A new format with the NBA’s Sprite Slam Dunk Contest no doubt left people talking. However, after John Wall’s dunk, it no doubt left them wanting more as well.
Wall, who stands at a modest 6-foot-4, capped off the contest with what was by far the best dunk of the evening after leaping over the Wizards’ mascot and throwing down a double pump reverse jam in the process:
Because of the dunk by the Washington guard, Wall was voted by the fans as the “Dunker Of The Night” and was awarded a giant trophy. With the new format of East vs. West, it was a complete sweep with the East winning 3-0; the entire East team of Paul George, Terrence Ross and Wall were all crowned champions.
Ben McLemore thought he had the night won after his slam that consisted of jumping over a Shaq throne:
And considering his height, Blazers guard Damian Lillard had a terrific between-the-legs slam in the “freestyle” round as well — the round that preceded the East vs. West “battle round.” Former champ Ross would do a similar dunk later during his battle round, only he would get the hand-off from Drake during lift-off:
During the voting, following Wall’s grand finale, Slam Dunk judges Magic Johnson and Julius Erving proclaimed that Wall “brought the Slam Dunk Contest back.” However, many — including TNT hosts Kenny Smith and Charles Barkley — both stated they wished there had been an extra round in which the three East players battled each other. Considering the energy in the entire arena was at its peak following Wall’s dunk, we can only imagine the intensity that would have followed if defending champion Ross, and arguably the best dunker in basketball, George, could have squared off against Wall for all the marbles.
In case you missed all the best dunks, here’s a recap:
Josh Helmuth is the editor of CraveOnline Sports. You can follow him @JHelmuth or “like” CraveOnline Sports on Facebook.
Photo Credit: Getty
