Smith said that James’s refusal to participate was a catalyst for future stars to not see it as a necessity either. “From that point forward, the stars that followed didn’t feel compelled to prioritize a Slam Dunk contest,” he exclaimed. “The tradition that was set by others preceding LeBron James!” Smith even felt like King James purposely chose to do elaborate dunks during his pre-game layup lines to “rub it in.”
He believed that there was “no one who knows basketball” who would disagree with his stance when assessing the quality of the dunk contest from a historical perspective. “LeBron James refusing to participate was the beginning and the spark plug of its demise. Period!” he yelled.
There was a time over a decade ago when the four-time NBA Champion committed to participating in the Slam Dunk contest. “Right now, I’m preliminary putting my name in the 2010 dunk contest on Saturday night,” he said during the 2009 NBA All-Star Weekend. “LeBron James is saying that in 2010, in Dallas Stadium, [preliminary] I’m putting my name in the dunk content.
