Kofi Kingston and the WWE Superstars Who Would Be the Best NBA All-Star Dunkers
The NBA will present the 2017 Verizon Slam Dunk competition on Saturday, February 18. The four-player contest will feature DeAndre Jordan of the L.A. Clippers, the Orlando Magic's Aaron Gordon, Glenn Robinson III from the Indiana Pacers, and Derrick Jones Jr. from the Phoenix Suns.
Basketball fans are surely looking forward to the yearly event, which will undoubtedly serve up a phenomenal display of athletic skill and agility.
But the NBA is not the only game in town when it comes to defying the laws of physics, as WWE Superstars do just that on a near-daily basis. From Monday Night Raw to SmackDown Live to monthly WWE Network events, the men and women of Vince McMahon's company often go airborne.
Sometimes the end results are successful, often scary, but always exciting.
The similarities between the NBA and WWE have indeed always been there. Each company presents talented athletes with big personalities and flashy moves, giving fans an entertaining product in the process.
The Superstars of WWE have a willingness to take chances in the name of getting over, and it's that fearlessness that would help them fly on the court. Of course, athletic ability and creativity are also important to slam dunk immortality.
The right combination of these skills makes for a fun night of TV. That's true for WWE and it's true for the NBA.
So which WWE Superstars have what it takes to excel on the court?
Kalisto
1 of 5
Kalisto is believed by many fans to be the second coming of Rey Mysterio.
While their masked underdog gimmicks are certainly similar, it's the physical aspect of Kalisto's game that has impressed fans the most. He moves with impressive precision in the ring while also taking big chances in the process.
He's light on his feet and can get some serious air whenever the match calls for it.
Kalisto has a background in sports, including football, martial arts, and gymnastics. He's lean and acrobatic, and has full control of himself when he goes airborne. Put a basketball in his hand, and Kalisto could suddenly become the most entertaining man on the court.
Fans love the smaller guys, and that's true in WWE and the NBA.
The idea of such explosiveness coming in such an unassuming package has always been intriguing, and that's certainly the case for Kalisto. He's wowing WWE audiences, but he could also turn heads in a slam dunk competition.
Jason Jordan
2 of 5
There may be no purer athlete in WWE than Jason Jordan.
As one half of American Alpha with partner Chad Gable, Jordan has brought tag team wrestling back to main event status in WWE. American Alpha is perhaps the most talented and skilled duo fans have seen in years, as they're on a level all their own.
Jordan and Gable carry themselves like major-sport athletes, not pro wrestlers.
They legitimately appear to be trying to win when they wrestle, as they work their matches like true competitive contests. They're no-nonsense in the ring and on the mic, and the only thing that matters to them is being the best.
If Jordan and Gable were on an NBA court, they would surely blend right in.
But Jordan has the slight athletic edge on his partner. Jordan was not only an amateur wrestler; he was also active in baseball and football. He's got a pro wrestler's body, but he's got a competitive nature. When those are combined with a shot clock, Jordan could very well become the most entertaining man on the court.
With one opportunity left to deliver the winning dunk, there may be no better man for the job than Jordan.
Baron Corbin
3 of 5
Bad-boy players have always had a place in the NBA.
From Dennis Rodman to Rasheed Wallace, bad boys have historically been entertaining and fun to watch. The same is certainly true for WWE, where the company's current bad-boy star is Baron Corbin. Corbin may be a heel, but wrestling fans are beginning to develop a serious respect for him.
Corbin has no desire to be popular, he just wants to win.
He takes cheap shots when necessary, and he's always very vocal about the disrespect he gets from others. But despite what he says, he can back up his words with ring work that's improving every time he steps through the ropes.
Corbin's background in professional football and boxing shows an aptitude for competitive sports, and his work in WWE shows a natural athleticism that he still possesses. Corbin's attempt at slam dunk greatness may or may not result in a win, but he would certainly raise the bar with each shot.
Corbin's 6'6" frame gives him the height, and his razor sharp intensity gives him the edge. Corbin would perhaps not be the most entertaining guy on the court, but he would surely be the most focused.
Cesaro
4 of 5
When fans think of Cesaro, they think of two things; strength and athleticism.
He's freakishly stronger than his streamlined frame suggests, but he's also fully capable of working like a cruiserweight. He has speed, finesse and moves very precisely in the ring. Cesaro makes it look easy, but it's obvious he's put the work in to succeed.
He has more in common with an NBA player than fans perhaps ever knew.
Cesaro would attack the rim the way he attacks his opponents. He hits hard and he hits with purpose. He appears to be a man holding back in the ring at times, probably because he's too strong, but he would be able to cut loose on the court.
He would not be the flashiest dunker, but the power behind his dunks would definitely speak for itself.
Cesaro is very focused, and there's no wasted movement in his work. Those traits would greatly help him withstand the demands of being an NBA player. He's innovative with his technique, and that would make him a great slam dunk competitor.
He could fly through the air on demand; he is The Swiss Superman, after all.
Kofi Kingston
5 of 5
Of all the Superstars in WWE, Kofi Kingston would perhaps be the most natural fit in the NBA.
He's got a vertical leap that would impress any scout, and he's got an athletic prowess that would make him a valuable addition to any team. Kingston is relentless and just doesn't seem to ever slow down. There's no way for any athlete to learn that over time; it has to be there from birth.
Kingston was born with impressive athletic ability and the mindset to win despite how far down he may be. It's that image he used to get over in WWE, and it's the same one that would make him the ideal choice to step on to an NBA court.
But it's what he does when he gets air that would make him a slam dunk showman.
Kingston has the ability to create when he leaves his feet. He's daring, he's innovative and he's extremely entertaining. There's no doubt that if Kingston entered the slam dunk competition that he would make every highlight reel of every sports network from that moment on.
Kofi is a natural in WWE, and the same would certainly be true in the NBA.
Tom Clark can regularly be seen on Bleacher Report. His podcast, Tom Clark's Main Event, is available on iTunes, Google Play, Amazon Android, Windows Phone and online here
.jpg?w=600 "WWE Raw Results & Grades 🔠")
