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Miami Heat's Jaime Jaquez Reportedly Set To Compete In All-Star Slam Dunk Contest

Rookie Jaime Jaquez becomes first Miami Heat player in dunk contest since 2020

Shandel Richardson

Miami Heat's Jaime Jaquez Reportedly Set To Compete In All-Star Slam Dunk Contest
Miami Heat's Jaime Jaquez Reportedly Set To Compete In All-Star Slam Dunk Contest /
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Miami Heat rookie Jaime Jaquez is expecting to have a busy weekend during the NBA All-Star festivities. 

Jaquez is reportedly among the four participants in the slam dunk contest as part of All-Star Saturday Feb. 17 in Indianapolis. The news was first reported by Shams Charania of The Athletic. According the report, the other competitors are Jaylen Brown (Boston Celtics), defending champion Mac McClung (Orlando Magic) and Jacob Toppin (New York Knicks). 

Jaquez is the first Heat player to compete in the event since Derrick Jones Jr., in 2020 in Chicago. That year, Jones won the competition. 

Jaquez, who was the 18th pick in the NBA draft, has already exceeded expectations. He is averaging 13.1 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists. He was near the top of the NBA rookie ladder until a groin injury slowed his progress. He has since hit a slump, but the hope is he recovers after the All-Star Break.

JAQUEZ PLAYING ALONGSIDE WEMBANYAMA 

Jaquez is also set to team with the top player of this year's rookie draft class.

On Tuesday, the rosters were announced for the Rising Stars Challenge during NBA All-Star Weekend. Jaquez is playing on a roster that includes No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs. Many have called the 7-foot-4 Wembanyama a generational player because of his combination of size, agility and perimeter game.

Here's the full team:

Victor Wembanyama, Spurs

Brandon Miller, Charlotte Hornets

Brandin Podziemski, Golden State Warriors.

Jaime Jaquez. Jr., Heat

Jabari Smith Jr., Houston Rockets

Cason Wallace, Oklahoma City Thunder

Bilal Coulibaly, Washington Wizards

Jaime Jaquez Jr. Continues to Struggle Since Returning From Injury

Shandel Richardson covers the Miami Heat for Inside The Heat, a Fan Nation channel for Sports Illustrated. He has covered the NBA since 2010.

TWITTER: @ShandelRich

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For any Heat or NBA questions, please email shandelrich@gmail.com

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Shandel Richardson
SHANDEL RICHARDSON

Shandel has covered the NBA since 2010, with previous stops at The Athletic and South Florida Sun-Sentinel.  He has covered six NBA Finals, one Super Bowl, the NCAA basketball tournament. He has also been a beat writer for the Miami Hurricanes and contributed on every major beat in South Florida since 2003, including the Miami Dolphins and Miami Marlins. He can also be read in the Sportsbook Review for gambling coverage from around the NBA. A native of Bloomington, Illinois, Shandel attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. He's also worked for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Kansas City Star.  TWITTER: @ShandelRich EMAIL: shandelrich@gmail.com You can subscribe to our YouTube channel here Follow all of our Miami Heat coverage on Facebook here

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