The NBA dunk contest has become a staple of the NBA All-Star break. Fans everywhere are eager to see if the renaissance brought on by Aaron Gordon and Zach Lavine’s dueling dunks will stick, or if the dunk contest’s best days have already passed.
The long-standing tradition certainly has challenges to overcome. With players like Klay Thompson and Kyrie Irving facing off in the three-point shootout this year, some may argue that contest has usurped the star power of the dunk contest. Some fans view the competition as having declined since the 80s, when acrobatic wings like Michael Jordan and Dominique Wilkins put it all on the line.