"If Ja Morant isn't there we riot" - NBA fans campaign for epic Slam Dunk Contest lineup after Spurs rookie’s All-Star commitment

The NBA Slam Dunk Contest has revealed its first participant for the 2025 event. San Antonio Spurs rookie Stephon Castle will take part in the contest, as reported by ESPN's Shams Charania on Monday.

As the event in the recent past has failed to atttact serious contenders, fans have called for an improved lineup for the 2025 edition. One fan jokingly threatened to incite trouble if the organizers fail to invite Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant to the electrifying event.

"If ja (Ja Morant) isn't there we riot"

Fan Comment - Image Source/Instagram

Some fans on X weren't too excited about the announcement.

"I speak for everyone when I say scrap the dunk contest. No more aura," a fan mentioned.

"Anybody but this guy wtf. can we pick people who actually have bounce??? gimme ron holland over castle," a fan tweeted.

Others were excited about the prospect of the rookie taking the initiative to represent.

"Love this by the way. It’s about time we bring some stardust back to the All-Star Weekend. Dunk contest has felt stale for a long time," a fan commented.

"His final act will be trying to dunk over Wemby," a fan added.

"Stephon Castle's participation in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest promises an exciting addition to All-Star Weekend!" a fan commented.

The NBA Slam Dunk Contest has failed to attract superstars. Most of the superstars who fans would have loved to see usually opt out citing injury concerns and their focus on the regular season.

Despite these challenges, the league authorities have come up with different concepts to make it more appealing to fans. Regardless, the complaints still come up, so fans are curious to see if the changes Adam Silver made for the All-Star Game will also affect the Slam Dunk Contest.

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What to know about the 2025 NBA Slam Dunk Contest

The 2025 NBA Slam Dunk Contest is part of the 2025 All-Star Weekend taking place in San Francisco, California. It is slated for Saturday, February 15, 2025 at the Chase Center, home of the Golden State Warriors.

Last year's edition in Indianapolis had the Boston Celtics' Jaylen Brown, Miami Heat's Jaime Jaquez, New York Knicks' Jacob Toppin and Orlando Magic's Mac McClung. The contest was won by McClung, who previously won the 2023 edition.