You'll Never Guess Why LeBron James Didn't Watch the Dunk Contest

DALLAS — For a couple of weeks, as is always the case this time of year, LeBron James' participation in—or rather, avoidance of—the All-Star Slam Dunk Contest dominates sports talk radio and assorted other media.

So, after he missed it again, making it 11 straight since the start of his NBA career, it made sense to seek his opinion about the first-time winner (John Wall), celebrity judges (including Julius Erving and Magic Johnson) and the quirky, incomprehensible format. 

Only one issue.

"I didn't even watch it," James said. 

Boycott?

"I didn't watch it, not because I didn't want to," James said. "But TNT was the only channel that wasn't working on my television. I promise you that is a fact, that is an absolute fact. If you ask anybody who stayed at the Ritz on Canal Street, ask them if TNT worked. I turned to it, and it said, 'satellite is not coming in.'"

So he said he "had no idea" whether the format should be continued.

"I have seen some of the clips," James said. "I have seen John Wall. I have seen the three guys in a row, where he threw one off the glass, but I didn't get to see it. So I ended up watching Florida and Kentucky, that was on at the same time, which was a great time."

One way to see it? 

Take part in it.

Will he ever?

"No," James said. "Nope." 

Will this subject resurface next winter?

Yup.