The NBA’s All-Star Weekend is less than a month away and reports are starting to leak out about who will compete in this year’s NBA dunk contest.
Yahoo Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski reports league sources have told him Timberwolves rookie Zach LaVine is one of four players who have committed to participating in the event at the Barclays Center in New York on Feb. 14.
According to Wojnarowski, LaVine will be joined in the competition by Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo and Orlando’s Victor Oladipo along with Brooklyn center Mason Plumlee.
LaVine is averaging 8.4 points and 3.5 assists per game for the Wolves this season. He has made 21 starts while helping to fill the void created by Ricky Rubio’s injury.
KFAN notes that at 19, LaVine will be the youngest player to participate in the dunk contest since JR Smith in 2005.
If he were to win the contest though, he wouldn’t be the youngest champion. That belongs to Kobe Bryant, who won the 1997 competition at the age of 18.
KFAN’s Joe Perovich created this brief video highlighting some of LaVine’s insane dunking ability.
Minnesota has been represented in the NBA’s slam dunk contest six times over the years.
- 1992 – Doug West
- 1994 – Isaiah “J.R.” Rider won the championship at Target Center
- 1995 – Isaiah Rider’s title defense
- 1997 – Chris Carr
- 2008 – Gerald Green
- 2012 – Derrick Williams
LaVine isn’t the only Timberwolves rookie that’s been mentioned as an entrant in this year’s dunk contest. Last week Andrew Wiggins’ father, Mitchell Wiggins, told Hoops Hype Canada Andrew will be competing in the slam dunk competition.
However, according to 1500 ESPN, Wiggins told reporters he will not participate this year.
The NBA has made no official announcement.
The NBA’s All-Star Game itself will be played on Sunday Feb. 15 at Madison Square Garden in New York.
