To Dunk Or Not to Dunk?

The year was 1976. The afro measured nearly a foot in height. And a man by the name of Julius Erving stood just beyond half-court, poised to rewrite the book on basketball etiquette. The Denver crowd anxiously anticipated what spectacle “Dr. J” would treat them to. He held the ball, took a deep breath, and began sprinting down the court. At the last second, Erving leaped from the foul line and soared towards the hoop, right arm outstretched. Cameras snapped photos furiously, capturing the iconic image just before he sent the ball careening through the cylinder. The doctor was in.  

When Julius Erving won the dunk contest in 1976, the competition was governed solely by ABA rules. Only years later in 1984 (after the merger of the NBA and ABA) would the Slam Dunk Contest be reinstated. Each year since then (with the exception of the 1998-1999 seasons), the NBA has hosted the Slam Dunk Contest as a part of its annual All-Star Game Weekend. The league brings together some of the most athletic, high flying players in the game, each with one mission: throw down the most incredible, preposterous, jaw-dropping, absurd, (insert your own descriptive adjective here) line of dunks, en route to being crowned the champion.

Julius Erving's famous '76 foul-line dunk

A few weeks ago, Terrance Ross of the Toronto Raptors won the 2013 Sprite Slam Dunk Contest following a final round dunk in which Ross jumped over a ball boy, threaded the ball between his legs, and threw down an emphatic slam. Ross was joined in the contest by James White, Gerald Green, Eric Bledsoe, Kenneth Faried, and Jeremy Evans. You might be quick to notice a name notoriously absent from that list: LeBron James.

Over the course of his stellar decade-long career, James has declined to participate in the Slam Dunk Contest each and every year. According to Yahoo Sports, he’s even gone on record stating to FOX Sports Florida that "It's over with. I'm getting too old for that. ... There were times when I wanted to do it. But I came into All-Star Weekend a few times banged up and I didn't want to risk further injury.”

On the surface, King James’ reasoning holds water. A professional athlete forgoing participation in an event extracurricular to a scheduled regular season or playoff game because of risk of injury is understandable. But James’ claim that he’s become too old to throw down a few dunks? Well, that’s flat-out befuddling.

LeBron James demonstrating his dominant dunking ability.

LeBron is 28 years old, and he regularly performs acrobatic in-game dunks, often times off a sky-high alley-oop from his partner-in-crime Dwyane Wade. He’s even begun throwing down a few entertaining pre-game dunks to satiate the fans’ appetites, but the Slam Dunk Contest is the real arena for showing off dunking prowess.

As far as age goes, Dr. J. threw down the historic foul line slam at age 26, and Michael Jordan won the 1987 and 1988 contests at 24 and 25. So if LeBron, a man who is playing the best basketball of his career, is trying to convince fans and media that he’s too old, he’d better enroll in a persuasive speech class. LeBron James is one of the most athletically gifted player in the NBA, and he owes it to his fans, teammates, other players, and the league to participate in the Slam Dunk Contest.

Michael Jordan (left) and Julius Erving (right) performing the famous
foul-line dunk.

I’m not the only basketball fan who believes James needs to man up and show us a windmill or two. ESPN’s First Take host and all-pro LeBron James critic Skip Bayless consistently tweeted the hashtag #GetLeBronToDunk prior to and following the 2013 All-Star Weekend, impelling the star Heat forward to participate. Yet perhaps one of the biggest proponents for James to dunk was the great Magic Johnson. Last Friday, Johnson went on the record on ESPN’s “Kia NBA Countdown” when he said that he would pay $1 million to James—or anyone else who could beat him in the dunk contest.

"Please, LeBron, get in the dunk contest. I'm going to put up a million dollars," Johnson entreated. "A million dollars from Magic to LeBron. Please get in the dunk contest. I go every year. I want to see you out there." When the best point guard to ever play the game thinks you need to enter the dunk contest, you’d better lace up the Air Jordan’s…er…Air LeBron’s (?) and take it to the hole.

Surprisingly, James actually told ESPN’s Lisa Salters, “I don’t have a response yet” and that he would get back to Magic Johnson. Whatever path he chooses, LeBron should feel obligated to uphold the legacy that Julius Erving instated at the ’76 ABA Slam Dunk Contest. Erving worked diligently to popularize the dunk and ensured that the NBA legalized the move, creating an entirely new method of play above the rim. For LeBron to never enter the dunk contest would qualify as a sin against the basketball bible.

Fans go wild for LeBron James. Imagine if he entered the dunk contest...

As one of the most scrutinized athletes in professional sports, James could even stand to benefit from the dunk contest. Though I’ve finally grown to like, even respect, LeBron, numerous NBA fans (a majority of them located in northeast Ohio) still resent the former Cavalier for his decision to fly south to Miami, and many others chastise him for lacking the MJ-esque clutch and taking so long to win a championship. Perhaps if he gave the fans what they wanted, he’d regain even a glimmer of respect from them.

When the 2014 All-Star Weekend rolls around next year, maybe James will finally change his tune. Whether Magic's offer persuades him or the fans' pressure finally gets to him, the opportunity to see LeBron in the dunk contest wold be a long time coming. So let’s go, King James. Pick up that scepter. Polish that crown. And take your talents to the hoop.