I should let it be known that I'm a big NBA fan, not that it matters, because ANYONE could see how horrible that display was. Let's look at the facts, there was only ONE dunk that scored a 50 in the whole contest (and another dunk that was worthy of a 50) and there were TWO dunks that scored below 40 points that weren't misses... I don't believe I've ever seen a worse dunk contest, no I haven't seen a worse dunk contest. Looking at the players, it was clear that they didn't want to be there or that they were just happy to be there. You didn't see on anyones face that they WANTED to win, that this event was something that they dreamed of being in.. and that's a problem.
Should the dunk contest be scratched, then? I'm not sure that the NBA CAN scratch the event, its probably more iconic of All-Star weekend than even the All-Star game. Ask me who won the 2000 All-Star MVP award and I'd tell you who cares, now ask me who won the 2000 Dunk Contest and I could tell you that not only did Vince Carter win it, but that he had 3 dunks that were 50s. Hell, I could tell you the 3 dunks were the 360 windmill slam, the bounce pass by T-Mac that Carter caught in the air, put it between his legs to then slam it in, and of course his sticking his arm in the rim slam. So I don't think the dunk contest can nor should be scratched.
So then what needs to be done to fix the event? Well it's obvious, getting athletic freaks in the contest who WANT to be there and that will take it seriously. Paul Pierce campaigned for the NBA to include him in the 3 point contest and (even though I dislike anything Celtic) Pierce won the contest. He was pumped up the whole way. The season before last, Rudy Gay wanted to be in the dunk contest and to get the fans involved (even having fans send in their own youtube videos of them dunking of which he'd perform one of their dunks) and while he didn't have the athleticism, he at least WANTED to be there and was TRYING. The dunk contest used to be a forum where you'd see a highly talented player just as he was breaking through into the NBA ranks, a guy with something to prove and could be legitimized by the dunk contest. Kobe Bryant, Vince Carter, Steve Francis, T-Mac... the list is long. But now, not so much.
My solution? Why not bring in some of the All-Star snubs to the game? Josh Smith was a former competitor and winner in the dunk contest and getting snubbed would likely fire him up to take his anger out on the rim. Andre Igoudala is another player that while not quite on All-Star level is a highly athletic player that has proven creativity in his 2006 Dunk Contest challenge, he'd have another opportunity to beat Nate Robinson. Or how about bringing in a player who loves the limelight, like a Michael Beasley? Insert those three names, eliminate Gerald Wallace and Shanon Brown (even though as a Laker fan, it pains me to say that) and I think we have a dunk contest that the fans could properly enjoy. Not only does inserting such players make fans more happy, but it causes a young guy like DeMar DeRozan to get more excited and to step up his game also. So there you have it, that's my final fantasy... until next time.
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