why has the dunk contest become so poor?

[noah1212]

why has the dunk contest gotten so bad? We used to have guys like tracy mcgrady and vince carter lighting it up and then even the "bad dunkers" like larry hughes were better than the guys ive seen in the last few years. what happened? I thought the new players were supposed to be more athletic.

[InthePaint]

Re: why has the dunk contest become so poor?

When accessories and gimmicks became just as important as the dunk.

And I dont know if somewhere in the 90's or early 2000s when they let dudes try 10 times for one dunk.
Or they expanded the time or somethin' Its been a joke for a long time.

It finally died its last breath when Nate Robinson does the same dunk two years in a row and takes 15 chances.

I can do a regular *** one handed dunk over 5 mud-wrestling women w/ a ring of fire surrounding them and the audience goes bananas.

At this point I'd rather watch the mascots just give an all out fake off trampolines w/ cable wire.

But i do think dudes are "more athletic" The Vince Carter Between the legs dunk is now a warm-up.

I did like the Paul George Glow In The Dark Dunk though for the Gimmicks & Props Era that we are in.

[noah1212]

Re: why has the dunk contest become so poor?

When accessories and gimmicks became just as important as the dunk.

And I dont know if somewhere in the 90's or early 2000s when they let dudes try 10 times for one dunk.
Or they expanded the time or somethin' Its been a joke for a long time.

It finally died for when Nate Robinson does the same dunk two years in a row and takes 15 chances.

I can do a regular *** one handed dunk over 5 mud-wrestling women w/ a ring of fire surrounding them and the audience goes bananas.

At this point I'd rather watch the mascots just give an all out fake off trampolines w/ cable wire.

give it 5 years imo

[ojandpizza]

Stop with the props.. Then the contest will be good again

[SteelersFreak]

Re: why has the dunk contest become so poor?

I thought the 2011 contest was pretty great, even if it was rigged, it was the most entertaining it had been in a while, and the dunks, at least the first round ones, were pretty great.

Last year was nonsense though.

[noah1212]

Re: why has the dunk contest become so poor?

Stop with the props.. Then the contest will be good again

yeah it was fun for a little while, but once people brought a car out, that wasnt even THAT big for an nba player to jump over, I was a little frustrated.

[Vni]

Re: why has the dunk contest become so poor?

The last dunk I actually enjoyed was Ibaka's.

After that it's been so fake or just stupid.

[return.specialist]

Re: why has the dunk contest become so poor?

Yes, the under-the-leg dunk has become quite pedestrian, however, add a self-pass before it or hang on the rim after completing the dunk and it's an easy 45 or greater. I think what the players forget is that fans just want to see a good show. I've seen a million average dunks in the gym and on the black top, and generally the bystanders are wowed by a simple dunk. While a dribble-up one-hander will not suffice in the NBA contest, there is a plethora of simple dunks that will.

[BringTheHeat]

Re: why has the dunk contest become so poor?

Still waiting for someone to go between the legs twice, Gerald Green is the only person who could probably do it.

[Taur3asi3]

Re: why has the dunk contest become so poor?

Vince Carter killed the dunk contest as we knew it, and then Dwight Howard and Blake Griffin dug up the corpse and killed it again, what exists now is a monstrosity. The dunk contest really needs to go on hiatus for a few years because with all the props and garbage it's a blown out knee waiting to happen. The dunk contest isn't fun, exciting, nor is it appointment television anymore, it's a sad, sorry, miserable display of creatively barren garbage.

Back in the day the dunk contest was a huge deal because you had superstars participating in it, now it's a veritable who's who of who are you.

[InthePaint]

Re: why has the dunk contest become so poor?

Superstars dont need to make the contest better.

Better Dunks do.

Larry Nance, Dee Brown, and Harold Minor, werent Superstars.

[st0rmb11]

Re: why has the dunk contest become so poor?

To me, there is only so much that can be done by a dunker. I think we've almost reached that point, in my mind. People have seen everything there is to see, pretty much. It's nearly impossible to catch a crowd and judges with something new

[noah1212]

Re: why has the dunk contest become so poor?

Superstars dont need to make the contest better.

Better Dunks do.

Larry Nance, Dee Brown, and Harold Minor, werent Superstars.

michael jordan was....clyde drexler was....vince carter was...

[Streaky McFloorburn]

Re: why has the dunk contest become so poor?

I think the problem is that dunkers forget that they can bring their own flair to dunks that have already been seen multiple times. Most of the memorable NBA dunk contests were triumphs of style + execution more/rather than originality.

MJ vs. Nique was awesome because of the distinct contrast between grace and power. Vince knew how to frame his movements better than anybody. Blake Griffin is perhaps the best bigman dunker ever in that regard, and I believe the best chance for a pantheon-level contest performance in the next few years.

Dunkers need to concentrate on these things IMO:

Make every dunk!

Ask themselves; how can I make my dunks look new? If I can't spin an extra revolution, can I rotate faster/slower/with my limbs in a novel position? Can I get more lean in the air? Can I dunk so hard that people at least worry about a broken rim/backboard/collapsed support?

Enjoy the moment, not in a contrived way, but like the kids watching who truly haven't done/seen this all before.

[InthePaint]

Re: why has the dunk contest become so poor?

michael jordan was....clyde drexler was....vince carter was...

Fred Jones, Brent Barry, Cedric Ceballos, Kenny Walker, Josh Smith, Isiah Rider, Desmond Mason , Gerald Green, JR Richardson, Blake Griffin, Spud Webb, Jeremy Evans.......