Landon Buford
Kevin Durant did not participate in this year’s All-Star Game over the weekend. However, he did attend the media availability on Saturday afternoon in Salt Lake City, Utah.
The Suns forward also talked about All-star Weekend in a recent episode of the Boardroom podcast, and he shared his feelings about the lack of star power in the dunk contest. Naming Ja Morant and Zion Williamson as two guys he wants to see in the contest,
Durant also stated that the Los Angeles Lakers star, LeBron James, should have done this at least once in his career. Durant noted when you look back at LeBron’s career now, it would have been a special moment for the league to have that dunk contest appearance.
LeBron James made headlines in 2010 when he shared with Cheryl Miller that he could enter his name in the 2011 dunk contest.
However, the current Lakers forward ultimately decided not to participate in 2011, and by the time 2012 rolled around, he shared with he eventuallychosed not to participate. In 2012, he shared with Fox Sports Florida (via http://Cleveland.com) that his time to enter the contest had passed him by. “We need Zion, we need Ja, I think the stars come back, and just add, because I mean it used to feel like there were stars in it every year when I was a kid.
All the best players in the league, those guys I liked, were in the Dunk Contest…Mac McClung, that’s crazy that they doing that. No shade, but what we doing? And Mac is an outstanding athlete, but what are we doing? It used to be sacred to be a part of All-Star Weekend. Last year we had G-Leaguers come in and play in the rookie game.
Now, like, what are we doing?” After the All-Stars practice, Morant shared that when asked what it would take to see him in the dunk contest, he replied, “I’m not doing the dunk contest.” Someone else that shared that he won’t do the dunk contest is Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards. When asked by TNT’s Dennis Scott, he shared, “I’m doing the dunk contest because I like dunking on people.” However, Zion Williamson recently shared with Complex, that if he were to participate it would be in 2024.
“I’ll think about it. I’ll put heavy consideration into doing the dunk contest. I feel like if I am going to do it, I’d probably do it next year,” said Williamson. As for this year’s winner, McClung would go on to win the dunk contest on Saturday night against Pelican’s Trey Murphy III in the final round with a 520 dunk, which ended the event.
