Jeremy Evans Dunk Contest: What Jazz Forward Must Do to Win

Jeremy Evans is a huge underdog, but there is a formula he could follow to win the Slam Dunk contest. There are no judges this year, so it's all about pleasing the fans. Here are the three things Evans must do to win the event.

Engage the Fans

Evans needs to introduce himself to the fans in the Amway Center, as well those at home. Many fans have never heard of him, so he will have to take advantage of this face time. He plays only five minutes per game during the season, so this is a big opportunity for him.

It could turn into an endorsement opportunity.

Presentation

He can't afford to just grab the ball, bounce it, run and dunk. That will be far too regular, and he has to overcome his size advantage/disadvantage, as well as a lack of notoriety.

He's 6'9" with a ridiculously long wing span, that's great when evaluating a prospect, but in a contest, it's a disadvantage.

How?

Because it doesn't look like big men are doing as much as the smaller players. Big men dunks just don't have the flair that guards do, and the long arms are even more of a detriment. Big men have to present their dunks, a la Dwight Howard in the Superman cape.

Though he wasn't a big man, another great example of presentation was Dee Brown's pumping up of his Reebok's before all his dunks in 1991.

It was charming and it had personality. Evans has to show that if he wants to have a chance.

Use Original Props

I know players hate it, but fans love it.

You doubt the impact of prop usage?

Blake Griffin had a choir and a Kia when he won last year. One video of the dunk has 594,000 plus views.

After a while, there are only so many ways to do a 360, or a windmill. Props change the perception of the basic dunk, and Evans will need them to win.

He can't use props that have been used by others in the past, though. It's also about originality, what can he do, that no one else has done.

If Evans can use a formula that balances these three things, he just may shock the world...well maybe just wake em up a bit.