5 NBA players who could win a 35-and-older dunk contest
By John Buhler
67. . Small Forward. Sacramento Kings. Matt Barnes. 3. player
Of all the guys on this list, Matt Barnes is shockingly over 35 years old. The 14-year NBA veteran is 36 years old but he oftentimes plays like a guy 10 years younger than he. His inherent scrapiness has never faded and Barnes continues to carve out a meaningful rotational role in the NBA into his late 30s.
Like most of his contemporaries, Barnes doesn’t play above the rim. He makes his money playing out on the perimeter with the three-ball and wing defense. However, with nobody guarding him, Barnes would be one of the few contestants in the 35+ slam dunk contest that won’t tire.
That helps him tremendously, as he would be able to get off the ground into the deeper rounds of the 35-and-older slam dunk contest. Barnes has surprisingly aged gracefully in his NBA career, and he could definitely win the old man’s slam dunk contest.
He wouldn’t need a gimmick prop or the audience to get himself into the finals. A one-handed jam or a reversal could be in his arsenal. Barnes would execute highly efficient, but not too flashy dunks to possibly win this event. While he doesn’t have the highest ceiling of the 35+ slam dunk contests, Barnes would have the lowest floor. Can efficiency win slam dunk contests remains to be seen.