Michael Jordan has won it. Vince Carter has won it. Blake Griffin has won it. The NBA dunk contest is one of the most exciting events during the All-Star break. It gives an opportunity for players to do what they love to do, show off their incredible athleticism.
One of the young rising stars is Timberwolves Zach LaVine. LaVine might not be a superstar in the making, but he is definitely fun to watch. The rookie paid homage to Michael Jordan and the movie “Space Jam” wearing Jordan’s “Tune Squad” jersey. If you have never seen Space Jame then you are severely missing out on a classic.
For his first dunk, LaVine chose to go with the classic in between the legs slam that caught everyone’s attention. LaVine’s head nearly hit the rim impressing both Russell Westbrook and James Harden. He moved on to the next round easily, scoring a perfect 50. For his second dunk, LaVine put the ball behind his back midair and slammed it in. This time it was his competitors who were impressed. He received another perfect score. For his third dunk, he needed some assistance from teammate Andrew Wiggins who held the ball while LaVine put it between his legs and he slammed it home. This time his head was in line with the rim and this time the judges were a little more critical giving LaVine a 45. For the grand finale, LaVine required assistance with someone throwing up the ball behind the backboard and grabbing it and slamming it one final time for an almost perfect score of 49.
Of course, LaVine went on to win the contest. Hopefully, he decided to defend his title during next year’s All Star Break in Toronto!
