Why Do Stars HATE the Dunk Contest Now?

#NBA
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The Dunk Contest has slowly gotten worse over the years but it would be relevant again if the biggest NBA stars participated. This is a look at why the best dunkers don’t join and why the contest has declined in quality and popularity.
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[@Clear256]

I'll never get over DWade robbing Aaron Gordon in 2020.. The contest has been ruined since then

[@1699stu]

The Illuminati made the call :D

[@managed9348]

Glad it went to shit after that and we can all blame Wade for it

[@beng4647]

Nope...he was 2nd best. The Nate Robinson one ruined it.

[@cautionisyomommy6969]

Bias

[@Drillbitayler]

Thank you. This can not be overstated. He literally ruined it. Aaron will never (and should never) do it again. All because of D Wade.

[@Kenkoopa44]

Feels like the dunk contest goes through ups and downs. Most of the all time greats did it very early in their careers. People were saying it was dead in 2015 right before we got one of the best contests of all time in Gordon/Levine. I agree, a bigger incentive from the league would definitely help. I've always loved watching it. Last year was definitely one of the worst.

[@tylergary5953]

It’s just annoying that no one’s taking it seriously and aren’t putting the effort to make it enjoyable. It legit should be the most exciting part of the season (pre playoffs) but everyone wants to fuck around. I wanna see d Mitch, lavine, Gordon, Zion in a star studded dunk contest this year. I also know that ain’t happening lmao.

[@johnmarkson1990]

@@tylergary5953 why the fuck would they take it seriously and risk injury? it makes zero sense.

[@felixmartinez1100]

@@johnmarkson1990 I don´t remember anyone being injured in a Slam Dunk Contest

[@darrengordon-hill]

@@johnmarkson1990 DO YOU HEAR YOURSELF???? So you can't get hurt on a "banana boat"?? You can't get hurt GETTING OUT OF BED?? Please list players that suffered "career ending injury in the dunk contest:....

[@sharifnasser7635]

Why has bron, kd, giannis, kawhi etc all these great dunkers havent played in it

[@LandaVerdE14]

Better put some respect on Mac McClung because he single-handedly dominated this years dunk contest with a near perfect performance!

[@HeatCheck]

The 3pt shootout has been the marquee event for some time now. The dunk contest only surprised us here and there over the years. But overall the expectation is low anyways. Great video as always Casey

[@carlosjavierpalacios6793]

But even in the 3pt contest there waa no Steph, no Klay and not Bane

[@Wallyworld30]

Did you see Lakers Coach Darvin Ham competed VS Kobe in the Dunk contest? Blew my mind!

[@DUNGSTA]

Rather watch dunk contest 🤷‍♂️

[@jimmywalker8354]

Why did I read this in Stefan's voice?

[@ezting9824]

I agree 100%, the dunk contest has been inconsistent through the years with some great ones and some terrible ones like last year. Compared to the 3 point contest, there has been great hype towards the event, especially within this era of 3 point shooting. Plus in 3-point shooting, you don't really need the physical gifts to compete. Btw love the videos @HeatCheck🔥

[@chrisa8863]

I think Gordon's 2nd dunk of that contest is his greatest. He jumped over the mascot while on a hoverboard .

[@dwaynehoward240]

That's the all time best the man had a seat in mid air.. how?. Lol

[@jameslucas3161]

Vince Carter's opening dunk in 2000, the 360 windmill against the grain, was the best dunk in NBA dunk contest history, bar none. No distracting props, no catching tbe ball off the bounce, just absolute perfection. VC is indisputably the NBA's GDOAT.

[@maxmeier532]

Spud Webb legit the best ever. He is a whole ONE FOOT shorter than MJ or Wilkins or Vince.

[@DUNGSTA]

Zach lavine literally put razzle dazzle on his dunks...

[@joshuaking9416]

Aaron and Zach better

[@32poppasavage28]

Vince the GOAT but that Gordon dunk is the best dunk of all time

[@robertriojas2639]

No BS 💯

[@garnette396]

From G League to a phenomenal performance and saving the dunk contest!

[@flip0x01]

Guess this didn't age well. Congrats Mac!

[@stackemup757]

💯

[@TMR2418]

💯

[@DaysAhead202]

This am haters dude is the definition of d bag...why hate on the G league

[@qualicumjack3906]

It still isn’t the same Mac Mcclung aint no Kobe or Jordan, people want to see all stars at the all star weekend

[@stackemup757]

@@qualicumjack3906 And I watch a dunk contest to watch professional dunkers. If someone in G league can dunk better than an NBA star, then I want to see it. When Aaron Gordon got ripped off from a dunk title twice I was done watching it for awhile.

[@YettisBack]

The problem with aaron gordon vs zach lavine dunk contest was that theres no score higher than 50.

[@GOODMuzikBoi]

Exactly Zach won that fair and square imo. 2020 AG got robbed tho.

[@YettisBack]

@@GOODMuzikBoi agree

[@GoliathGTX]

They should just go for a sudden death round after a tie in regular rounds. Sudden death as in all 5 judges must pick and vote 1 player after both performed their extra round dunks. The one who gets 3 or more votes (majority with 5 judges voting) wins. Aaron Gordon and Zach Lavine just went through too many dunks and it's just hard to keep it going with great dunks again and again. Better to finish it off with just one more round so both men put up their best dunk and call it a day..

[@Wallyworld30]

Problem isn't 50 being highest score problem is judges giving out 50's like they food stamps.

[@YettisBack]

@@Wallyworld30 all of gordons and lavines dunks were 50s in any contest against anyone any generation

[@lakerfan2874]

Everyone can talk about the 360 dunk that Vince did. They never talk about how he did a 180 reversal after landing on the ground.

[@syakunene3603]

the man had legs made of springs.

[@oladipupoajani]

We need Zion and Ja in the dunk contest one day.

[@MP-mb1iw]

Pay them 1m

[@jm18803]

Never gonna get it these players nowadays too boujee

[@weswith360s]

@@jm18803 Or they don't want to risk injury

[@MrE_]

Zion, Ja, ANT. Just those three alone would make it a hell of a show

[@alohatigers1199]

@@weswith360s Crybaby. They can get injured in practice so....

[@Max.Hartmann]

How about a Dunk contest with Tacko Fall actually defending the rim. That would be interesting.

[@Grievous_]

Tacko and Boban

[@mattsell2361]

You do know that tacko isn’t a good rim protector right

[@pashabicepx4445]

No, it wouldnt be insteresting. You so d*mb

[@_cj_4459]

@@mattsell2361 so him averaging like 3 blocks a game in college makes him a bad rim protector?

[@B0ne8]

@@mattsell2361 that makes it better. Not as hard to get crazy posters.

[@ejorosco4321]

this aged well with mac mcclung. bro solely revived the dunk contest

[@iros9182]

McClung will be crazy good in this content, and you will eat your words, I happy he got invited, dude is special dunker.

[@Wallyworld30]

McClung will be first white man to win Dunk contest since Brent Barry in 1996.

[@Gytgaxbio]

@@Wallyworld30 I can see that happening. It's a pity the NBA didn't invite more white guys to the nba dunk contest throughout the years. Some of the best dunks I've seen are from white guys.

[@Gytgaxbio]

I also reckon pat should of won it back in 2020

[@iros9182]

@@SuperCodful kzbin.info/www/bejne/p6K1hYh7jbKXgqc

[@Wallyworld30]

@@Gytgaxbio Greatest white man in game dunk of all time was Tom Chambers Legendary Dunk on Mark Jackson. It might have been the great in game dunk of anybody all time. He did like a Mario Double Jump off Mark Jackson to get incredible height and length and dunked it down two handed. I'll never forget that one.

[@runeosaer6941]

"Now we have Mac Mclung?!" didnt age well

[@StkManMan]

Now take back what you even remotely said about Mac mcClung

[@AllDayZPK]

The mac mcclung slander didn't age well lol

[@Sunshine198803]

We just seen a way underdog take the show..... Mac wasn't on your radar and killed it!

[@samuelflores3574]

McClung killed it.

[@jeffreyandreas280]

Mat McClung comment didn't age well

[@Max-dp8tg]

Zach lavine also deserved 50s in my opinion, I think it just should have kept going for more rounds

[@heroe1486]

The scoring is just nonsense, you shouldn't deserve the max if your opponent does better

[@captainpjarker]

0:35 that aged like chocolate milk McClung was GODLY

[@boo-fb1dk]

😁 yeah

[@hyakutvke]

« Now we have Mac McLung from the G-League » respect my boy man he is a better dunker than anyone in the last 2-3 dunk contests

[@hoosthere]

He is more of a power dunker and i don't think he will have the graceful look to win

[@f.a.f.ocalitodewhatsrighti3365]

For real I said the same.

[@jamesdewitt1516]

Agreed. And he’s a 6’2” white guy. With a 43.5 inch vert. I’m sure he’s gonna turn some heads this year. Ain’t never seen anything like him!

[@coop4]

A lot of people disrespect his dunk ability because he has g league attached to his name. Gonna be between him and Jericho Sims

[@steffgorr]

@@hoosthere hahaha funny guess who won

[@jerome25greatness78]

Takes alot of creativity and I bet it causes alot of anxiety. There are only so many dunks you can do and most of them have been done at some point or another. I say open it up to the best dunkers in the world.

[@slalomho2990]

this video didnt age well

[@elik031]

What about having the dunk contest every other year, kind of like the world cup the fact it comes less often makes the players more competitive and the prize more special.

[@darrengordon-hill]

Sure pal... "Have the ASG every 2 years" "Have the 3pt contest every 2 years - shooting is tiring"

[@theportugueselegend]

Make the NBA season having a season hiatus once in 5 years, given the looooad management too

[@ShadowDragonGT]

Didn’t forget Jason Richardson had memorable dunks in 03 and 04

[@GarkKahn]

The problem with the dunk contest is that unlike the 3pt contest The "best dunk" is REALLY relative Example i watched it last year with friends and literally every dunk was a 50-50 for "awesome!!!" and "meh" to the point i had to seriously ask if they were biased in some way to an specific player or simply go against everything i liked haha

[@EdwardWindhowl]

VC still gives me chills today🥶

[@8red227]

Imagine saying Zach lavine free throw line dunk is not good, he jump at where mj took off from lol

[@javigar133]

You should probably watch MJ's dunk again, It wasnt where he took off from mate, It was how It felt he floated in the Air...

[@ghostmiko5762]

Yeah nd through the legs that's fucking nasty that's a 50 winning dunk any day idc what anybody says that's difficult asf

[@snowgoose0571]

fax. Aaron should’ve won fs but i don’t get why some people made it sound like Zach dunks were not that impressive bcuz Aaron got robbed. maybe just as creative.

[@TyBrezzy11]

@@snowgoose0571 wrong

[@snowgoose0571]

@@TyBrezzy11 i’m just trying to cut zach some slack. this video lowkey dissed him.

[@tametz]

That Mac McClung jab DID NOT age well. 🤡🤡🤡

[@zenvalo]

This didn't age too well....Mac McClung too good

[@tigerh1528]

This video aged like milk

[@sizzyalfredo5045]

Here after McClung’s W, his dunks were some heat

[@MrE_]

The dunk contest feels like it is up for a Dream Team Olympics type of revival where all the stars start competing at once

[@crablord7934]

2016 didn't kill the dunk contest because AG got "robbed" lmfao, it killed the dunk contest because it was literally the greatest dunk battle of all time between AG and Lavine, the bar was way too high after that madness.

[@packcale]

Who is watching this after seeing Mac Muclung doing a good job

[@chrisbowler3073]

Bro, this thumbnail aged SOOO good.

[@bimrebeats]

The rating method is a problem: too many biases and inconsistencies

[@jackl3in]

Little did ya know that G league player that was clowned at the beginning of this video has seemingly revived the dunk contest

[@MoralesCorner]

I say lets make the prize a million dollars then. But get a few pro dunkers in too and have them compete against a couple NBA players. Now that could be good.

[@ozkaar5287]

Mac saved the NBA's Slam Dunk contest this year. We all have to watch the slomo to recognise what he did. Luckily, the judges did so too. Mac demolished the All Star game which was soooo trash.

[@otisdickerson594]

I’m sorry but Mac McClung was poppin off 2023 dunk contest😂

[@cashisclay8474]

We have seen almost every dunk humanly possible, plus Steph Curry has changed the game to a shooting league.💯 #Facts

[@randumo24]

Right? And even though LeBron never competed in a dunk contest, what kind of dunk hasn't he done in a game besides something that required a prop? Even then, his alley-oops where he went straight through the jumping Damon Jones & Jason Terry were better than any prop dunks. Plus, you aren't going to find any actual person willing to put themselves through that willingly for a dunk contest lol.

[@manchesterunitedno7]

Almost every dunk in NBA so far. Pro Dunkers have been inventing crazy stunt dunks for a decade.

[@snowgoose0571]

tbh Zach deserved a little more credit for his 2015 performance. He kinda took it to the next level again.

[@yonisbadar2129]

1 mil is ok considering how popular the contest would become and they would make all that money back and extra

[@anthonybrown1830]

Dunk contest should just be all stars in it even tho the dunks won’t be super crazy it’ll be fun and iconic like we can lower the standards a bit and just have fun with it. Like Morant Zion Lebron Giannis Donavan Mitchell etc

[@opahmar]

Lots of factors: the 3point shot has eclipsed dunking in terms of impact on the NBA, pro dunkers are extremely talented and can be seen on social media, and NBA stars today are more wary of their brand image and a mediocre dunk contest may hurt that (I feel).

[@CodingCreation]

Aged really well after mac came out and killed it

[@KingKlose82]

Aaron Gordon got robbed once (by DWade) but not twice. Lavine was awesome.

[@jonjoe89]

Got robbed twice. Should've never got a 50 for that dunk. The guy explains it perfectly in the video. Without that 50 the contest ends in that round and Gordon wins.

[@shyjr3215]

Am Hoops: At least that year we had Kobe, now we have G league player Mac Mcclung. After the contest: Mac Mcclung wins with 3 of them scores of 50 and one of them 49.8 and revives the slam dunk contest.

[@Trell4Xon]

The judges should say a dunk they all have to perform and judge on how good they perform it

[@Dk-xb9ds]

Creativity would fall tho

[@RaidPerspective]

@@Dk-xb9ds It could be the "Technical" round like in the Great British Baking show. Perhaps there could be multiple technical dunk rounds prior to a showstopper which allows the player to showcase creativity.

[@sunnysideup5826]

@@RaidPerspectivethis

[@johnmarkson1990]

@@Dk-xb9ds creativity would fall on the judges. if they want dunk over elephant then DEMAND THAT SHIT. they the ones always critisizing the next day saying how much the contest sucked.

[@mangoedits34]

Love your videos been watching since 20k keep working. You are probably the most underrated channel out there.

[@smitsta]

Now is the perfect time to take the dunk contest back to basics while expectations are rock bottom. No unusual objects like cars. No Travelling. Nothing that couldn't be done in a real game. Just keep it simple.

[@crows6591]

So make it boring?

[@swisschaletsauce]

you owe mac mcclung an apology

[@jfr45er]

I was stoked to see Mcclung is going to be I’m the contest this year. KZbin his highlights, he has done dunks that have never been done in the contest before! And who knows what he might come up with the NBA dunk Coach Chuck Milan!

[@area51ville]

in 2015 Air Gordan's last dunk was incredibly slept on because the judges didnt see how difficult it was to triple clutch the ball and dunk the way he did.

[@bodyandsoulmusic8477]

Mclung is fun to watch. He may surprise everyone. Let's see what he shows us in the DC.

[@_KITE]

The NBA stars should just do it. I don’t see why Zion and Ja (and even LeBron) are holding out

[@taylorleer2760]

After watching the dunk contest and seeing mac mclung catch a massive W, I have faith but there needs to be some revision to the contest

[@BellatorRcs]

This year was also very good, mac mcclung carried he defo made some legendary dunks

[@over1498]

Ice cold take: The 2023 contest was amazing and Max McClung absolutely dominated looll time to change the thumbnail

[@sethkimball4902]

I like how Vince’s first dunk was really similar to Zions one against the Suns

[@Sober_Thoughts]

Mac is a gangster with the dunk. Trust me.... People wanna see this.

[@JayErmitano]

did you eat your words now for Mac?

[@chrisrolfes8848]

The behind the free throw line argument doesnt make sense when the Michael Jordan dunk was also well past the free throw line

[@chrisrolfes8848]

@AMHoops Hey we have a bot here could you delete it thanks

[@kevinkruse88]

RipCity is pumped to see Sharpe. That dude can jump.

[@VLE-Grimace]

Nobody wants to see some bench warmer on the 10th seed in a dunk contest

[@kevinkruse88]

@@VLE-Grimace I want to see it.

[@chomosuke0720]

@@VLE-Grimace Would you rather have superstar Point Guard Chris Paul in the contest instead lol

[@sharmarkeismail4698]

@@VLE-Grimace I do

[@allopez3166]

@@VLE-Grimace Looks like you're all alone on this one.

[@flavianojorge4543]

Every year, make it a standard routine. Just like in most display sports like gymnastics or dance sport. Say, every dunker will do 5-7 standard dunk tricks. And whoever gets the highest score wins it. Every year that will be the routine. 1. Windmill 2. 360 3. Alley-Oop 3. Between the legs 4. Free throw line dunk 5. Double pump 6. Between the legs (reverse) 7. Jumping over a maskot From there, players already know what to practice. Perfection and execution will improve. And biases will reduce significantly since the routine is already standardized.

[@samlee458]

Gordon got robbed twice! SMH 🤦‍♂️ He should be 2 time champion

[@salahtalib3928]

lol that g league guy single handedly carried the tournament dont judge a book by its cover

[@malooch]

Mac McClung winning it all this year.

[@malooch]

btw RAY ALLEN was in a dunk contest??

[@tkbaku3036]

Aaron Gordon didn’t get snaked, Zach lavine did thru the legs from the free throw line

[@coldtea4svn144]

The thumbnail didn´t aged well

[@primo289]

Yap

[@rainpatch4358]

A million dollars will make sense as the viewership and sponsors increases too because of the true stars joining.

[@MasterJ30]

Thats because very athletic guys like Zion, Lebron, Giannis, and the list goes on for some reason don't want to participate in the dunk contest or anymore

[@IllMatic97]

Why would they compete? It's not like they've done dunks you or anyone else hasn't seen before. Rim grazer, tomahawk, side tomahawk, double clutch and windmill. Nothing special.

[@MasterJ30]

@@IllMatic97 I mean some people would like the trophy to fulfill their pride

[@Wallyworld30]

Giannis already did a Dunk Contest he paid his dues. Where TF is Zion and Ja Morant?

[@MasterJ30]

Thats why I said or anymore and yes where tf are they?

[@yxngeentertainment5450]

@@Wallyworld30take Shaq and Dwayne off the panel and give aaron Gordon what he is owed then they will join

[@chrisg3876]

Man this aged terribly 🤣🤣 Mac just revived it

[@Taj_Rahine]

Great video, but we have to find a way to compliment something without calling it "the best of all time" (unless it's extremely clear). It's just needless and invites criticism when otherwise people would just be on board with celebrating it. That's just my opinion, but this is also the best comment of all time.

[@Stompngunss]

Bro regrets saying this after mac put on a show🔥

[@waqa3452]

Bro hated on mac Mclung then he went and won it 💀

[@hoiley555]

The separate dunk contest format just sucks the energy out of the weekend, it's so slow and players get too many do-overs. I think the dunk award should be given to the player that performs the best dunk DURING the all star game. Now you're guaranteed to have the best players involved and you can bet once one of them goes hard early on, their natural competitiveness will make the others try to beat it.

[@95yazid]

That Michael Finley dunk is so goofy LMAO I can't stop replayin it

[@TripleThreat711]

This aged well, stop hating on Mclung 😂

[@kixnimrod6407]

so hows your comment with Mac Clung's dunk now... 🤣🤣🤣

[@AdamKlownzinger]

Damn, Gordon really WAS robbed by Lavine

[@BruhNqzv]

did not age well

[@leowong8280]

Carter is the best of all time because he didn't need a 2nd chance for any of his dunks. he didn't even need to prepare ahead of time. he just improvised on the spot and just did whatever he felt like. the power, the technique, the creativity. there was no one like him in the dunk contest, not even mj. Gordon's dunks were amazing but they don't have the same intensity as VC's dunks.

[@Tinmar_AA]

This did not hold very well. The newby got hops and is a star now... lol

[@betterthanyesterday3912]

I've said this 100 times: Create a spin-wheel with iconic dunks from over the years. Players have to spin, and whatever dunk they get, they have to perform. I'd absolutely tune in to watch this.

[@jfr45er]

they did this back In like 2002. It was a fail. Somehow the wheel kept landing on Dr J dunks. And another guy had to dunk that required palming the ball which he couldn’t do.

[@woodside4life]

They tried that already and it didn’t work.

[@dgtamer43yt]

For me, it's because there are barely actual dunkers in the NBA now like in terms of Vince Carter.. sure some are good at in-game dunks but VC was one of the few that really stood out to me the most since not only is he really a great dunker in-game, he was still the most iconic dunker in the Slam Dunk history (at least for me).

[@judahcc32]

Who else is here after Mac mclung saved the contest 👇🏼

[@RamsonOpoku]

Aaron gordon dunk was the best I ever seen in 20 years

[@asimpletune]

This video has aged well

[@surrotten3354]

How so the Contest was ass besides 2 dunks McClung did lol. Did you see the bullshit sims did💀 or the fact people believe McClung saved the contest when most of his dunks are mid

[@asimpletune]

@@surrotten3354 no I didn't watch that. Tbh, I only saw McClung and thought they were pretty cool but definitely not the best ever, so definitely mid, and I wrote an uninformed comment based on what other people were saying about it without really knowing a lot about what I was talking about. I will leave my original comment up as a warning to others. Don't tread down this path. The NBA dunk contest is still ass. McClung is cool, because he's a g-leaguer, and that's the only news to the '23 dunk contest.

[@JamesMeyer2]

I know one million dollars is a ton of money to most of us, but that's not a significant amount for the NBA to come up with if that's all it takes to get stars back in the dunk contest. If they could get players like Ja in the contest, the NBA should be able to make their investment back in no time.

[@cornbreadmilton5265]

Bring famous streetball dunkers we see on YT into the All Star Dunk Contest they do some SICK $h!T

[@cornbreadmilton5265]

Yes sir

[@MitchellDouglas4933]

@@cornbreadmilton5265 bro why are you replying to your own comment 💀💀💀

[@Wallyworld30]

@@MitchellDouglas4933 He forgot to switch to burner account. LMAO

[@MitchellDouglas4933]

@@Wallyworld30 lolol

[@cornbreadmilton5265]

@@MitchellDouglas4933 The Creator send me a link to a prize I won,and he told me to follow the link,and I replied by saying,"Yes sir."

[@rhxdi9257]

That Mac mcclung comment aged like milk

[@larrypundsack4253]

Bro Mac maclung won

[@Monkey_D_Luffy56]

The dunk contest format should be like a formula drift style. One is gonna lead and the other is gonna copy it then the judge would rate them based on execution and neatness. I don't know how to explain it, English isn't my first language but you'll get the idea 😅

[@Paulisthebestt]

I bet you feel dumb talking about mac like that

[@brucelau2023]

Feels like the dunk contest goes through ups and downs. Most of the all time greats did it very early in their careers. People were saying it was dead in 2015 right before we got one of the best contests of all time in Gordon/Levine

[@danakaleb4882]

Oh you of little faith! Apology to Mac is in place.