Sunday Topic: Who Wins Dunk Contest?
Every Sunday, HOOPSWORLD’s analysts weigh in on an NBA-related topic. Get in on the debate by leaving your thoughts in a comment. Here’s this week’s Sunday Topic.
The participants in this year’s dunk contest have been announced. James White, Gerald Green and Terrence Ross will represent the Eastern Conference. Kenneth Faried, Jeremy Evans and Eric Bledsoe will represent the Western Conference. This week’s Sunday Topic:
Who will win this year’s dunk contest?
“James White. I’ve often said that one of the main reasons why the NBA dunk contest is dead is because the best dunkers aren’t even in the NBA. The NBA is the best 400+ players in the world, not the best 400 dunkers. However, with James White in the contest the world will finally get to see the man who I consider the best dunker ever.
White will bring dunks to the contest that few have ever seen before. Even some of the top slams in the contest’s history can’t compare to some of the dunks that White can throw down.
Terrence Ross and Gerald Green should make things interesting, but make no mistake about it – the 2013 dunk contest will make White a star if he is at the top of his game. Be prepared to hear the cliché the dunk contest is back once he digs deep into his bag of tricks.” – Yannis Koutroupis
“Gerald Green. Take six minutes of your day and watch this Russian dunk contest video from 2010:
The video features Gerald Green and James White, the two favorites for this year’s dunk contest, doing things more incredible than most of what we’ve seen at the NBA’s dunk contest in the years since. Nothing against the field here, but these are two of the greatest dunkers alive, so picking anyone other than Green or White would just be silly. It’s like rooting for anyone other than the HEAT and Thunder to make the Finals. Get your hopes up at your own risk.
As for who actually wins between those two, Green has to be considered a slight favorite. Green, for starters, is almost four years younger than White, who is the first guy over 30 to participate in this event since Dominique Wilkins. White also admitted that, while he’s got some great dunks up his sleeve (and on his resume), that he has no intention of planning anything specific. He’s just going to sort of go up there and do what he does. Green should have more of a flair for the dramatic, which has become an important part of today’s dunk contests, and that plus his athletic ability and silly arsenal should make him the favorite.” – Joel Brigham
“James White. White has yet to make a splash in the NBA but he’ll stake his claim in the dunk contest at All-Star Weekend.
White was drafted by the Portland Trail Blazers in the second round (31st overall) back in 2006. He has bounced around the league, making stints with the San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets.
Now with the New York Knicks, White was born to star in an NBA dunk contest. Nicknamed “Flight” for his jumping ability, White has been known to dunk from the free throw line with two hands.
In 2009, White got a perfect score of 100 in the final round of the D-League Slam Dunk Contest, representing the Anaheim Arsenal, to take home the title. White has made 34 appearances for the Knicks including six starts while averaging 1.8 points in 6.7 minutes per game.
While he has plenty of competition including last year’s winner Jeremy Evans, the 6’7 White has a large repertoire of dunks to pull from.” – Eric Pincus
“Gerald Green. If this dunk contest were held several years ago, James White would be my pick. However, it’s hard to imagine him winning this year’s contest at 30 years old. White has admitted that he’s not sure if he’s still able to throw down some of the dunks that have become extremely popular on YouTube, so that has to be factored in when making a pick.
Green, on the other hand, is in his prime. He has had some amazing in-game dunks in the last year so we know that he’s still capable of flying. Also, Green seems like a better showman than White, which goes a long way in the dunk contest. If White were to win, it wouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. However, Green seems like the favorite entering the contest.
No disrespect to Kenneth Faried, Eric Bledsoe, Terrence Ross and Jeremy Evans, but this will likely be the battle between Green and White, which is what dunk fans have been dying to see for quite some time.” – Alex Kennedy
Who will win the dunk contest? Leave a comment below.
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