SALT LAKE CITY — Declining an invitation to defend his title at the 2019 AT&T Slam Dunk Contest was certainly tough for Utah Jazz star Donovan Mitchell.
As a kid, he studied Vince Carter highlights, someday wishing to be a participant until he enjoyed that moment last year as a rookie in Los Angeles.
However, he wasn’t aware of the media obligations and aftereffects of entering that All-Star Weekend.
“I remember last year, when I came back from All-Star, I was tired,” Mitchell recalled. “I was tired. Fortunately we had some days where I could rest.