The 2024 NBA slam dunk contest was held on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, as part of the All-Star Weekend. The participants were Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics, Jaime Jaquez Jr. of the Miami Heat, Jacob Toppin of the New York Knicks and defending champion Mac McClung of the G League’s Osceola Magic.
The judges were former slam dunk winners Dominique Wilkins and Fred Jones, as well as Hall of Famers Gary Payton and Mitch Richmond, and former ABA star Darnell Hillman⁸.
The contest was widely criticized by fans and media for being boring, predictable and lacking in creativity. Many felt that the judges were too generous with their scores, especially for Jaylen Brown, who advanced to the final on a night in which Mac McClung won his second consecutive title.
Some also questioned the selection of the judges, who were mostly older players with little connection to the current generation of dunkers.
While intended to be the crown jewels of All-Star Saturday, the NBA Slam Dunk Contest had been sitting in the backseat more and more in recent years (with some exceptions (2023, 2020, 2016)).
Just too many uninteresting contests with fewer and fewer stars of the league. After a great performance last year, this year was a step in the wrong direction once again. Most dunks were not impressive or original, and if they were, the judges didn’t do them justice.
This also led to the NBA World, and NBA Twitter specifically, reacting to the 2024 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, while mostly ripping the event and Boston Celtics superstar Jaylen Brown.
I’m a professional hater but I’m not hating when I say I could win the dunk contest with these scores but not sure the knees would allow it lmao
— Joel Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) February 18, 2024
If you’re going to broadcast the dunk contest, showing the dunks feels like it should be a priority. pic.twitter.com/YX4UCO9BLZ
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) February 18, 2024
I probably could’ve got second in this years dunk contest lol
— Aaron Gordon (@Double0AG) February 18, 2024
The Dunk Contest 24 years apart
Vince Carter getting the whole arena out of their seat and judges unanimous 50.
Jacob Toppin dunk gets crickets and 47.8.
We have seen almost every dunk possible. Nothing is impressive anymore. It’s actually sad. pic.twitter.com/4CPGK4BlcO
— Matty Chucks⚡️ (@MattyChucks) February 18, 2024
“I wish I could have done what I planned to do in my head… But I had fun when I was doing it. I can live with those results.”
Jaylen Brown says the LED court was too slippery to do what he wanted in the Dunk Contest
(via @CelticsCLNS)pic.twitter.com/r85gfJoY95
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 18, 2024
Jaylen Brown in the dunk contest pic.twitter.com/e3fE8M9QiO
— C.J. Toledano (@CJToledano) February 18, 2024
HOT TAKE:
The Dunk Contest isn’t worse bc of the lack of stars, it’s worse because we’ve already seen basically every dunk that’s physically possible.
— Barry (@BarryOnHere) February 18, 2024
The nba waking up Mac Mcclung at 6 am tomorrow to send him back to the g league after back to back dunk contest wins pic.twitter.com/5paYU2aR0Q
— John (@iam_johnw) February 18, 2024
The Magic sending Mac McClung back to the G League after winning the dunk contest again pic.twitter.com/M5tek1N8tr
— BetOnline (@BetOnline_eu) February 18, 2024
This man single handedly ruined the dunk contest for everyone pic.twitter.com/K5noZDpjw0
— NBA Memes (@NBAMemes) February 18, 2024
Dunk contest was on life support until Jaylen Brown unplugged it
— fredo (@FredoDaGawd7) February 18, 2024
Highest paid player in NBA history getting boo’d at a dunk contest pic.twitter.com/30bm84re6Q
— ᴅ ʀ ᴇ ᴡ (@FeelLikeDrew) February 18, 2024
These Dunk
Contest judges are awful man— Marcus Spears (@mspears96) February 18, 2024
No lie Jaylen don’t ever get in the dunk contest again pic.twitter.com/KkGnQjihZ9
— Good Junior From Player’s Club (@RMyPicsReady) February 18, 2024
This is the worst dunk contest ever pic.twitter.com/6k9oXb01Bu
— Chaos Chris (@ChaosChrisPHL) February 18, 2024
What’s going on with the dunk contest judges?
— Rudy Gay (@RudyGay) February 18, 2024
This is why players don’t enter the dunk contest. The judges always mess up the scores.
It’s embarrassing.
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) February 18, 2024
G-league dunk contest this year was better than this year’s dunk contest pic.twitter.com/NLohk2cQ4m
— PDT (@PDTScouting) February 18, 2024
Jaylen Brown pic.twitter.com/TPx8uS5RS4
— ✌ (@R3TROFLOW) February 18, 2024
me when i seen jaylen brown cover his eyes AFTER the dunk pic.twitter.com/Za00qxmswp
— Burnzo (@THEBURNSFATHER) February 18, 2024
Jaylen Brown does a layup*
The judges: pic.twitter.com/sXDQlgimxN— NBA Memes (@NBAMemes) February 18, 2024
“Jaylen Brown” pic.twitter.com/ZpgF6QZ0uW
— Juan (@LOLL________) February 18, 2024
The Jaylen Brown Kai Cenat dunk might go down as the worst dunk in history
— Clique Productions (@ImClique_) February 18, 2024
Jaylen Brown left hand is so bad he used it as a “level of difficulty” tactic in the dunk contest….
— Emo Jimmy (@WheelerJaylen) February 18, 2024
POV : Jaylen Brown in Dunk Contest pic.twitter.com/pYak7saB2u
— ZDragon (@IBZDRAGON) February 18, 2024
