It’s official: Jaylen Brown will take part on this yr’s dunk contest.
After just a few days of hypothesis, the NBA’s 2024 dunk contest subject was introduced on Thursday. It consists of Brown, Jacob Toppin, Jaime Jacquez Jr. and reigning contest champion Mac McClung. The marquee All-Star weekend occasion will happen on Saturday, Feb. 17 in Indianapolis.
Brown, who’s making his third profession All-Star look this season, is the headlining title for an occasion that has misplaced its buzz through the years. He’ll be the primary All-Star to take part within the dunk contest since Victor Oladipo in 2018. Other gamers, corresponding to Damian Lillard (2014), Giannis Antetekounmpo (2015) and Donovan Mitchell (2018) have completed the dunk contest earlier than their ascent as stars, however a participant like Brown doing it as a longtime All-Star has turn out to be a rarity.
Even this yr’s dunk contest subject isn’t essentially one to get enthusiastic about exterior of Brown. Toppin is on a two-way contract with the Knicks, Jacquez Jr. is a rookie with the Heat, and McClung – who actually impressed final yr to win the dunk contest – isn’t even within the NBA. He’s within the G-League.
“I think it would be great for him to participate in it, right?” mentioned Jayson Tatum, who will be part of Brown in Indy for All-Star weekend. “Kind of bring back that star power to the dunk contest. You want to see all the big-name guys being in it, that’s how I grew up watching it. I would love for him to be in it. I would love for him to win. I think it would be exciting to see.”
Brown is the primary Celtics participant to take part within the dunk contest since Gerald Green, who received it in 2007. He’ll be the fifth participant in Celtics historical past to do it, becoming a member of Dee Brown (received in 1991), Greg Minor (1996), Ricky Davis (2004) and Green (2007).
Brown has turned down an invite to the dunk contest twice in his profession, first when he was a rookie in 2017 after which once more in 2021. But 2024 is his time.
Source: www.bostonherald.com