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We are just four full days away from the 2013 edition of the Sprite Slam Dunk Contest, which takes place this Saturday, February 16 at NBA All-Star Weekend in Houston.
This is one of the most anticipated Dunk Contests in years, as we have six guys (Kenneth Faried, Gerald Green, Eric Bledsoe, Terrence Ross, James White and Jeremy Evans) who are all notorious around the league for their highlight-reel slams.
I’m on pins and needles.
Look, any one of the six have just a good a chance as the next guy to win the Dunk Contest on Saturday, but if I had to put my money on just one individual to take home that title, it’s going to be the man who has made a name for himself world-wide for his dunking abilities, and that’s James “Flight” White of the New York Knicks.
White has had three separate stints in the NBA which date back all the way to the 06-07 season when he played six games for the San Antonio Spurs. He had a short cup of coffee with the Houston Rockets in 08-09 (four games), but it looks like he’s finally found a home in the league with the Knicks, having played 34 games for the team (six starts) this season.
Luckily for White, the winner of the Dunk Contest doesn’t go to the best basketball player, but to the man who can put on the best show for the fans and judges in attendance, and the viewers at home voting on Twitter.
James is no stranger to Dunk Contest’s, as he competed in the 2001 McDonald’s High School Dunk Contest, the 2006 NCAA College Men’s Slam Dunk Contest and a Dunk Contest in Europe in 2011.
He recently sat down with SLAM’s Kicks Blog to discuss his plans for this weekend’s big competition.
"K1X: Did you prepare for it? Or do you know which dunks you’re going to do?JW: To be honest, I never practice dunks. I just do whatever comes to my mind.K1X: But when do you decide what you want to do? Do you decide in mid-air? Granted, you do have a little bit of time up there.JW: [Laughs] I have a general idea of what I want to do when I take the ball and get ready to jump. Everybody knows that I have the dunks from the free throw line and all that stuff in my back pocket. I can always pull those out. I watch what my competition does in the dunk contest and then decide which of my dunks I will do. I have about five dunks where I’m absolutely certain that I will get a 50 on those. So it’s just a matter of when to use which of those dunks."
It’s about time James White participated in the NBA Dunk Contest. He’s never stuck around in the league long enough to make an impact and get his name out their to the casual basketball fan, but his early start with the New York Knicks has changed all of that. A solid showing in the Dunk Contest will be the proverbial cherry on the sundae.
He may be 30 years old, but James White can still fly with the best of them.
As mentioned in his interview with SLAM, White apparently has around five or so dunks that can land him a perfect score.
That’s scary to hear for his fellow competitors.
Have you ever seen a man jump from the free-throw line, put the ball between his legs and dunk the ball?
That right there should get you excited.
The NBA Slam Dunk Contest doesn’t need the big names to be a success.
James “Flight” White will prove that point on Saturday.
Chris Walder is the Editor of Sir Charles in Charge. You may follow him on Twitter at @WalderSports