Report: Anfernee Simons Is Dunking At All-Star Weekend

The Trail Blazers guard will reportedly join New York's Obi Toppin and Indiana's Cassius Stanley among competitors in the All-Star Slam Dunk contest.
Jack Winter|
Report: Anfernee Simons Is Dunking At All-Star Weekend
Report: Anfernee Simons Is Dunking At All-Star Weekend

Damian Lillard is the only Trail Blazer who will participate in All-Star weekend's main event. Just because Lillard is his team's lone actual All-Star, though, hardly means Rip City won't be heavily represented in Atlanta.

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Blazers guard Anfernee Simons has accepted an invitation to the All-Star Slam Dunk contest.

News of Simons' inclusion in the dunk-off comes mere hours after The Undefeated reported Robert Covington would participate in the All-Star Skills Challenge. Covington, who played college basketball at Tennessee State, is the NBA's lone active player to attend an HBCU. The league and the players' union have pledged upwards of $2.5 million worth of funding to HBCUs as part of this season's All-Star events.

Portland fans have long clamored for Simons to be in the dunk contest. There were rumors he was slated to show off his aerial exploits in last year's event, won by current Blazers teammate Derrick Jones Jr., but Simons ultimately wasn't selected.

"It would be a good opportunity," Simons told Blazers beat reporter Casey Holdahl last season of taking part in the dunk contest. "It would be fun, especially a time for me to get my name out there and show what I can do. I don't think a lot of people know that I can jump pretty high."

Simons' dunking prowess may remain relatively unknown nationwide until next Saturday, but his teammates have been awed by his spectacular finishing ability for years.  Lillard even predicted a future dunk contest victory for Simons during the latter's rookie season.

With bunnies like these, it's not hard to see why.

The All-Star Slam Dunk Contest will take place on March 7, during halftime of the All-Star Game. Coverage of the festivities begins at 2:00 p.m. (PST) on TNT.

READ MORE: Why Anfernee Simons Trade Rumors Say More About Gary Trent Jr. and C.J. McCollum

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Jack Winter
JACK WINTER

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