Rest In Peace NBA Dunk Contest [NewYork SportsNut]

By Trevor Uren
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Updated: April 8, 2012

Image From: http://sportige.com

The dunk contest was a great friend. The type of friend you could count on to bring beers to a party when the keg was on its last stand. A one night only show guaranteed to dazzle and amaze. A complete exhibition of athleticism and creativity by the greatest athletes in professional sports, Chris Anderson and Chase Budinger, err Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard.

Tough to imagine kids today will never know what the dunk contest once was. YouTube clips of the greats won’t make many of their Facebook pages. Instead, they are left to wonder why? Why doesn’t (insert NBA All Star here) sign up for the dunk contest?

Once upon a time, this contest showed us what superstars can do when pride is the only thing on the table. The epic battle between Mike Jordan and the “Human Highlight Reel” was one that anyone who saw it will never forget. Awe inspiring dunk after eye popping slam, each one looked more impossible than the last. Never has there been a case where there was truly no loser.

When the dunk contest began to succumb to its age, it was resuscitated by Dr. Vince Carter who brought it back to life with perhaps the most dynamic athletic performance ever displayed on the NBA hardwood. Carter showed the kind if innovation that would have made Steve Jobs jealous. Not to mention, there wasn’t a time limit. You could either do the dunk, or you couldn’t. There wasn’t a 40 second clock to allowing mediocre talent to suck for that duration.

When we look back at the life of the NBA dunk contest, let us not remember the names Harold Miner, Fred Jones, and Jeremy Evans, but rather Spud Webb, Dominique Wilkins, and Michael Jordan. Let us focus on what the NBA dunk contest represented… unadulterated, in your face athleticism. The dunk contest was the college roommate who could do the 120 second keg stand. It was Katherine Johnston asking if you had protection. It was the unthinkably wonderful happening right before your eyes. Read More

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Trevor Uren

Hello, I am Trevor Uren the founder of ProSportsExtra. I am 15 years old, have a big passion with sports. I currently play basketball and football for the high school I attend, L'Anse. I am a huge Detroit fan. A fan of just about anything with Detroit sports. Also I hope to someday attend Bradley University if I am to attend college.