Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo Will Join Dunk Contest If Ja Morant Does

Ricardo Klein | Feb 16, 2025

Dec 15, 2022; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (left) and Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) shake hands after the game at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

We could see the return of the biggest stars in the game, returning to the Slam Dunk contest during NBA All-Star weekend on Saturday night.

While the NBA All-Star weekend features the best and biggest stars in the league, their lack of representation for events like the dunk contest has been lackluster.

The lack of star power in that event has been underwhelming, but that could change next season, or at least we hope.

After Memphis Grizzlies star guard Ja Morant teased he would participate in next year's slam dunk contest, Bucks superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo did the same.

The 30-year-old superstar replied to Morant's tweet, saying he would do the dunk contest if Morant did.

If you do it. I’ll do it with you 💯 https://t.co/dsKglTiTca

— Giannis Antetokounmpo (@Giannis_An34) February 16, 2025

Prior to that, Morant suggested that he would throw his hat to the ring after watching G League star Mac McClung win his third consecutive Slam Dunk Competition.

mac might make me decide to dunk

— Ja Morant (@JaMorant) February 16, 2025

After that, Morant also sent out feelers to fellow top dunkers Aaron Gordon and Zach LaVine.

The two did not reply.

Gordon and Lavine participated in one of the more epic and memorable slam dunk contest battles in 2016 in Toronto. The two boasted 50s across the board, going back and forth. Ultimately, LaVine came out on top, but it was one that many NBA fans would never forget.

It's unclear if Antetokounmpo or Morant are serious, as we've seen big stars say they would do the contest but back out once the time came.

NBA legend LeBron James did the same in 2009 when he said he would participate in 2010. James never did the dunk contest in his career.

Nonetheless, the participation of Antetokounmpo and Morant would do wonders for the NBA and the event.

Although McClung has been stellar, the slam dunk contest has lacked star power, and it has sadly been a dud for an event that was once highly regarded.

The slam dunk content once featured the best in the world going toe-to-toe. We've seen great players participate and win, like Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, Julius Erving, Dominique Wilkins, and Vince Carter.

The NBA thrives on its star power, but when you lack that in arguably your biggest event of the weekend, it will turn a ton of people off.

Many great basketball players in the league can fly out of the air, and fans want to see that on display year in and year out.

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