All-Star Weekend is approaching us and the 2022 NBA Slam Dunk Contest participants have been announced.
Shams of the Athletic recently reported that Jalen Green, Obi Toppin, Cole Anthony, and Juan Toscano-Anderson will be this year’s participants.
Sources: Houston Rockets rookie Jalen Green will headline the NBA Slam Dunk Contest at All-Star Weekend in Cleveland. Expected participants: pic.twitter.com/5Y7rAmESF8
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 1, 2022
Jalen Green and Obi Toppin are some exciting names to hear competing, but Cole Anthony and Juan Toscano-Anderson?
No offense to Cole and Juan, but what have we actually seen from them that would prove them enough to compete in the dunk contest?
I feel like it should be necessary to prove yourself one way or another that you have the ability to compete in the dunk contest whether it be to have a few highlight dunks during the season or perhaps to rank high in dunks throughout the season.
None of these players are anywhere near the top 10 for dunks this season. The NBA should have some type of requirements… are they just picking names out of the lottery machine these days?
Come to think about it, Anfernee Simons took everybody off guard when he competed and ended up winning last year, so there is always a chance one of those two could come out on top.
I do miss the days when the dunk contest would feature at least one all-star level player, but it seems those days are long gone…
The last time that happened was Blake Griffin in 2011 or Dwight Howard in 2008.
And if you’re talking real goat’s… then you have to go all the way back to the 80s-90s when Kobe competed and won in 97 or Jordan taking home back-to-back trophies in 87 & 88.
Anyways, there are two sides to the case of choosing dunk contest participants:
- Pick players that are more well-known and recognizable so it gives the fans a better experience.
- Pick the absolute best dunkers. Some of the best dunkers in the game are lesser-known and it also gives them the chance to make a name for themselves.
A balance of both would be the best option.
Also, having a league-wide vote of who should participate in the dunk contest could help settle things. Players in the league would know best when it comes to picking out who the highest flyers are.
I will be honest though, the 2020 dunk contest was very entertaining and ended up having a bit of a controversial ending when Derrick Jones Jr defeated Aaron Gordon. Fans on Aaron Gordon’s side definitely let first-time judge D-Wade have it when he gave Gordon a lowball score on what appeared to be a 50/50.
This resulted in Aaron Gordon releasing a diss track titled “9 OUT OF 10” taking shots at Dwayne Wade for his poor judgment…
It would have been great to see those two back in it this year replacing Cole Anthony and Juan Toscano-Anderson, but that couldn’t have happened because Derrick Jones Jr is out with a knee injury for another 6-8 weeks.
With all that being said, the 2022 Slam Dunk Contest has two excellent headliners and I am sure Jalen Green will be the favorite going into Saturday night.
The Slam Dunk Contest will be held on Saturday, February 19th during All-Star Weekend in Cleveland.
