Bucks Zone

A look back at Giannis Antetokounmpo's performance in the 2015 Dunk Contest

Giannis went up against Zach LaVine, Victor Oladipo, and Mason Plumlee.

Matthew Dugandzic

© Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
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Giannis Antetokounmpo can nearly do it all. He can fly through the air with the greatest of ease, bang bodies in the paint, and find open teammates with pinpoint accuracy. But after one NBA championship, two MVP trophies, one Finals MVP award, and countless other accolades, one thing that will elude Giannis in his career is the Slam Dunk Contest trophy.

Tried his luck

Back in 2015, when Giannis was still in his second season, he tried his luck at winning the Dunk Contest. Some of the league's icons have embarked on that route early on in their careers—the late Kobe Bryant and His Airness, Michael Jordan, certainly come to mind—and Giannis wanted to follow in their footsteps. 

So he decided to participate in the event that saw him go up against Zach LaVine, Victor Oladipo, and Mason Plumlee.

Unfortunately for Giannis, it wasn't meant to be. He couldn't make any of his three attempts during his first dunk and scored a measly 30. Then, he scored just 35 points on a reverse slam that came off a pass from his brother, Thanasis. His total score of 65 placed him last in the contest.

Never again

In 2020, Giannis declared that he would never again compete in the Slam Dunk Contest. As fierce as a competitor as Giannis is, he admitted that his slam dunk arsenal pales in comparison to what the high-flyers are doing right now.

Not to say Giannis hasn't had some very nasty dunks in his career. From coast-to-coast slams to thunderous slams over defenders and even some windmill dunks, the Greek Freak has proven that he can throw it down with the best of them. 

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Matthew Dugandzic
MATTHEW DUGANDZIC

Matthew finished his bachelor's degree in Economics (Management) at the University of Split and got his master's degree in the same field at the University of Zadar. Whether it is playing the game as an undersized 6'3'' power forward or simply watching it, Matthew can't get enough of it. After all, he has been an avid NBA fan since the 2000s. But don't get him wrong, as Matthew still loves the old-school NBA and is a true student of the game. From on-court moments to off-court stuff, whether it's about the stars of modern-day basketball or legends of the game, Matthew covers every category of the NBA world and basketball in general, as long as it makes for an engaging and exciting story.