NBA Slam Dunk Contest: the Contestants and probable Winner

Dominique Wilkins, The Human Highlight Film, is one of the all-time great dunkersLast Thursday, the NBA released the names of the participants for the upcoming dunk contest on Saturday night in Toronto. Despite struggles in recent years to have a fully entertaining contest, the dunk contest is still the marquee event during All-Star Saturday night and this year has some potential to be a memorable event.As the week goes on, I will be looking at each of the events that comprise All-Star Saturday, gauging what I think will be interesting about each and picking who I think will be the winner.With defending champ, Zach LaVine of the Minnesota Timberwolves back for a second year, some may think that he will cake walk to victory again, but his challengers, Denver Nuggets’ Will Barton, Detroit's Andre Drummond, and Orlando Magic's Aaron Gordon are some high fliers themselves who could challenge one of the best dunk contest contestants running right now. Now, enough with the talk, let's start meeting the guys.

#1 Zach LaVine

Zach LaVine took the Dunk Contest by storm last year

Vitals: 6’ 5”, 190 pounds, 29 dunks in 2015-16

We start with the defending champ, an athlete seemingly made to fly through an arena with all eyes on him and throw down spectacular dunks. Usually, shooting guards or small forwards are the ideal players to dominate dunk contest, think Michael Jordan, Julius Erving, Dominique Wilkins or Jason Richardson.

They are tall enough to do any trick in the book, but not so tall that they are going to get to the rim too fast, and LaVine is cut from the same cloth as these predecessors. LaVine showed last season that he can do all the tricks, and more importantly, he rarely misses while attempting even the hardest ones.

Throw up a Youtube video of him from last year’s dunk contest or even the Seattle Pro-Am from the summer of 2014 and you will see what I mean. Sometimes it seems as though LaVine is still rising when he throws down a dunk, a feat only reserved for the bounciest of players. It will be interesting to see what tricks he comes up with this season after we saw some great ones last season, but no doubt, he will not disappoint.

#2 Will Barton

Will Barton has impressed everyone with his performances this season

Vitals: 6’ 6”, 175 pounds, 34 dunks

Barton is another player in the line of athletic, dunking dynamos from the shooting guard position. He is even longer and rangier than LaVine, making his high-flying act look rather unique as he is all arms and legs.

Barton has burst onto the scene this year in Denver, getting the first extended run of his career and producing enough to warrant legitimate 6th Man of the Year consideration. He has busted out some great dunks in game, especially using his energy to get out in the open court and use some of the tricks he has up his sleeve.

It will be interesting to see how Barton does under the bright lights when the whole NBA world is watching him. Will he exhibit the same carefree attitude that he does in game, running around like a mad man and seemingly willing to try anything?

Or will he tense up and not be able to sink his dunks early, wearing out the judges and dropping his score when he finally does complete the dunk? Only time will tell, but I have a feeling that Barton will bring the goods come Saturday.

#3 Andre Drummond

Andre Drummond is one of the most prolific dunkers in the league

Vitals: 6’ 11”, 280 pounds, 93 dunks (5th in the league)

Per usual, the NBA tagged on the high flying centers in the league as a dunk contest participant, this year the choice being the Detroit Pistons Andre Drummond. Drummond has really blossomed in year two of coach Stan Van Gundy’s tutelage, turning into a force to be reckoned with around the rim in terms of blocks, rebounds and dunks.

He will be playing in the All-Star game on Sunday, making him the only players who will be participating in the dunk contest and the All-Star game. As far as his dunking acumen, Drummond is the type of big man who could actually walk away with a respectable dunk contest showing.

Drummond routinely catches lobs from the Pistons’ guards at all angles and then throws them down with authority. I am curious to see how he does when he has to incorporate tricks and flair to his dunking, as that is not something we usually see from him during the game.

If he’s smart, he will take a page out of successful big men in the dunk competition and use props to get the crowd excited and on his side.

#4 Aaron Gordon

Aaron Gordon has the hops to surprise this weekend

Vitals: 6’ 9”, 220 pounds, 34 dunks

The final contestant for Saturday night’s dunk contest is second-year-pro Aaron Gordon of the Orlando Magic. He is a promising young small forward/power forward combo, who uses athleticism and defensive tenacity to currently make his mark in the league.

After being hurt for almost half of his rookie season, Gordon has already played 50 games this season and has begun to show the promise that made him the 4th pick in the 2014 draft. He is already averaging 10 rebounds per 36 minutes and has begun to make incremental improvements in his three point shooting, something he will need to fully realize his promise.

Gordon has the goods to take down the dunk contest, as he combines explosion with the right type of height to pull of almost any trick. His initial size and look will bring to mind Blake Griffin, but Gordon isn’t as built as Blake and glides through the air more while Blake brought as much ferocity as anything.

Similar to Barton, it will be interesting to see if Gordon gets a little spooked by the bright lights of All-Star Saturday.

#5 And The Winner Is...

A repeat performance of last season could suggest that Zach LaVine is one of the best dunk contest contestants

I honestly can see this competition going to any of the contestants, as each one possesses the ability and style to take over Saturday night and bring home the title. Obviously, LaVine is the undisputed favorite, not just because he won the contest last season, but because of the body of work we have seen from him over several dunk contests.

The dude can flat out fly and has all the confidence in the world when it is just him and the hoop.

I have a hard time seeing Drummond taking down all three of these guys, though it is definitely possible. For me, unless the big man can do something exceptional, his dunks will never look quite as good as the guy who is 6’ 6”.

Both Barton and Gordon are very intriguing to me because I don’t know what I will get from them when the spotlight is on. The other two contestants are more used to this type of pressure, but, if I had to pick a guy as the wild card, I’m going with Gordon narrowly over Barton.

Something just tells me he is going to use this competition to announce his name to the world.

1st: Zach LaVine

2nd: Aaron Gordon

3rd: Will Barton

4th: Andre Drummond