On the same day the NBA announced the participants for the All Star dunk contest, a contender for dunk of the year landed.
And to make it even worse for the league, it came from a player not involved in the contest.
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Portland Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe left the entire basketball worlds jaws on the floor when he detonated on the Washington Wizards.
After being open in the corner, Sharpe pump faked a three-point attempt to drive past his defender before planting his feet and going into orbit towards the rim.
Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma attempted to meet the rookie at the peak and stuff his dunk attempt, but he wasn’t in the same stratosphere.
The 19-year-old rose so high off the hardwood his head hit the underside of the backboard as he slammed it home.
The Blazers bench jumped off their seats in sheer disbelief as the basketball world simply couldn’t believe the feat they’d just witnessed.
Radio host Danny Marang wrote: “SHAEDON SHARPE JUST DETONATED ON KYLE KUZMA!?!?! HE HIT HIS HEAD ON THE BACKBOARD HOLY SH*T?!”
Producer Chris Burkhardt wrote: “HOLY HELL! Shaedon Sharpe, you are a monster.”
The Ringer’s Bill Simmons led calls for the league to instate Sharpe in the upcoming dunk contest.
“No Shaedon Sharpe at the dunk contest is the dumbest thing ever. Seriously what the hell are we doing?”
Sports presenter Brenna Greene wrote: “#1 take way from the Blazers tonight: I will spend that next nine days irrationally upset that Shaedon Sharpe isn’t in the dunk contest.”
The 2023 NBA Dunk Contest participants were announced earlier on Wednesday with fans quick to eviscerate the line-up being put forward.
Axios sports write Kendall Baker wrote: “The Dunk Contest has officially hit rock bottom. Completely rethink the format, increase the incentive/prize, or cancel it — those are the only options now.”
CBS reporter Yaya Dubin wrote: “Just replace the dunk contest with something else unless we can get LaVine vs. AG again.”
Story Credit: news.com.au