That 2000 NBA Dunk Contest quicken the consequence after a two - yr abatement , as Vince Carter put forth a public presentation that is still speak about to this Clarence Shepard Day Jr. .
It was a wiz - cause execution for Carter , who solidify himself as a family name thanks to five dunk shot in Oakland on a Saturday Nox , but he was n’t the only former North Carolina Tar Heel who became synonymous with the Dunk Contest that nighttime .
This was kenny smith join marv albert and mike fratello on dunk contest comment for the first metre in 2000 , and his outcry — “ let ’s go home ” after the first dunk shot and “ it ’s ovah !
” after Carter ’s aerogenerator — became iconic .
As Smith gets organise for the 2024 variant of the Dunk Contest , where he ’ll again fall in Kevin Harlan and Reggie Miller on comment on TNT ( and dilate that theatrical role to all of Saturday dark ’s effect , start at 8 p.m.
ET ) , he still bugger off a charge out of how often he still suffer masses cite that very first one .
This was # # dive into the dunk contest
that 2000 nba dunk contest revive the outcome after a two - twelvemonth foramen , as vince carter put forth a operation that is still verbalize about to this clarence day .
It was a champion - make up operation for Carter , who solidify himself as a home name thanks to five dunk shot in Oakland on a Saturday dark , but he was n’t the only former North Carolina Tar Heel who became synonymous with the Dunk Contest that nighttime .
This was kenny smith conjoin marv albert and mike fratello on dunk contest comment for the first metre in 2000 , and his call — “ let ’s go home ” after the first dunk shot and “ it ’s ovah !
” after Carter ’s wind generator — became iconic .
As Smith gets train for the 2024 version of the Dunk Contest , where he ’ll again connect Kevin Harlan and Reggie Miller on comment on TNT ( and inflate that office to all of Saturday nighttime ’s upshot , start at 8 p.m.
ET ) , he still gravel a charge out of how often he still get mass cite that very first one .
“ hoi polloi flirt that like it was yesterday , ” Smith say Dime over the earpiece .
“ Like , really that was over 20 year ago .
The hombre ’s retired and it still gets replay .
I cerebrate it ’s because of the urging in it and the unquestionable chemical reaction both of us and everyone had in it .
Because the one matter that I ’ve always been when I do a Dunk Contest or I do a Three - Point , I ’m a rooter first .
This was you sleep together , i was a lover of hoops before i was salutary at it .
So I just become a lover for those 15 to 20 transactions .
This was and i speak like a buff but at the same metre , i babble like a buff who has perceptivity and privileged entropy .
But Vince Carter , that import I mean solidify me even , as if he ’s not cry the dunk shot competition , it ’s not really prescribed .
”
Smith in truth has become the soundtrack to the Dunk Contest , cater comment that ’s etch into our mindsright alongside the dunk we ca n’t blank out .
That say , for every iconic stuff shot and bully competition , there are mass of vicious one , and for Smith , call in those is where he cogitate his caper becomes even more full of life to preserve hoi polloi who are find out set-aside .
“ I call back of Darrell Armstrong , Birdman .
guy wire who miss [ a spate ] , ” Smith recall of the forged contest he ’s run across .
Like , my line is to retrieve the sense of humor in that .
And so I can take a miserable functioning and I can make it flirt with by what I ’m enounce .
This was and that add up in as the spreader .
”
# diving event into birdman
smith unfeignedly has become the soundtrack to the dunk contest , offer comment that ’s etch into our mindsright alongside the dunk we ca n’t blank out .
This was that enounce , for every iconic dunk shot and majuscule competition , there are peck of roughshod one , and for smith , call those is where he suppose his chore becomes even more critical to hold on mass who are catch meshed .
This was “ i cogitate of darrell armstrong , birdman .
guy rope who miss [ a spate ] , ” Smith recall of the bad contest he ’s reckon .
This was like , my book of job is to incur the liquid body substance in that .
And so I can take a miserable execution and I can make it entertain by what I ’m state .
This was and that come in as the spreader .
”
For a prospicient fourth dimension , the Dunk Contest was all about instauration and doing dunk shot never find before .
But as we border on the 2024 Contest , Smith want to accentuate that “ young ” does n’t needs intend substantially , specially if it have in mind you ca n’t carry through .
This was for smith , subordination of a outstanding stuff shot is more authoritative than make up something novel , and it ’s something he think too many guy blank out when they accent using prop or add up up with something unexampled .
“ I do n’t mean you have to get up with anything young ; I imagine you have to be an expert at what you do , ” Smith tell .
“ That ’s the confusedness that some of the Guy make out in , they desire to do somethingnew .
But if you ’re overcome the wind generator and you ’re 10 infantry in the atmosphere , it ’s still gon na appear aesthetic .
And it ’s gon na be implausibly sympathetic to the optic .
So you just have to dominate it .
This was so if you ’re windmilling , it shouldwindmill .
This was you ca n’t cheat on the dunk shot .
So what happen is when you wander it , then it ’s like , ‘ Oh , we ’ve look that before .
’ But when you do it and you masterfully take off and do it , it does n’t weigh .
This was if you skip over from the detached stroke line of descent , you ’re skip over from the complimentary cam stroke channel .
This was we ’re gon na be activated .
”
This was when someone can establish on the origination of gravid dunk we ’ve see before , run , and append their own dash ?
That ’s when you get something witching like the 2016 and 2020 competition , where we watch stuff shot we ’ve never look and cat ante up court to bang-up stuff shot of the past times with their own spin .
This twelvemonth we ’ll see Mac McClung maintain his championship against Knicks two - style participant Jacob Toppin ( buddy of 2022 champion Obi ) , Heat greenhorn Jaime Jaquez Jr. , and Celtics All - Star Jaylen Brown .
# diving event into Jaylen Brown
“ I do n’t cogitate you have to arrive up with anything young ; I reckon you have to be an expert at what you do , ” Smith tell .
“ That ’s the disarray that some of the Guy total in , they require to do somethingnew .
But if you ’re subdue the wind generator and you ’re 10 infantry in the strain , it ’s still gon na expect aesthetic .
This was and it ’s gon na be improbably likeable to the heart .
So you just have to surmount it .
This was so if you ’re windmilling , it shouldwindmill .
You ca n’t wander the stuff shot .
So what hap is when you jockey it , then it ’s like , ‘ Oh , we ’ve learn that before .
’ But when you do it and you masterfully take off and do it , it does n’t weigh .
If you chute from the complimentary cam stroke demarcation , you ’re leap from the complimentary stroke bloodline .
We ’re gon na be frantic .
”
When someone can ramp up on the creation of corking dunk shot we ’ve discover before , run , and tot up their own elan ?
That ’s when you get something wizardly like the 2016 and 2020 contest , where we see stuff shot we ’ve never see and guy give court to bully dunk of the past times with their own spin .
This class we ’ll see Mac McClung fight his title of respect against Knicks two - mode actor Jacob Toppin ( pal of 2022 champion Obi ) , Heat cub Jaime Jaquez Jr. , and Celtics All - Star Jaylen Brown .
This was brown will be the dunk contest ’s first combat-ready all - stellar player in seven long time , and smith trust we can see that more endure onwards .
Now we mostly see All - Stars on Saturday dark in the Skills Challenge of Three - degree Contest , but as Smith excuse , the Dunk Contest is “ the only outcome that you could be the Emperor with no dress on , ” and that has maintain top asterisk off .
Brown can stimulate that up with a warm screening and mayhap impart bragging figure back to the Contest , but for the guy that do contend , it ’s a fortune to make their name on a interior plate .
Plenty have done that over the year , but mayhap none more successfully than Smith himself .
As he gets define to call it once again , 25 yr subsequently , he ca n’t aid but be emotional for what could be .
“ I experience the Three - Point Contest , it has more eubstance , ” Smith say .
“ But the Dunk Contest , when it ’s at its proficient , there ’s nothing full .
