Year, three current All-Stars, a lottery pick from this past year’s draft, a legitimate MVP candidate and last year’s champion? Sounds like a pretty good group. The new format however is yet another example of the league trying to fix something that simply isn’t broken.
Naming a winning conference as opposed to judges awarding an individual slam dunk champion? How anti-climatic is that? The NBA has wandered down the road of wacky gimmicks before (remember the dunk wheel?), but nothing will ever replicate the excitement of one ball, one basket, one man and his imagination (just ask Jacob Tucker or Kenny Dobbs).
That’s what Vince Carter gave us, despite the fact that many claimed every conceivable dunk had already been done prior to the 2000 dunk competition. And that’s what so many other non-NBA dunkers have given us as well. Maybe we will reach the point where “every dunk has been done in the contest,” but we’re far from there right now. If new commissioner Adam Silver doesn’t whore out the contest any further (I think the league maxed out the whoring when Blake Griffin dunked over the hood — not the top, the hood! — of a Kia, the official sponsor of the NBA) the dunk contest should retain its charm, so long as we make room for the creative growth and proper prospective.
So tweak the rules here and there as needed, but when it comes to sweeping changes to the format or complaints from the peanut gallery about nixing the slam dunk contest entirely, please, knock it off.