nba dunk contest

Stephen A. Smith Claims LeBron Killed The Dunk Contest

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Stephen A. Smith is one of the more opinionated people in the sports world. Overall, this is exactly why he is so popular. He is someone who knows how to get people riled up with his opinions, and he has been on his game for years. Although he may be controversial, ESPN loves having him on board. He brings ratings to the station, and at this point, he carries the entire network on his back. It is a hard job, although someone has to do it.

Throughout this season, Stephen A. and his various co-hosts have had to talk a whole lot about LeBron James. LeBron and the Lakers are 13th in the Western Conference, however, they are always the center of NBA discourse. Overall, this has proven to be exhausting for most fans. However, it appears as though Smith loves talking about the purple and gold. They are a team filled with storylines, and LeBron is definitely a contributor to all of that.

Stephen A. Berates LeBron

Over the weekend, the NBA had its infamous All-Star weekend. This included the dunk contest in which Mac McClung was the victor. For many, his win was amazing. However, for others, it was a sign of how stars no longer want to do the dunk contest. Consequently, Smith decided to use this opportunity to go off on the King. In the video clip above, Stephen A. said that he feels like LeBron ruined the dunk contest. This is because superstars used to always participate in the event. Although, James never did, and because of his lead-by-example attitude, other stars followed suit. Simply put, Smith is blaming the free will of others on an innocuous decision by LeBron. While some may agree with Smith, it feels like a bit of a stretch.

Superstar players are more than welcome to participate, regardless of LeBron. Moreover, using LeBron as a blueprint for not joining the dunk contest is incredibly weak. If you want to find a reason for the poor turnout, look at the judges who come in with massive biases. Let us know if you agree with Smith, down in the comments section below.

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Karl Malone’s Past Put On Blast As NBA Puts Him On Dunk Contest Panel

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Karl Malone is seen as a legend in the NBA, however, no one really talks about him, and for good reason. Prior to LeBron’s ascent up the all-time scoring list, Malone was second behind Kareem. Now, he is third on the all-time list. Although these are great numbers that make you a Hall-of-Famer, no one likes to acknowledge this. Of course, this is because Malone impregnated a 13-year-old when he was just 20 years old. Malone was in college at the time and he failed to take responsibility for what happened. While some may have given him a pass for this years ago, we now live in an age where you cannot simply sweep something like this under the rug. Once again, rightfully so.

Overall, Malone has largely been forgotten when it comes to NBA celebrations. Due to his past actions, the league likes to pretend as though Malone doesn’t exist. However, it seems like they are changing course on this philosophy, much to the dismay of fans. This year’s All-Star game is in Utah, which is where Malone spent the majority of his career. As a result, the league is inviting Malone to be one of the dunk contest judges.

Karl Malone Gets New Role

As you can imagine, fans are flabbergasted by this decision. While the All-Star game is in Utah, there are plenty of other past Jazz stars that could have been asked. Bringing Malone into the fold is completely out of pocket and opens up a huge can of worms. Moreover, it is simply bad PR for the entire NBA. One has to wonder what the league was thinking when they decided to make this move. As one fan put it, “I get that the NBA wanted a former Jazz player to be a part of this thing, but this is where you call up Carlos Boozer or Greg Ostertag or Felton Spencer instead. This just doesn’t fly in 2023.”

Below, you can find more reactions from the Twittersphere. You will be hard-pressed to find a single person who actually agrees with this latest move by the league. Only time will tell whether or not they decide to reverse course on all of this. Let us know what you think of the move, in the comments below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for more news from around the sports world.

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SOURCE SPORTS: Kevin Durant Believes Stars Are Needed to Bring the NBA Dunk Contest Back to Prominence

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Kevin Durant Believes Stars Are Needed to Bring the NBA Dunk Contest Back to Prominence

Raise your hand if you think the NBA Dunk Contest has been a bit lackluster. Ok reader, you can lower your hand. With NBA All-Star Weekend loading, Kevin Durant revealed what he believes can fix the marquee event of All-Star Saturday night.

Speaking on the latest episode of The ETCs, KD revealed what can be done instead.

“I think the stars need to come back,” Durant explained. “… It felt like it was stars every year when I was a kid.”

Stars like LeBron James are over the hill. Past winners like Zach Lavine may not want to try again. But there are plenty of young stars that people would like to see, like Zion Williamson, who can rip a rim off for the fun of it.

The current dunk contest participants include Trey Murphy III of the New Orleans Pelicans, Kenyon Martin Jr. of the Houston Rockets, Shaedon Sharpe of the Portland Trailblazers, and Mac McClung of the G Leauge.

What do you think can adjust the dunk contest?

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