NBA Dunk Contest 2023: Top 5 players fans want to see in showpiece event feat, ft Aaron Gordon and Zach Lavine
The NBA Slam Dunk Contest continues to be an interesting concept during the All-Star festivities. Over the years, the NBA had some of the best players in history out there. Michael Jordan, Vince Carter, Julius Erving, and Dominique Wilkins are a few names who participated.
Now, stars continue to decline the NBA Slam Dunk Contest and want plenty of things to even participate in it. We haven't seen a huge name in the Dunk Contest for a while, which has led to disappointment for fans.
Let's take a look at the five players who need to be in the 2023 Slam Dunk contest:
#1 Zach LaVine
Zach LaVine is one of the best NBA Slam Dunk Contest performers in the history of the event. He has had insane battles with Aaron Gordon but has now decided that he won't participate in one anytime soon.
LaVine said that he would rather be in the 3-point contest, according to Bleacher Report.
"Last year I was thinking about doing it, especially because it was in Chicago," LaVine told reporters. "But I'm a little bit past that now and we've got a lot of games left. I don't want to lose my legs."
#2 Aaron Gordon
Aaron Gordon is probably the best dunk contest performer in NBA history. Maybe Vince Carter and Switch Howard had better performances, but Gordon used to do things the world has never seen.
He also won't be returning to the dunk contest. Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today reported the following:
"I have some fears that I ruined the dunk contest, that people aren’t going to want to do it anymore. ... I hope that people see ‘Mr. 50’ and are inspired and continue to elevate that dunk contest because there are still dunks that haven’t been done. I’m not going to do them, but I hope somebody comes in and does them. It’s a great event. It’s beautiful for the game.”
#3 Ja Morant
Ja Morant has never done an NBA Dunk Contest, but when you see him, it's easy to see why fans need him out there. Due to his insane bounce, every fan in the NBA wants him there.
Evan Barnes reported the following:
"I just feel like you just got to look as, how many people can actually do this dunk. How difficult was it to do this dunk," Morant told Bleacher Report. "Cause even though you have somebody made the dunk look easy, it's not. It's time where I'll be in the gym trying some of the dunks and be like, Bro it took me like 10 times to make it and they go make it on the first time."
#4 Zion Williamson
Zion Williamson would be incredible in the dunk contest, and Kevin Durant recently said that the league and its fans need him in the dunk contest. While Williamson has been injured a good amount in the past few seasons, the dunk contest might not be for him. Durant said:
“We need Zion, we need Ja. I think the stars need to come back. It felt like there was stars in there every year when I was a kid.”
#5 Jaylen Brown
Jaylen Brown is someone who doesn't always get brought up when thinking about the dunk contest. However, seeing him perform would be a treat for fans. He's one of the best in-game dunkers in the NBA and would show off his leaping abilities if he ever did participate.
"The All-Star guard was invited to participate in the 2021 Dunk Contest Sunday in Atlanta but declined, Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes reported Tuesday."
NBC Sports reported that Brown was invited but declined the invitation in 2021.