"Yall messed it up for the rest of us" - Donovan Mitchell gives a shoutout to Aaron Gordon and Zach LaVine after witnessing a subpar 2022 NBA dunk contest
To say that the 2022 NBA Dunk Contest failed to live up to its usual hype and excitement would be an understatement. Some NBA players feel the same way, one of whom is Utah Jazz superstar Donovan Mitchell.
The Jazz guard took to Twitter to voice his displeasure about the Dunk Contest put on by the likes of Obi Toppin of the New York Knicks and Juan-Toscano Anderson of the Golden State Warriors. Mitchell suggested that Zach LaVine and Aaron Gordan seemingly set the bar too high when they participated in the competition.
"Man @ZachLaVine and @Double0AG yall messed it up for the rest of us."
The reference from Donovan Mitchell was to the 2016 Dunk Contest finale between Chicago Bulls superstar Zach LaVine and Denver Nuggets' Aaron Gordon.
It was one for the ages, as the high-flyers put on a scintillating performance. That particular dunk contest is widely regarded as one of the best in the history of the NBA. Or at the very least on par with the show put on by Michael Jordan and Dominique Wilkins in 1988.
Man @ZachLaVine and @Double0AG yall messed it up for the rest of us 😂😂
History of the NBA Dunk Contest
One of the most anticipated parts of an NBA season is the All-Star Weekend and especially the NBA Dunk Contest, which takes part during that weekend and is a vital part of the NBA's global appeal.
Throughout the years, NBA fans have been spoilt rotten by some of the incredible events that have taken place in the NBA Dunk Contest, with the high-flying athleticism being showcased to its fullest by these incredible NBA players and their ability to galvanize the crowd and the fans with high profile spectators in attendance and soaking it all in.
No dunk contest will ever top Aaron Gordon vs Zach LaVine
https://t.co/9qzBxvJGAg
In the 70s, Julius Erving was the original show-stopper who paved the way for the likes of MJ, Wilkins and LaVine to come after him. After Erving, MJ and Wilkins dominated the NBA Dunk Contest of the 80s with the latter winning in 1985 and 1990 while the former won back-to-back contests in 1987 and 1988.
The likes of Kobe Bryant, Vince Carter, and Tracy McGrady followed in the footsteps of those Hall of Famers and kept the show going in the late 90s and in the 2000s. Vince Carter, in particular, is widely considered to be the greatest dunker of all time, not only for his exploits in dunk contests but also in-game.
Soon followed by the likes of Blake Griffin, Dwight Howard, and Nate Robinson. The 2010s era saw props being introduced into the dunk contest, like Howard wearing the Superman outfit and Griffin jumping over a car and dunking the ball.
However, the greatest dunk contest took place in 2016 between LaVine and Gordon. LaVine would go on to win back-to-back competitions in 2015 and 2016 as his athleticism was on full display for the NBA fans to see.