Jalen Johnson Would Be An Excellent Addition to the 2025 Dunk Contest

Johnson already has a claim to be one of the NBA's best dunkers in his first year as a starter

The NBA Slam Dunk Contest has undergone a lot of criticism over the years. Some of it has to do with the caliber of players that participate in the contest each year and some of it has to do with the fact that it is hard to do a new dunk and it feels like every kind of dunk has been tried. 

I think the NBA would be helped if some of the best dunkers in the sport would participate and while one can appreciate Jaylen Brown participating in the dunk contest, he is not known as one of the best dunkers in the NBA. 

One player who is emerging as one of the NBA's best dunkers is Atlanta's Jalen Johnson and I think the NBA Slam Dunk Contest would benefit from having him in the contest. Johnson is one of the most athletic players in the NBA and has made countless big-time dunks this year. Johnson has made posterizing dunks over some of the NBA's best players this year. 

JALEN JOHNSON POSTER ON CHET

pic.twitter.com/0OIXp4ohUj

— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) January 4, 2024

JALEN JOHNSON DESTRUCTION pic.twitter.com/NB03mzWl8A

— Bally Sports: Hawks (@HawksOnBally) October 28, 2023

Last night on All-Star Saturday night, Trae Young was asked about if he thinks Johnson should participate in the dunk contest and he had an interesting answer to that question: 

Last night, I asked Trae Young about Jalen Johnson being invited to the Dunk Contest and if Trae would campaign for Jalen to do it:

“If he ever makes the All-Star Game, then that’s when he should be in it…”

Full interview: https://t.co/fNFv7P277Z pic.twitter.com/88c3hErUNS

— JJ (@JameelahJNBA) February 18, 2024

I am not here suggesting that Jalen Johnson would single-handedly save the dunk contest or anything, but I think he would give it a little juice. All of the players in last night's dunk contest are all solid dunkers, but they don't all move the needle in terms of excitement and interest as players. Johnson is a contender for the NBA's most improved player award this year and looks like he might be a future All-Star if he keeps improving. Players like that get fans intrigued and make them want to tune in. One of the first people the dunk contest should ask next year is Johnson and it would be great for the NBA if he participated. 

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