NBA Slam Dunk Contest 2012: Jeremy Evans Wins Prolific High-Flying Event

Utah Jazz second-year forward Jeremy Evans wasn't even supposed to be in the Slam Dunk Contest originally. Due to an injury to New York Knicks guard Iman Shumpert, however, Evans was named as a replacement, and now he's going home with the hardware.

Evans wowed the crowd at Amway Arena in Orlando, Fla. with a dizzying array of dunks as he capped off what was an exciting night. Evans won over the masses throwing down an epic double dunk that was too much for the public to pass on.

The 6'9", 194-lb. Evans has a unique frame that aided in the quality of his dunks. His length gives him the power to slam it home with authority, but he is pencil thin for a player of his height, so he can leap with the best of them as well.

Evans certainly wasn't a household name before the competition, and he likely still isn't, but his Slam Dunk Contest performance could certainly be a stepping stone toward prominence. Evans has only played in about half of Utah's games this season, averaging less than two points and about one rebound per contest.

That is a bit of a step down from his averages of 3.6 points and 1.9 rebounds per game as a rookie out of Western Kentucky last year. It's hard to imagine Evans being able to break out many of the spectacular dunks he executed on Saturday night in a game situation, but perhaps his performance will earn him a bit more playing time.

It's impossible to say what Evans' future holds in terms of his effectiveness as an NBA player, but he can take solace in knowing that his name will always be mentioned with the likes of legends such as Julius Erving, Michael Jordan and Dominique Wilkins in Slam Dunk Contest lore.