Giannis Says He'll Compete in NBA Slam Dunk Contest if Ja Morant Participates in Event
Giannis Antetokounmpo may be participating in next year’s NBA All-Star Dunk Contest under one condition – Ja Morant must participate as well.
After Mac McClung put on an insane show for NBA fans on Saturday night, securing a historic third consecutive win in the dunk contest, Morant and Antetokounmpo are eager to step up to the plate and challenge him for a chance to prevent a fourth title.
The former Rookie of the Year also reached out to former dunk contest stars Zach LaVine and Aaron Gordon, who gave the NBA world two unforgettable All-Star Weekend matchups.
Morant was considered one of the league's top dunkers before he told reporters he would no longer dunk following a Memphis Grizzlies win over the Portland Trail Blazers.
“Y’all laughing?” Morant told reporters. "l’m (going to) be just as surprised as y’all if I dunk.”
The Grizzlies' game against the Blazers marked Morant's first back since suffering a hip injury from falling on an alley-oop attempt.
The promise was short-lived after Morant hit a double-pumped backwards dunk in a win over the Boston Celtics just a few weeks later.
His teammates were never sold on Morant's promise to stop dunking, with power forward Brandon Clarke among those who constantly encouraged him to keep throwing down dunks, knowing how electrifying his athleticism can be.
“I don’t think that he’s serious,” Clarke told The Commercial Appeal, per USA Today's Damichael Cole. “I just don’t think that he’s going to dunk as many on people because that’s when it’s a risk of getting fouled hard or getting hurt."
Other teammates force the 25-year-old to dunk by throwing him alley-oops, pushing him to showcase his dunking skills.
“I feel like we force him to go get it, then!” Scotty Pippen Jr. said, per Cole. “He doesn’t want to, so we throw the lob and make him go get it.”
With the lingering promise of an impending dunk contest appearance in 2026, fans and teammates alike may grow even more excited as they eagerly anticipate the chance to see the star finally show off his dunks after missing out on his full potential this year.
“I’ve only seen one of the crazy ones in person, and I would love to see more, so it’s a little bit of a bummer that he’s trying to slow down," Jay Huff said, per Cole. "But at the same time, it’s a lot of effort. I don’t have to jump that high to dunk. I understand why he doesn’t always do it, because it looks like it takes a lot of effort.”
Whether the stars will follow through on their teases remains to be seen, but fans will certainly be crossing their fingers.
