These 3 Pacers Slam Dunk Contest Appearances Are Better Left Forgotten

The Indiana Pacers have had their fair share of succes in the NBA Slamn Dunk Contest. Darnell Hillman aka Dr. Dunk, Fred Jones, and Glenn Robinson III all took home the crown while representing Indiana, giving the franchise three memorable performances in the event.

But for every Pacers player who left All-Star Weekend with some hardware, there have been others whose appearances are much easier to forget -- and for obvious reasons.

Whether ir was an early elimination, underwhelming scores or simplay a performance that has been lost to time, not every Pacer who entered the Slam Dunk Contest left a lasting impression.

Here are the three worst Slam Dunk Contest performances in Pacers history.

1. Jonathan Bender -- 2001

Jonathan Bender's rare combination of size and athleticism made him an intriguing choice for the 2001 Slam Dunk Contest.

Unfortunately, his apperance didn't last long.

Bender competed in a six-man field featuring Desmond Mason, DeShawn Stevenson, Baron Davis, Stromile Swift and Corey Maggette. Mason eventually took home the crown, defeating Stevenson in the finals, while Davis finished third.

Bender's night got off to a rough start when he missed his first dunk attempt, but he bounced back with his best attempt of the competition.

The 6-foot-11 forward jumped off with one foot on the free-throw line and finished the dunk with his left hand, earning a score of 46 from the judges.

For his next attempt, Bender enlisted Pacers teammate Al Harrington to help him out. Harrington's pass was far from perfect, but Bender managed to catch the ball and finish with a reverse slam, earning a score of 44.

Unfortunately, it wasn't enough. Bender finished fifth, ahead of only Maggette, and was eliminated before advancing to the championship round.

More than 25 years later, Bender's appearance is probably better suited for Pacers trivia night than an NBA Slam Dunk Contest highlight reel.

2. Antonio Davis -- 1994

Antonio Davis was in a Slam Dunk Contest?

Yes, it actually happened.

Years before Pacers fans came to know Davis as one of the team's physical, hard-nosed big men, he represented Indiana in the 1994 Slam Dunk Contest.

The competition also featured a format that might be just as forgettable as Davis' participation. Each contestant was given 90 seconds to complete three dunks, with the judges awarding one score for the entire routine.

Davis started with a 360 before showing a little more creativity on his second attempt, bringing the basketball between his legs while elevated and slamming it home.

His third dunk might have been the most interesting of the bunch. Davis utilized a mid-air backboard tap before finishing the slam, an idea that would become much more common as dunk contests evolved in later years.

The judges gave Davis' three-dunk performance a score of 40.0. That put him fifth and ended his night. Had a guard finished the dunks Davis did, I believe the score would have been higher, but Davis was penalized for being taller and making the dunks look less impressive.

J.R. Rider ultimately won the competition, followed by Robert Pack, Shawn Kemp and Allan Houston. James Robinson finished sixth.

3. Cassius Stanley -- 2021

Cassius Stanley | Jason Miller | Getty Images

Unlike Bender and Davis, Cassius Stanley participating in a Slam Dunk Contest made perfect sense. Even if he had never dunked in an NBA game up to that point.

Stanley entered the NBA with a reputation as an elite leaper, and the Pacers rookie was slected for the 2021 competition alongside Anfernee Simons and current Pacers forward, Obi Toppin.

With only three contestants, Stanley had a pretty good chance of reaching the final.

Stanley's first dunk was easily his best. He threw the basketball into the air, caught it, went between his legs and slammed it home -- all on his first attempt.

The judges gave him a score of 44. It was a surprisingly low score for a difficult dunk that Stanley executed without needing multiple tries.

His second attempt didn't give the judges much to think about.

Stanley tossed the ball to himself and finished with a fairly basic one-handed slam that looked more like a breakaway dunk during a regular-season game than something designed for All-Star Weekend.

The judges gave him a score of 37, bringing his total to 81.

Stanley was eliminated, leaving Toppin and Simons to compete for the championship. Simons eventually won the contest.

For a player whose athleticism seemed tailor-made for the event, Stanley's Slam Dunk Contest experience ended almost as quickly as it started.

And considering his brief tenure with the Pacers, it's understandable if some Indiana fans have completely forgotten he represented the franchise in the event at all.

A Forgettable Piece of Pacers History

DD and AD — Dale (Navy) and Antonio (Yellow) Davis at Pacers Practice | Matt Kryger | Indy Star

Jonathan Bender, Antonio Davis and Cassius Stanley aren't the first names that come to mind when thinking about the NBA Slam Dunk Contest. They probably aren't even the first names that come to mind when thinking about Pacers who could dunk. But that's what makes their appearances such a fun piece of franchise history.

Bender was a 6-foot-11 athletic freak who briefly took flight from the free-throw line. Davis participated in a dunk contest years before becoming known as one of Indiana's toughest interior players. Stanley entered as an explosive rookie and was gone after two dunks.

None advanced to the championship round. None produced a dunk that became an iconic All-Star Weekend moment. And there's a pretty good chance even die-hard Pacers fans forgot at least one of them ever participated.

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