Should the NBA push on star players to take part in the dunk contest?

[westkoast]

What do you guys think?  Should the NBA push on star players like Wade/Lebron to be apart of the dunk contest?  Or has the event faded so much in your mind over the years that you just don't care?

The dunk contest was once a very popular part of the NBA season.  Fans and non-fans alike would tune in to see MJ, Dominque, Dr J, and others do never seen before dunks. 

Now the line up looks like this....

Shannon Brown    L.A. Lakers   
Gerald Wallace    Charlotte
Nate Robinson    New York
DeMar DeRozan     Toronto
Eric Gordon    L.A. Clippers

 

[WayOutWest]

What do you guys think?  Should the NBA push on star players like Wade/Lebron to be apart of the dunk contest?  Or has the event faded so much in your mind over the years that you just don't care?

The dunk contest was once a very popular part of the NBA season.  Fans and non-fans alike would tune in to see MJ, Dominque, Dr J, and others do never seen before dunks. 

Now the line up looks like this....

Shannon Brown    L.A. Lakers   
Gerald Wallace    Charlotte
Nate Robinson    New York
DeMar DeRozan     Toronto
Eric Gordon    L.A. Clippers

 

The dunk contest was once a very popular part of the NBA season.

Or has the event faded so much in your mind over the years that you just don't care?

Fans and non-fans alike would tune in to see MJ, Dominque, Dr J, and others do never seen before dunks. 

Should the NBA push on star players like Wade/Lebron to be apart of the dunk contest?

You pretty much posted the the problem, what caused the problem, and how to solve the problem already.

[ziggy]

How about each teams players picks one of their teammates to be their representative, and they have a divisional championship, two dunks each guy, misses count as zero, 5 point minimum for a good dunk, do it the day before.  Judges are the other divisions dunkers, throw out the top 3 and the bottom 3.

That weeds it down to 6 dunkers.  Three West division winners against each other for 3 dunks, and you get one miss per dunk.  then you have West vs East for Championship, 3 dunks, one miss per dunk.

This allows someone to come from nowhere.  For instance this year in Portland maybe they go with Dante' Cunningham, considering all of the injuries.  Maybe he gets into the top 6, and gets lucky and makes the final two.  At least that way we have a good chance we won't see the Birdman miss 6-7 dunks or actually ahve to see Nate Robinson at all.

[westkoast]

What do you guys think?  Should the NBA push on star players like Wade/Lebron to be apart of the dunk contest?  Or has the event faded so much in your mind over the years that you just don't care?

The dunk contest was once a very popular part of the NBA season.  Fans and non-fans alike would tune in to see MJ, Dominque, Dr J, and others do never seen before dunks. 

Now the line up looks like this....

Shannon Brown    L.A. Lakers   
Gerald Wallace    Charlotte
Nate Robinson    New York
DeMar DeRozan     Toronto
Eric Gordon    L.A. Clippers

 

The dunk contest was once a very popular part of the NBA season.

Or has the event faded so much in your mind over the years that you just don't care?

Fans and non-fans alike would tune in to see MJ, Dominque, Dr J, and others do never seen before dunks. 

Should the NBA push on star players like Wade/Lebron to be apart of the dunk contest?

You pretty much posted the the problem, what caused the problem, and how to solve the problem already.

Right.  That is called laying the background and leading into a question. The thread is asking if you feel the NBA should step in or not. 

The NBA stepping in wouldn't necessarily solve the problem.  The league cannot force a player to take part in a dunk contest.  They can ask nicely but they cannot force a player to take part in a dunk contest. 

How about each teams players picks one of their teammates to be their representative, and they have a divisional championship, two dunks each guy, misses count as zero, 5 point minimum for a good dunk, do it the day before.  Judges are the other divisions dunkers, throw out the top 3 and the bottom 3.

That weeds it down to 6 dunkers.  Three West division winners against each other for 3 dunks, and you get one miss per dunk.  then you have West vs East for Championship, 3 dunks, one miss per dunk.

This allows someone to come from nowhere.  For instance this year in Portland maybe they go with Dante' Cunningham, considering all of the injuries.  Maybe he gets into the top 6, and gets lucky and makes the final two.  At least that way we have a good chance we won't see the Birdman miss 6-7 dunks or actually ahve to see Nate Robinson at all.

Interesting.  They have plenty of time to run through the prelims on Friday.  Set the 'finale' on Saturday.  If you can assure me I don't have to see Nate Robinson dunk I am all for it.

[ziggy]

How about each teams players picks one of their teammates to be their representative, and they have a divisional championship, two dunks each guy, misses count as zero, 5 point minimum for a good dunk, do it the day before.  Judges are the other divisions dunkers, throw out the top 3 and the bottom 3.

That weeds it down to 6 dunkers.  Three West division winners against each other for 3 dunks, and you get one miss per dunk.  then you have West vs East for Championship, 3 dunks, one miss per dunk.

This allows someone to come from nowhere.  For instance this year in Portland maybe they go with Dante' Cunningham, considering all of the injuries.  Maybe he gets into the top 6, and gets lucky and makes the final two.  At least that way we have a good chance we won't see the Birdman miss 6-7 dunks or actually ahve to see Nate Robinson at all.

Interesting.  They have plenty of time to run through the prelims on Friday.  Set the 'finale' on Saturday.  If you can assure me I don't have to see Nate Robinson dunk I am all for it.

I was hoping that by making misses count then Nate won't 10 trys.  That should pretty much weed him out right there.

[rickortreat]

First off lets get rid of the judges so Kenny Smith can't screw things up for talented layers like Andre Iguodala. Lobbying to allow Nate Robinson get 10 tries was the worst display of NBA talent I have ever seen.

I actually have a different idea, since we've all seen every dunk imaginable already made by Vince Carter or the other high-flyers before him.  If you really think there's something possible that hasn't been seen, please speak up.  I would rather give the award of "best dunker' to someone who does it in games. So lets let each player who wants, submit their best dunks from the first half of the season. Some independent group, maybe the players themselves weed them out to a few entries, and those get shown during the All-Star game halftime.  Then everyone can vote on-line on the best in-game dunk and the award can be given to that player.

[marklapinski]

Have the fans vote for one for each team....then review in game dunks to get it down to about 6 players and then do it at the Weekend jam as they do. except no do-overs, if you miss a dunk you get a zero for it.

Also threaten players with fines/suspensions as Stern did to Barkley when he started talking about skipping the ASG all together one year.

[westkoast]

Also threaten players with fines/suspensions as Stern did to Barkley when he started talking about skipping the ASG all together one year.

I see the league having much more leverage for an all star game than they do just a dunk contest.  The all-star game itself is the most important part of the event/weekend.  Dunk contest...not so much.  Though I do wonder if they can still apply the pressure.

[Joe Vancil]

I say let the FANS vote on the candidates for the Dunk Contest, 3-point contest, and PG Skills Challenge.

If you're going to let them vote on the All-Star game, because that's who they want to see, then why not the other contests as well?

Besides, it'd be fun to watch China stuff the ballot box and get Yao Ming in the PG Skills Challenge.

[westkoast]

I say let the FANS vote on the candidates for the Dunk Contest, 3-point contest, and PG Skills Challenge.

If you're going to let them vote on the All-Star game, because that's who they want to see, then why not the other contests as well?

Besides, it'd be fun to watch China stuff the ballot box and get Yao Ming in the PG Skills Challenge.

The fans kind of did that this time around.  That's why you see Shannon Brown and DeRozen lol