Lakers News: Stephen A Smith Blames LeBron James For Ruining Slam Dunk Contest

Does he have a point?

After another fairly joyless Slam Dunk Contest this past weekend, which saw G League player (and technical former Laker) Mac McClung win his second straight competition, ESPN's Stephen A. Smith unloaded on a guy who didn't even partake in the festivities: All-Star Los Angeles Lakers combo forward LeBron James.

"LeBron James is directly responsible for ruining the Slam Dunk Contest," Smith begins in the clip.

"Thank you!" cries Smith's colleague -- and James' one-time Cleveland Cavaliers teammate -- Kendrick Perkins.

"From 1985-1997, five of the 13 Slam Dunk Contests were won by future Hall of Famers: [Michael] Jordan twice, Dominique Wilkins twice, Kobe [Bryant] once. Michael Jordan participated in the contest three times, Dominique Wilkins five times. Every high jumper, ever sky walker, every above-the-rim talent salivated for the opportunity to compete in the Slam Dunk Contest. It stopped when LeBron James said, 'I'm not doing it.' And from that point forward, the stars involved did not feel compelled to prioritize a Slam Dunk Contest!"

Plenty of future All-Stars (and, in the case of Jaylen Brown this year, current All-Stars) have participated in the competition since James first graced the NBA scene in the 2003-04 season, but there's no question that it has taken a backseat to the Three Point Contest in terms of precedence for anybody. With the exception of the Zach LaVine-Aaron Gordon duals in 2016 and '17, the Slam Dunk Contest has never risen to the heights of its past glories post-James.

James is, by far, the most popular basketball player on the planet. He very much sets the tone for how his comrades are to behave, and how they prioritize these kinds of events. Smith does have a point, though surely the onus shouldn't only be on James to participate in what is ultimately a pretty meaningless exhibition weekend.