Just as Bill Cosby was finally snapping out of his Nicki Minaj Grammy performance-induced trance, the NBA sent Cos right back into the facial expression abyss with its details of this year’s the slam dunk contest. Thursday, the league announced that the event would feature NBA superstars…err…players…err….roster spot holders: Iman Shumpert, Chase Budinger, Derrick Williams and Paul George.
Wait….what?
Yes, the dunk contest has been invaded by four average Joe’s. Due to the lackluster list of contestants, the league has also decided to change the rules – forgoing the multi-round format and the judges. Dunkers will now complete three dunks in a row before being judged via online voting on NBA.com and Twitter. Maybe the NBA should’ve consulted McDonald’s before seeking input from Twitter.
The dunk contest at its best featured some of the the league’s best and most exciting players. Michael Jordan, Dominique Wilkins, Julius Erving, Kobe Bryant, Vince Carter, etc. all skyrocketed to fame with help from show. Recently stars such as Dwight Howard and Blake Griffin excited NBA fans. Why? It’s not always that the top-NBA stars are the best dunkers (though they usually do rise to the challenge) but somewhere in the back of each fan’s mind, they remember those exhibition dunks during real games and wonder what if?
Every time Jordan got a steal in the open court, people wondered if he’d take off from the free-throw line. Or when “The Human Highlight Film” got a clear lane to the basket, fans knew he wouldn’t hesitate to rip a vicious windmill on their favorite player’s head. Now fans will simply wonder, What if this guy actually got into the game? Would his legs be this fresh?
All kidding aside, I have nothing against these players personally, but they don’t belong in a contest designed to highlight the league. Had Griffin returned, at least it would be “those random guys vs Blake Griffin.” But with the reigning champion taking a pass and star dunkers such as LeBron James and Russell Westbrook sitting on the sidelines, this year’s field is like a punchline from good ol’ Cos himself.
