The 2012 Sprite Slam Dunk Competition boasts the likes of four first-time participants. And that right there, is the most compelling storyline this year’s contest will yield.
This year, there will be no Blake Griffin and once again, this year, there will be no LeBron James. But for the first time, this year, the Slam Dunk Competition will not live up to its historical hype.
Iman Shumpert, Chase Budinger, Paul George and Derrick Williams are all athletic, and aren’t afraid to take flight, but neither one of them holds a candle to the hops of Griffin, JaVale McGee or even Serge Ibaka.
The dunk contest has always been home to some of the greatest names and most athletic freaks in the game, but in the ever changing landscape of the NBA, tradition isn’t always safe.
After sifting through a gluttony of montages, it has become clear that this deviation from the standard may not be for the best.
As talented as Williams and Shumpert may be, there in game displays are underwhelming to say the least. And as far as athleticism goes, the league could have done much better than George and Budinger.
James and Griffin may have opted not to participate, but failing to extend McGee an invitation is an absolute joke. He was the one that gave Griffin a run for his money last year, and should have at least been giving the opportunity to return.
Instead, the NBA opted to assemble a group of first-time, unproven competitors, undoubtedly in hopes that the mysteriousness behind the selections would generate viewership.
But will it work?
The avid basketball fan is unlikely skip over the slam dunk competition, yet that same fan is unlikely to miss any of the All-Star weekend festivities. Like it or not, slam dunk competitions are built on the casual fan, and what reason does this particular brand of fan have to watch the contest this time around?
This season’s contestants are far from the household names that Griffin and McGee were and are. It takes national level clout to generate serious interest, and that’s something this year’s dunk class doesn’t have.
So, how will this newly calculated group of dunk participants fair?
Let’s just say that the most exciting aspect of this years competition may be the newly implemented Twitter voting system.
Dan Favale is an avid basketball analyst and firm believer in the three-pointer as well as the notion that defense doesn’t always win championships. His work can be found at Bleacherreport.com in addition to TheHoopDoctors.com. Follow @danfavale on Twitter for his latest posts and all things NBA.
