Zach LaVine will not compete in Slam Dunk Competition
By Kareem Gantt
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Zach LaVine confirmed that he will not be participating in this season’s Slam Dunk Competition.
Minnesota Timberwolves high-flyer Zach LaVine will not be defending his slam dunk crown.
According to the Timberwolves PR Twitter feed, LaVine confirmed that he will not be going after his third straight slam dunk crown in New Orleans in February. LaVine, who has risen to become one of the NBA’s most exciting young stars, had been the crown prince of the slam dunk competition for the past two seasons.
Zach LaVine confirmed today at shootaround that he will NOT be entering the dunk contest. #Twolves
— Timberwolves PR (@Twolves_PR) January 26, 2017
LaVine had the opportunity to do what no other slam dunker had done before — win three consecutive Slam Dunk Championships. But, following in the footsteps of such legendary dunkers such as Michael Jordan and Dominique Wilkins, LaVine decided that the goal wasn’t worth chasing this year.
LaVine’s decline to defend his two-time crown also delays the Timberwolves from joining the New York Knicks and Atlanta Hawks as the only franchises to have four slam dunk champions (Isaiah Rider caught the team’s first slam dunk title in 1994).
But even with LaVine’s absence in this year’s annual dunk-off, there will still be plenty of high-flyers that will take to the skies at Smoothie King Center in this season’s NBA All-Star Saturday Night festivities.
According to Chris Haynes of ESPN, Orlando Magic forward Aaron Gordon, who many believed was robbed out of last year’s title, will be a participant, and with LaVine out, Gordon will be the favorite to take the crown this year.
Orlando Magic forward Aaron Gordon will compete in 2017 NBA Slam Dunk Contest in New Orleans, league sources tell ESPN. Runner-up last year.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) January 25, 2017
Potentially joining Gordon on the slam dunk stage in New Orleans this year will be Phoenix Suns forward Derrick Jones and San Antonio Spurs reserve guard Jonathon Simmons, though those two have yet to officially announce that they will be in the tournament.
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LaVine wasn’t the only dunker to take himself out of the running for slam dunk supremacy. Boston Celtic’s guard Jaylen Brown announced in a written statement to ESPN that he won’t be participating in this year’s contest.