I can’t take it anymore. I don’t want to see it anymore. Frankly, I’m disgusted by it. The NBA All-Star Weekend Slam Dunk Contest has become a mockery of what it once was. Legends like Vince Carter, Dominique Wilkins, and Michael Jordan elevated the contest to must-watch status, making it the crown jewel of All-Star Weekend. Now? It’s an embarrassment. This generation of NBA players has turned it into a joke.
Before diving into the depths of disappointment, credit must be given where it’s due. Mac McClung made history, winning his third straight Slam Dunk Contest and becoming the first player ever to do so. He set the tone early with a jaw-dropping reverse dunk over a Kia, and from that moment, the competition was over. With four perfect scores of 50, he proved he was made for this event. Rightfully so, McClung is now the winningest Slam Dunk Contest champion in NBA history.
But let’s be honest—McClung was the only bright spot. The rest of the competition was a disaster. The lineup featured San Antonio Spurs rookie Stephon Castle, Milwaukee Bucks guard Andre Jackson Jr., and Chicago Bulls rookie Matas Buzelis—two of whom delivered outright embarrassing performances. Buzelis missed all four of his dunk attempts in the first round and still walked away with a score of 40. Mind-blowing. Jackson Jr. wasn’t much better—after missing three dunks, he salvaged his turn with a weak layup-line dunk that somehow scored a 43. The first round was painful to watch. we thank God that McClung brought out a Kia and had everybody out of their seats. If not for that rarefied display, that saved the night, the entire event would have been unwatchable.
To his credit, Castle held his own. He advanced to the final round against McClung–with his score of 99.6 across the final two rounds–and finished a respectable second place, just 0.4 points behind. McClung’s perfect scores were just too much to overcome. But even with Castle and McClung delivering excitement, the contest was a stark reminder of how far the NBA Slam Dunk Contest has fallen. An NBA G-Leaguer now claims the title of the greatest dunker in NBA history. Let that sink in.
Where is the shame? The dunk contest was once where the NBA’s most prominent names proved their greatness. Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan competed as rookies. Dwight Howard dominated in his prime. Zach LaVine and Aaron Gordon gave us an all-time battle in 2016. Now? We have to beg players to participate, and they still refuse.
Where are the Zion Williamsons? Where are the Ja Morants? Where are the Victor Wembanyamas?
The game’s future stars used to stamp their names in dunk contest history. Now, they treat it like an inconvenience, forcing fans to watch unknowns and G-Leaguers compete in what should be the NBA’s marquee event. At this point, I’d rather watch the Harlem Globetrotters.
And here’s the worst part—I don’t know how to fix it.
Is LeBron James to blame for never participating, making future generations look down on the event? Maybe. But the responsibility doesn’t fall on a 40-year-old when at least 10 young superstars should be carrying the torch. If Morant and Williamson refuse to step up, I don’t want to see McClung win a fourth straight title.
Honestly, I don’t want to see the contest at all.
If the NBA’s biggest names continue to sit out, they must eliminate the competition entirely. It’s embarrassing, and it’s tarnishing history. I’d rather see it gone than watch it suffer through another year of irrelevance.
