Heat forward Derrick Jones Jr. to participate in dunk contest at All-Star Weekend
The potential Miami Heat NBA All-Star Weekend takeover has started.
On Wednesday, Heat forward Derrick Jones Jr. accepted an invite to participate in the slam dunk contest next month in Chicago. The news was first reported by The Athletic.
Jones was considered a strong candidate to join the field. He is the second announced competitor, joining Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard. It marks the second time Jones will participate in the event. He last did it in 2017 as a member of the Phoenix Suns.
Jones is considered one of the league's top dunkers. For the past two seasons in Miami, he has wowed fans and peers with his aerial feats on dunks. The antics have earned him the nickname "Airplane Mode" because of his ability to fly.
Jones has often endorsed himself as among the game's best dunkers. Last year he caught an alley-oop from Bam Adebayo against the Toronto Raptors that many dubbed as the dunk of the year.
Still, Jones feels he is much more than a dunker. He is yet another Heat player to thrive in their developmental program. He was originally signed to a two-way contract a couple years ago before earning a standard deal last seasons. Jones started Monday night's game in place of Jimmy Butler, who was dealing with hip soreness. He could appear in the starting lineup a second straight time if forward Duncan Robinson is unable to play. Robinson is nursing a sprained ankle.
Jones, in his his fourth year after going undrafted out of UNLV, is averaging 8.6 points and 4.2 rebounds.
The Heat are expected to be well represented at All-Star Weekend. They could have Butler and Bam Adebayo participating in the game while Kendrick Nunn and Tyler Herro are expected to play in the Rising Stars Challenge. If they hold onto the No. 2 seed, Erik Spoelstra will coach the All-Star Game. Robinson is also a favorite for the 3-point contest.
