NBA Slam Dunk Contest 2013: Terrence Ross Wins Slam Dunk Championship
By Josh Hill
The 2013 Slam Dunk contest got off to an ugly and boring start but it’s two finalists saved the day with their last two dunks, bringing back some old memories and reminding us all what it used to feel like when the Slam Dunk Contest was actually interesting. Both Kenneth Faried and James White had high hopes to bring home a title but it was defending champion Jeremy Evans and rookie Terrence Ross who dunked it out to see who would be the 2013 Slam Dunk champ.
Evans, who took home the hardware last year, started his final round by literally dunking on himself. He brought out a giant painting of himself jumping a giant painting of himself and made it all a reality. But the dunk hardly did much to inspire those watching, which mean the floor was Ross’ for the taking.
And take it he did.
Ross, wearing a vintage Vince Carter Raptors jersey, busted out a violent jam that saw him catch the ball off the side of the backboard after it was tossed by Houston Rockets rookie and fellow Terrence, Terrence Jones. Not only was the dunk a call back to Carter’s 2000 jam that won him that contest but it was a new twist on an old trick and the crowd ate it up.
Evans followed that dunk up with another snoozer of a jam, which once again meant as long as Terrence Ross didn’t biff his dunk he’d have a real chance at winning. All Ross needed to do was throw down a jam that was better than Evans’ and boy did he ever throw it down.
Ross brought out a kid from the audience to stand in-between him and the basket. Not only did Ross clear the hunched over kid but he passed the ball between his legs and slammed the ball perfectly. Ross has hang-time, he had style and he had the NBA Slam Dunk title in his back pocket. Ross ran away with the contest in the final round and deservedly was voted the winner by fans watching all across the globe.
The debate will still remain though, as to whether stars of the game need to participate in the slam dunk contest. While Ross stole the show at the end of the contest, it wasn’t the most memorable Slam Dunk Contest we’ve ever seen and lots of people are saying Ross’ dunks aren’t enough to save what was otherwise lackluster affair.
But even if the contest was a bore as a whole, Ross did his best to give us some throw back dunks and he was rewarded for his efforts with the 2013 Slam Dunk crown.