Aaron Gordon—A-
Let me explain, Aaron Gordon would have had an A+ if he had been able to withstand LaVine’s push down the stretch.
Gordon’s use of the Magic mascot was well-done and he used it perfectly. The prop only helped to enhance the dunk rather than distract from it. For the record, I can’t argue if someone says that this dunk is the best ever in the contests history:
But it was a contest for a new generation. The hoverboard and other props, it was all very 2016. But it had all the ingredients of the classics of yesteryear with two high-flying, personable, exciting characters giving it everything they had.
What failed Gordon is that this years dunk contest should’ve been graded like gymnastics and figure-skating. Essentially two great routines but one would have been the winner due to the intricacies and creativity.
The Dunk Contest scoring doesn’t have that much finesse. So within the rules, yes, Gordon ran out of enough creativity down the stretch. And even though he did have the best dunk of the contest, the winner was…
Next: Zach LaVine