Despite the team’s recent road success, Utah Jazz fans have been somewhat surly of late. The source of their angst — next month’s Slam Dunk Contest at All-Star Weekend. Or, more specifically, rookie Donovan Mitchell’s exclusion from the event. An aggressive All-Star campaign notwithstanding, a spot in the big game was always a long-shot for Mitchell. However, a Dunk Contest invite seemed like, well… a slam dunk.
Mitchell’s high-flying antics have landed him on SportsCenter highlights time and time again. They’ve also earned praise from some of basketball’s best dunkers. Nevertheless, the league opted to invite Dallas Mavericks rookie Dennis Smith Jr.