Lorenzo Nivellini, Staff Writer–
In a 2023 episode of “First Take,” ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith caused controversy by claiming that LeBron James is to blame for the decline of the dunk contest.
Smith explained that, over the past two decades, fewer and fewer NBA stars are choosing to compete in the yearly all-star weekend competition. This, among other factors, has made the competition less exciting and more repetitive.
According to Smith, it was LeBron who set the precedent for stars to forgo the dunk contest.”
LeBron James refusing to participate… was the beginning and the spark plug of [the slam dunk contest’s] demise”.
“The King” won the McDonald’s All-American dunk contest in high school, and has been invited by the NBA to show off his aerial ability numerous times.
Every year of his career, LeBron has suited up during the all-star break, including an appearance in the skills challenge Yet, not once has LeBron given the fans what they wanted. Not once has he taken an extra day out of the weekend to do a variation of his signature tomahawk or a backboard alley-oop with one of his teammates.
This, Smith suggested, is what has killed the once-famed dunk contest. As a huge fan of LeBron, I have to say that he’s right! To see why, we have to examine the history of the dunk contest and its decline as well as the impact that LeBron has on other players in the league.
The first professional dunk contest was held by the ABA in 1976, featuring George Gervin, David Thompson and Julius “Dr. J.” Erving, all superstars at the time. The following season, dunk contests were held during regular-season games throughout the season, with appearances by the likes of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Moses Malone.
The contest became a yearly, all-star event in 1984, and, over the next decade, it would feature the best of the best coming up with new, creative ways to slam it. The hype dwindled a bit in the ‘90s with fewer stars competing and was almost canceled for good.
At the turn of the century, though, it made a recovery. The 2000 dunk contest featured stars Tracy McGrady, Steve Francis and Vince Carter, who would make history with a 360° windmill dunk, and a legendary celebration in the final round. At that point, it seemed clear that the league’s biggest names would stay in the competition for years to come.
It seemed like perfect timing for LeBron when he came into the league in 2003 with a 40-inch vertical and incredible in-game dunking ability. It seemed natural that he would carry the torch from players like Wilkins and Carter, and, in his rookie season, said that he wasn’t fit for the dunk contest when asked about it in an interview.
The subject came up several more times during his first stint with the Cavs, including in 2010, where he alluded to potentially participating but once again backed out. Fans held out hope throughout the early and mid-2010s.
I remember, after he came back to Cleveland, hoping that I would get to see him throw down in a Cavs jersey, perhaps with Kyrie, Kevin Love or J.R. Smith by his side…but it never happened. Today, as sporting news puts it, it’s almost certain that “King” James is going to end his career without one notable distinction on his resume— NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion.
We can all agree it’s disappointing that LeBron didn’t compete all these years–but how is he to blame for other stars’ refusal? To understand this, we must understand the sheer impact that the “Chosen One” has on the league.
This impact can be seen through the rise of front-court playmakers such as Boris Diaw and Nikola Jokic, a role that was almost unheard of prior to his entry into the league. One can also see the fact that LeBron’s 2010 free agency switch from the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Miami Heat made it far more common (and somewhat more acceptable) for star players to leave their teams.
Before the 2010s, most players stayed with the team that drafted them. If they did leave, they either did so after winning a championship, or otherwise on good terms with their team.
Since “The Decision,” however, we have seen more players than ever manipulating the teams that made them into the players they are, with some, such as Kevin Durant, going so far as to join their team’s arch-rival. On top of these specific examples, the general attention that LeBron receives from fans and insiders alike speaks for itself–he has the power to control the direction of the league, even unintentionally.
Given these examples, it would be naive to think that LeBron bears no blame for the decline of the dunk contest during his career. After the incredible showdown between Zach LaVine and Aaron Gordon in 2016, the talent and creativity of the competition has been in a freefall.
The 2017 dunk contest drew headlines such as “[ Glenn Robinson III] wins, but we all lose for watching.” 2019 saw winner Hamidou Diallo playing it safe in the final round and going for an easy dunk, rather than trying to wow the crowd with something spectacular.
I remember feeling disappointed while watching with my friends, thinking that LaVine or Gordon never would have backed down in such a way. It has gotten so hard to draw notable talents that the league has had to lower the number of participants from four to three.
The players who do compete are generally bench players at best—most of them rarely get the opportunity to dunk in-game and some of them aren’t even in the NBA—G-league player Mac McClung has won the last two contests.
While McClung is a great dunker and has shown some originality in the contest, the competition is meant for NBA players. If we keep going down this path, we will see professional dunkers like Jordan Kilganon, who don’t play organized basketball at all, headlining the slam dunk contest. This is bad for viewership, which we have already seen decline significantly for this very reason, according to the Athletic.
Compared to the dunk contest, the NBA 3-point competition has been a massive success. Viewership is up, records are being broken and new changes are being made regularly. The number of participants has increased from six to eight, rather than being lowered.
The clear reason for this is the willingness of stars to accept invitations, especially this generation’s greatest shooter, Stephen Curry. Curry won it in 2015, did so again in 2023 and put on an epic showdown against the WNBA’s Sabrina Ionescu just last year.
I am no fan of Curry, believe me. I always hated the way he chewed his mouthguard and shot threes off illegal screens, and I think he is massively overrated by almost everyone. However, I have to give him credit for helping maintain excitement in the 3-point contest. I have loved seeing players like Kyrie Irving and Damian Lillard compete, and this may not still be happening if it weren’t for Steph.
What we need, more than ever, is a return to star-studded rosters headlining the slam dunk contest. Unfortunately, LeBron is part of this reason that it is so hard to do so nowadays.
As Smith said, “Every high jumper, every skywalker, every above-the-rim talent salivated for the opportunity to compete in the Slam Dunk Contest. It stopped when LeBron James said, ‘I’m not doing it.’ And from that point forward, the stars who followed didn’t feel compelled to prioritize a Slam Dunk Contest.”
Because of this, it is up to the next NBA legend to revitalize this event. Perhaps the young, athletic Paolo Banchero or the towering Victor Wembanyama will rise up to the occasion. Only time will tell.
Lorenzo Nivellini ‘27 is a Philosophy, Politics, and Economics and Data Analytics double major from Westlake.