We'll believe Aaron Gordon and Zach LaVine will do the NBA Dunk Contest again when we see it
At the time, Gordon was still trying to establish himself as a young franchise-player talisman for the Orlando Magic. Now, he's a dynamic two-way player for the perennial title contender Denver Nuggets. Meanwhile, LaVine was still years away from transforming into the dynamic, All-Star caliber scoring guard he is today for the Sacramento Kings.
On Tuesday, after seeing Ja Morant's invite to do the next Dunk Contest at All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles in February 2026, Gordon suggested he might have one more run in him. This sentiment came after seeing that LaVine hinted he was also into the idea of competing against Morant and Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Listen, at face value, this is an extremely exciting and tantalizing prospect for hoops fans.
Antetokounmpo, Morant, Gordon, and LaVine are all some of the greatest dunkers in basketball history. Together, I have no doubt they might put on one of the best shows the Dunk Contest has ever seen. The creativity and sheer electric dunking talent on hand here would be almost too much to fathom.
It would be SO cool.
That said, each of these gentlemen teasing a Dunk Contest appearance feels like bog-standard social media posturing we've seen before. Until they follow through and are at the Dunk Contest again, ready to roll, there's no reason to believe Morant, Antetokounmpo, Gordon, and LaVine will participate.
The easiest thing to do for NBA stars is to offer little crumbs online about how they're maybe, potentially, perhaps ready to participate in the league's midseason celebration of basketball. Everyone can do that.
The hard part is being there and ready to compete. We'll believe it when we see it.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
2 hours ago
- USA Today
Sixers' Allen Iverson sends message to Carmelo Anthony ahead of Hall of Fame induction
After a decade of representing the Philadelphia 76ers, Allen Iverson left the franchise to join the Denver Nuggets in December 2006. Iverson teamed up with scoring sensation Carmelo Anthony, as the Western Conference franchise aimed to challenge for a championship. It's no surprise that Iverson's debut season in Denver coincided with Anthony's first career All-Star appearance. Now, 19 years later, Iverson and Anthony will team up once again, only this time, it will be with the Sixers' legend inducting his former teammate into the 2025 Hall of Fame. Anthony selected Iverson and Dwayne Wade as the two stars to induct him into the NBA's history books. On Friday, August 8, Iverson shared a message for Anthony via Instagram. "Congratulations Bro! I'm HONORED and blessed to be chosen to welcome you into the Hall of Fame!" Iverson wrote in the caption. Anthony will be joined by Dwight Howard, Billy Donovan, Mickey Arison, Sue Bird and Maya Moore as the 2025 Hall of Fame class. Iverson spent 10 seasons with the Sixers, playing in 682 regular-season games and averaging 28 points, 6.1 assists and 4 rebounds while shooting 42.1% from the field. And, while seeing Iverson and Anthony together again will likely be a bitter pill to swallow for some Sixers fans, the fact that they get to see a franchise legend back on their TV, even in a non-playing role, should be enough to get them excited.
New York Post
2 hours ago
- New York Post
Mookie Betts gets brutally honest about his ugly 2025: ‘This season's over'
Mookie Betts, a superstar having a very un-superstar-like season, has taken a new approach to this forgettable year. 'This season's over,' Betts said Friday, according to The Athletic. 'My season's kind of over. We're going to have to chalk that up for not a great season.' It's a way of framing his frustration and starting over. Betts knows he's not going to have his typical numbers, not when he is sporting a .688 OPS in August, with just 12 homers and 51 RBIs. He's never finished a season with an OPS less than .803 and hit a career-high 39 home runs just two seasons ago. Advertisement Dodgers star Mookie Betts reacts in the dugout. AP 'But I can go out and help the boys win every night, do something, get an RBI, make a play, do something that — I'm going to have to shift my focus there,' the 32-year-old Betts said. 'Obviously everyone wants to have great seasons, but it's a lot easier when you just don't worry about the season. You just worry about game to game. I'll take this perspective for the rest of my career.' Manager Dave Roberts has remained in Betts' corner, hitting him near the top of the order despite his offensive woes. Advertisement An eight-time All-Star and Silver Slugger winner a year ago, Betts did have a strong game Friday night, going deep for the first time since July 5 in a 5-1 win over the AL East-leading Blue Jays. His three RBIs were his most since April 30. Mookie Betts and Teoscar Hernandez celebrating a home run. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Advertisement Maybe that can get him going — he has hit safely in three consecutive games. Baby steps for the former MVP. The Dodgers could certainly use a vintage Betts, with the Padres only three games behind them in the NL West.
Newsweek
3 hours ago
- Newsweek
Yankees Hall Of Fame Manager Sends Heartfelt Message To Aaron Boone
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The New York Yankees have one of the better rosters in baseball, led by one of the best players of this generation, Aaron Judge, but it hasn't meant much since the All-Star break. Aaron Boone's team is in a downward spiral right now, and there's no obvious fix. At times, the team can't score runs. Other times, they're running themselves into ridiculous outs on the base paths. Defense has let them down on more than one occasion. The bullpen and some of manager Aaron Boone's decisions have led to losses, too. At the end of the day, most of the blame is being placed on Boone, though he's not the one making the physical mistakes on the field. ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 15: Former manager of the New York Yankees Joe Torre and Aaron Boone #17 of the New York Yankees laugh before the MLB All-Star Game at Truist Park on July 15,... ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 15: Former manager of the New York Yankees Joe Torre and Aaron Boone #17 of the New York Yankees laugh before the MLB All-Star Game at Truist Park on July 15, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. More Gene Wang - CaptureHall of Fame manager Joe Torre knows what it's like to be the manager of the Yankees. Considering Torre knows the pressure with that job, he recently sent a heartfelt message to Boone amid the team's free fall down the standings. "I feel for Aaron Boone. I've been in that place where you're trying to rearrange the furniture and hopefully it makes a difference," Torre told SNY's Chelsea Sherrod ahead of the team's "Old-Timer's Game" on Saturday afternoon. At the end of the day, Boone makes every decision with the betterment of the team in mind. Devin Williams has lost the team a lot of games recently, but David Bednar can't pitch every night. Luke Weaver can't throw two, three, or four innings out of the bullpen. At some point, Williams is going to be put in a big spot. Boone hasn't been the perfect manager, but it's hard not to feel for him. He has more pressure on him than anybody in the sport. Boone's job might be at risk, but he's not the entire issue with the Yankees. There are more people to push the blame on. More MLB: Yankees Devin Williams Finally Breaks Silence On Brutal Struggles
