SAN FRANCISCO — Just about yearly we see a variant of the identical thought. Some NBA celebrity is sitting in a lodge room or on a tropical island within the early days of the All-Star break, watching both a Dunk Contest for the ages or yet another suited for a quick meals dumpster. Afterward they get the itch and may’t resist placing out to hundreds of thousands of social media followers that they are serious about signing up for subsequent yr’s contest.
This time round it was high-flying Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant, clearly impressed — like the remainder of us — by the third iteration of Mac McClung’s incomprehensible aerial majesty.
“Mac would possibly make me resolve to dunk,” he tweeted, made all of the extra intriguing by the truth that Morant had earlier this season decreed a self-imposed ban of dunking … which lasted about 72 hours.
Morant’s tweet obtained a notable reply from Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, who stated, “In case you do it. I will do it with you,” adopted by a “100” emoji.
The emoji choice is acceptable, since there is a 100% probability that that is by no means going to occur.
Probably the most well-known “I am gonna do the dunk contest!” man is LeBron James, who teased participation on a number of events however has by no means pulled the set off. NBA analysts and former gamers alike have blamed James’ lack of zest for the competition as a part of the rationale why it is declined so steeply because the glory days of Michael Jordan and Vince Carter.
However these arguments are constructed upon a false premise: That followers wish to see stars within the Dunk Contest. How do we all know it is a false premise? Look no additional than McClung, the one three-peat winner in NBA historical past.
Now 26 years outdated, McClung has performed in precisely 5 NBA video games. He is performed as many NBA minutes (71) as factors that Donovan Mitchell as soon as scored in a single recreation. Not many outdoors the highschool mixtape circuit, had even heard of McClung previous to his first Dunk Contest call-up three years in the past.
The reply, people, is true in entrance of our faces. It isn’t the stars that may draw pleasure. It is the dunks. McClung has creativity, charisma and — most of all — an unbridled ardour for dunking. By his personal admission, he spent “eight or 9 months” engaged on the dunks that all of us ogled on Saturday night time. A part of that, presumably, is as a result of he isn’t saddled with the calls for of being an NBA celebrity.
“It is simply one thing I really like doing,” McClung stated after his win on Saturday night time. “I believe that is the place my creativity comes. It is as a result of I genuinely love this contest and I like to dunk.”
Suppose again to Jaylen Brown. An All-NBA participant who would go on to win Finals MVP for probably the most marquee franchises in sports activities was within the Dunk Contest final yr. Oh wait? You forgot? That is as a result of he was completely blown out of the water by McClung within the last spherical.
Right here we’ve a literal illustration of ability and efficiency over title recognition, and but we’re nonetheless clamoring that we want stars to avoid wasting the Dunk Contest? Make it make sense.
This is a modest proposal: As an alternative of relentlessly banging down the doorways of people that do not wish to be within the Dunk Contest, and would in all probability do a mediocre job once they bought there, why do not we go the opposite means? McClung is a G League star, and there are seemingly others there who can placed on an absolute present with regards to dunking the basketball. Simply have a look at a few of these highlights from the G League Dunk Contest over time. Inform me a few of these people could not draw extra pleasure than Andre Jackson Jr. and Matas Buzelis — NBA names that almost all informal followers would meet with clean stares.
And if we’re actually severe about getting the very best dunks on the ground on Saturday night time, why do not we dip into the world or skilled dunkers? Sure, that is a factor, and it is actually wonderful. On a regular basis that LeBron spends honing his basketball expertise, these guys dedicate merely to dunking.
McClung talked about that Isaiah Rivera helped him along with his preparation for Saturday’s win, even lending him his automobile to follow what is going to undoubtedly go down as probably the greatest dunks within the historical past of the competition. In case you’re unfamiliar with Rivera’s work, here is only a transient snippet of his functionality as a dunker.
You are saying you don’t need that within the Dunk Contest? Or how about this madness from Jordan Kilganon?
Certain, you’ve got by no means heard of those guys. However you’d by no means heard of Mac McClung both, and now he is a family title who we hope and praying will come again for an additional yr after he stated he was “in all probability serious about hanging it up after this one.” It is a testomony to how a lot work it takes to be this good as a dunker.
“This yr actually felt that huge problem,” McClung stated on Saturday night time. “Yeah, I do not know. I by no means wish to say by no means, man, however I believe this one took loads out of me, for positive. I ready very early and put numerous work into it.”
McClung has confirmed, no doubt, that followers will reply to nice dunkers with magnetic attraction and a singular arsenal. At this level, with the diploma of problem and creativity required to do one thing actually unique, you are simply not going to get that from NBA superstars.
The NBA opened the door a crack for McClung, and he rattling close to broke the factor down. If the league actually desires to avoid wasting the Dunk Contest, it is time to permit different non-NBA dunkers to hurry by.
