LeBron James Won't Dunk: Another Display of Selfishness

LeBron James said he'd enter the 2010 NBA Dunk Contest while enjoying 2009's All-Star festivities.

He commented on how the contest had shriveled down to no-name guys going at it, and that the contest lacked the professional and creative flair that it got from the classic ballers, like Michael Jordan, Vince Carter, Dominique Wilkins, and Spud Webb.

Those are some impressive names. And almost just as important, considering the stage we're talking about, those were some impressive dunks.

Jordan from the free-throw line (we didn't forget yours, Brent Barry). Vince Carter's elbow hang. And Spud Webb's, well, everything.

And now, after letting the anticipation build up for an entire year, we all learn, via the media and not the mouth of James, that this year's dunk contest could be, yet again, a disappointment.

But even if it's not, we won't be seeing James participate.

You see, regardless of the occasional "nice" dunk in the past few years, the competition has been, to put it mildly, pretty weak.

And beyond the actual competition for each season's contest, the actual winners of the event tell you all you need to know to figure out that the magic that once came with this contest is almost completely gone.

Nate Robinson won it for the second time last year, and will be coming back to defend his title, as well as take a crack at becoming the only three-time winner.

But that's just getting old. Robinson is 5'9", two inches taller than Spud Webb, and not quite as impressive as you'd hope.

We get it. He's a tiny dude, and he can dunk the ball.

I'm not watching this to see Robinson's tiny frame try to pull off a dunk he shouldn't even be dreaming about, as he fails seven times before he finally gets it.

There's an expression that goes around, and should keep on going when it comes to Robinson, and that is "one in a million."

The "point" is, in fact, that this contest is dying, that is, if it isn't already dead.

The winners in the past six seasons have been Robinson (twice), a 6'11" Dwight Howard (overrated champion), Josh Smith, Gerald Green, and Fred Jones.

Those aren't the kind of guys you think about when you say, "Dunk contest."

Fred Jones isn't who I picture when I think of a basketball player throwing one down.

LeBron James is. Or, at least he was.

The truth is here for everyone to see it. By not entering this contest, especially after saying he would, LeBron James is showing the world that he's weak.

He backed out, and why? Because he's afraid of Nate Robinson, Gerald Wallace, and Shannon Brown?

Give me a break.

James knows the star power he has, and he knows the influence he has. The guy just doesn't want to get shown up.

It's not that he's worried a bunch of scrubs would show him up. In fact, I'm almost positive James, even without an ounce of dunking creativity, would absolutely own all of these aforementioned dunkers, just on athleticism and hype alone.

But if he entered, then you'd see Kobe Bryant or Vince Carter signing up again. Or you'd see Carmelo Anthony take a crack at the crown.

And if James and the others went, more stars would follow. And they'd all be after James.

Earlier in his career, James stated that he didn't want to enter any dunk contests, because he didn't want to be defined as a dunker. He didn't want to be known for dunking.

He wanted to be known for winning games, being a true baller, and claiming championship trophies.

Okay...

Well, outside of the NBA Finals rings, he's got all that. He has the respect of every kid who follows basketball, and he's got the entire state of Ohio in the palm of his hand. He's even got the entire NBA in the palm of his hand.

ESPN loves LeBron James. Every magazine in the world loves the guy. So, really, what is his reason for being such a wimp?

Defend the guy all you want, but that's what it comes down to. He's a wimp.

He's a big bowl of weak sauce, and he is spreading it on thick. A little too thick for my liking.

Which is why I'm raising two thumbs up to all the dunkers that are in this year's contest, smiling gladly at the TV screen that James has nothing to do with it, and crossing my fingers that he never will.

Here's to you, Nate Robinson. Chase that unlikely third dunk champion trophy.

Go for it, Gerald Wallace, show us another thing you can do well.

I'm all for it, Shannon Brown. Let this be the way you finally get some well-deserved respect.

And as for that duel between Eric Gordon and DeMar DeRozan before the actual contest begins, well, that's just gravy.

Because if we're being honest, LeBron James is slapping the NBA, the game, and this event in the face. And more importantly, he's doing so to the fans.

Without actually saying it, he's saying that he can't revive or won't try to revive the contest, and that it's a sham.

But he could revive it. Even if he didn't win it.

Just by participating, he'd get people to watch. He'd get other stars to duke it out. He'd make the contest special again.

But he won't. He won't give back to the sport, the league, and the fans that give him so much.

And I'm not sure why.

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