@FlameRaptorRaven
2000 NBA Slam Dunk Contest
02/14/26
Writing this rating in an Air Canada plane. I didn’t watch this live. I was alive for 2 months old when this contest happened. However, when watching back, I really feel like context is super important. In 1997, the NBA held what is widely considered the worst Dunk Contest in NBA history. Not even a rookie Kobe could salvage an absolute bore of a contest. It was so bad that the NBA straight up cancelled the 1998 Dunk Contest and the 1999 version was also cancelled due to the lockout. The Dunk Contest was in jeopardy of genuinely dying. When Vince Carter entered his name, he was the contest’s final hope. If he didn’t bring life back, it was over. He proceeded to put on the greatest performance in Dunk Conest history. A performance so impressive, a free throw line dunk was considered the ‘safe’ choice to lock up the victory. Air Canada and T-Mac, in those gorgeous Raptors’ purple jerseys, gave life to the Dunk Contest, which lasted throughout the 2000s. #2 all-time, #1 most important.
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