NBA Legend Sets Challenge for Zion Williamson, Anthony Edwards

The NBA Dunk Contest has lost its luster over the last decade.

Aaron Gordon and Zach LaVine faced off nine years ago, and since then, the only "big names to participate have been Victor Oladipo in 2018, a past-his-prime Dwight Howard in 2020 and Jaylen Brown in 2024.

2025's Dunk Contest was as lackluster as we've seen in recent memory for the casual NBA fan, featuring two rookies, Matas Buzelis and Stephon Castle; a G-League player in Mac McClung now a three-time winner; and Andre Jackson Jr.

Even if Buzelis and Castle continue to develop into star-caliber players, it wasn't a thrilling event.

NBA legend Carmelo Anthony has seen enough.

Anthony discussed the state of the Dunk Contest on his podcast, "7PM in Brooklyn," saying the leagues stars need to return to the event.

"The Slam Dunk Contest used to be the s***, Anthony said.

To me, we gotta get back to ...

you can only be in the Dunk Contest if you're an All-Star.

Because that's part of the All-Star Weekend festivities.

You have your Friday night, which is the rookies ...

and then they're done.

He went on: Saturday, it's primetime, it's showtime.

The All-Stars should be participating in the 3-point contest, the dunk contest, even the skills challenge." Anthony does have a plan to get the stars involved.

"We gotta get Ant(hony Edwards), Ja (Morant) and Zion (Williamson) ...

I'm gonna do what Ive got to do to get those guys." Zion Williamson in the Dunk Contest Anthony th discussed what it would take to land those kinds of players in the Dunk Contest, since money may not be the best motivator for someone already making $45-50 million per year.

It would be harder to get older players involved, but younger stars like Williamson or Edwards could be enticed to do it under the right circumstances.

After the 2024 All-Star Weekend, Zion Williamson said he would only participate in the Dunk Contest if he were selected to the All-Star Game.

He has made the All-Star Game twice in 2021 and 2023, but injuries have tanked his likelihood of making it into the game again.

In Williamson's last four seasons, he has only played 129 of a possible 328 games for the New Orleans Pelicans .

Even if he's entering next season healthy, betting on him to stay healthy isn't a good one to make.

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