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February 18, 2024
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Rating the 2024 NBA Slam Dunk Contest

Despite what we received, this was a successful and satisfactory competition. None of the dunks were total failures; everything we witnessed was at least believable. While the 2024 NBA Dunk Contest may not be considered one of the most unforgettable events, we can remain optimistic that it will pave the way for even better things in the future. Mac McClung has solidified his place as a top dunker in the contest, and we can hope that Jaylen Brown will inspire other popular NBA players to join in on the competition. Overall, it was a decent beginning and an enjoyable show for the evening.

Toppin appeared displeased with the judges’ reaction to this, and I understand why. However, the lingering question is: will anyone remember this dunk in the future? It seemed to lack that certain “wow factor” that I can’t seem to forget. Maybe there wasn’t enough flair or spectacle involved.

Regarding the dunk itself, I wouldn’t describe it as flashy, but it was successful. One noticeable trend for Jaylen tonight was that he executed a few dunks that resembled what he would do in a real game. They were technically sound and delivered with power. While it was a solid performance and well-executed on a technical level, it lacked the “wow” factor typically seen in a dunk contest. The mishap during the broadcast may have dampened its impact, but overall, it was more “good” than “great.”

This was an audacious dunk! McClung promised he was bringing something to this contest that we’ve never seen before — I would say this one qualified. It was a two-hand, behind-the-head finish off of an over-the-head handoff, but with the added caveat that the grabbed the ball, let it go, and then regained control for the finish. This dunk required an impressive amount of dexterity on top of the already remarkable amount of athleticism; if anything, it may have been too subtle to really win over the judges and crowd in the moment.

First Round

Jaime Jaquez Jr., First Dunk:

Judges’ grade: 49.2My grade: 46My grade: 47My grade: 47

The popularity of the Slam Dunk Contest has declined in recent years. Ever since the memorable showdown between Zach LaVine and Aaron Gordon in 2016, there has been a noticeable decrease in interest. Notable players are not participating and the dunks themselves are not as thrilling, leaving a sense of something lacking. In fact, even the Wikipedia page for the contest did not mention any events after LaVine’s second victory on the night before this year’s contest.

Tatum positioned himself in the restricted area, while streamer Kai Cenat sat in a chair capturing the moment on a phone. Tatum then threw a lob to Brown, but their first try was unsuccessful, possibly due to Jayson’s error. They were able to connect on their second attempt, but the end result was not particularly impressive. Brown’s imitation of Dee Brown’s no-look dunk from 1991 fell short, resulting in a simple one-handed dunk without much excitement. This brought to mind Blake Griffin’s infamous dunk over the Kia. However, the judges seemed to appreciate it slightly more than I did.My grade: 47My grade: 48

Our second appearance by Shaq has appeared – we may need to establish a rule prohibiting the use of Shaq as a prop in the future. On another note: why did no one attempt to dunk over Victor Wembanyama tonight? Was he unwilling to participate?

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