Blake Griffin Wins 2011 Slam Dunk Contest After Dunking Over A KIA

VIDEOS: A Breakdown Of Every Dunk In The 2011 Slam Dunk Contest, From DeMar DeRozan's Showstopper To Blake Griffin's Car Dunk

Last night's Slam Dunk Contest may not have been the best in Slam Dunk Contest history — after Blake Griffin brought out the KIA everyone knew he was going to jump over, the reception went from "Wow!" to "Meh" in record time — but for density of awesomeness, it's going to be hard to beat. And it's worth the dunk-by-dunk breakdown, no?

First Round

DeMar DeRozan's East Bay Funk Remix: DeRozan, coached by dunking legend Darryl Dawkins, got to put a little spin on Isaiah Rider's between-the-legs East Bay Funk Dunk from the baseline with the East Bay Funk Remix.

DeRozan's version included a pass off the arm of the backboard from a Raptors teammate, took him several attempts to do, and earned him a 44 from the judges. It was underrated.

Serge Ibaka's free throw line dunk: Give Ibaka credit for stagecraft: between the NBA Africa backing for this dunk and the shenanigans that preceded his second slam, the Thunder big man was clearly trying to make viewers laugh. But this dunk deserved more than the 45 it got.

I believe Ibaka did this dunk in two attempts. He also jumps from behind the free throw line, which is more than some guy named Michael Jordan could say.

JaVale McGee dunks on two hoops: For sheer insanity, the Wizards' JaValevator won the night.

Yeah, dunking two balls on two separate hoops is ridiculous, maybe unfathomable, but it's even better than it looks at first glance. As ESPN's John Hollinger pointed out, McGee had to dunk the ball on the left hoop with his left hand while falling away — and without looking at the hoop. A well-deserved 50 gave McGee an early lead.

Blake Griffin's 360 cockback: It's not quite a tomahawk, and not nearly as tremendous as the 360 windmill he tried to do at first, but Blake Griffin's huge 360 slam deserved the 49 it got. (This is, however, where DeRozan and Ibaka may have realized they were being robbed.

DeMar DeRozan's "Showstopper": DeRozan's absurd up-and-under half-windmill, half-rock-the-cradle is one of the eight or nine most impressive gimmick-free dunks I have seen in my life. It earned a 50 and there's a reason most SB Nation readers think it was the best dunk of the entire Dunk Contest.

First, DeRozan has to gather the ball in the air off the huge bounce, then he has to get it over the rim — and himself under it — with one hand. And he did it all in one try! There wasn't a finer dunk last night, and at this moment, it seemed like this could be the best Dunk Contest ever. And yet DeRozan didn't make the finals, and the momentum evaporated. Such is life.

Serge Ibaka's teddy bear retrieval dunk: It's kind of inaccurate to call the toy Ibaka grabs with his teeth a teddy bear; it's actually a plush version of the Thunder's mascot. But if Ibaka had pulled this off on the first try — he sort of biffed the finish, despite pulling down the toy with his teeth — it might have earned better than the 45 it got.

My favorite part of the production? Cheryl Miller saying "Security, get him out of here!" after the kid got his toy back, and the security people picking up the kid to maintain the illusion of him interloping. Uh, sure.

Blake Griffin's two-handed alley-oop windmill: It got a 46, may have deserved less, and still got Griffin into the finals.

I blame Baron Davis, whose poor passing helped torpedo many of Griffin's first six attempts.

JaVale McGee dunks three balls: Not satisfied with a two-ball dunk, McGee enlisted the help of his mother — who gave Dr. J, one of the judges, a little sugar — to get a third, and put them all in one hoop.

He got a 49 for it, and led all competitors in the first round. But he also proved that two hoops and two balls is empirically better than three balls and one hoop.

Finals

Blake Griffin does the Vince Carter elbow dunk: What Vinsanity once did as a guard, Blake Griffin can do as a power forward.

As good as Vince's dunk? You be the judge.

JaVale McGee soars for the up-and-under reverse windmill: This dunk is superb, and not just because McGee has to duck under the backboard to prevent a concussion.

Need more proof of how impressive that up and under one-handed reverse windmill was? Check out this image of it, in which it barely looks possible.

Blake Griffin jumps over a KIA: What more can be said, really?

JaVale McGee ... just sort of gives up? This dunk, a catch-and-throwdown off the glass, has great amplitude and requires McGee to really get up, but is this any way to make a crowd forget the other guy just dunked over a car?

Griffin won the 2011 Slam Dunk Contest with 68% of the vote, and deserved it based on his slightly better final round. But Griffin shouldn't even have been in the final round, I would have loved to see DeRozan's final round ideas, and I think McGee squandered a chance at an enormous upset by burning his best dunk first.

Want to see every dunk from the Dunk Contest in one slick three-minute package set to Common's "A Dream"? YouTube user jumperlltonez has you covered:

Blake Griffin Wins 2011 Slam Dunk Contest After Dunking Over A KIA

Blake Griffin won the 2011 Slam Dunk Contest during NBA All-Star Saturday after dunking over the hood of a KIA Optima SX in the final round. Fans gave Griffin a 68-32 margin over Washington Wizards center JaVale McGee in the final round; Griffin's other finals dunk involved going off the backboard and hanging from the rim at the elbow. McGee pulled off two soaring but less spectacularly set-up dunks, a baseline 360-degree dunk and a head-at-rim off-the-glass jam.

Griffin's KIA dunk involved a choir singing at midcourt while Baron Davis sat in the driver's seat of the car. Griffin leaped over the hood of the car as Davis lobbed the ball through the KIA's sunroof. The dunk was nothing spectacular, but Griffin finished it with rare power.

McGee had the highest score after a magical first round. McGee's first dunk involved a second rim placed adjacent to the stationary stanchion. McGee proceeded to dunk a ball through each hoop on one leap, going off the glass on one of the balls. It was a spectacular show of creativity and skill, and earned the night's only perfect 50 from judges. McGee's second dunk involved dunking three balls on one rim, one of which was lobbed by teammate John Wall.

DeMar DeRozan was arguably more impressive than Griffin in the first round. He had an absurdly difficult Isaiah Rider off the stanchion from a pass from teammate Amir Johnson that earned just 44 points from a stingy panel of judges. (Other than McGee's two first-round dunks, that DeRozan effort might have been the most physically difficult dunk of the night.) Griffin dunked off the side of the backboard, but without coming from behind the stanchion along the baseline and without going through the legs. Griffin earned a 46 on his version to thrust him past DeRozan and into the finals.

Serge Ibaka was also magnificent in the first round, jamming a legit free-throw line dunk. His toe touched the line, but it was as impressive as any free throw line dunk in NBA Dunk Contest history; an instant comparison with Julius Erving's famous effort showed Ibaka to be further from the rim on take-off. (Erving, a judge on Saturday, dinged Ibaka points for who knows what reason.) On his second dunk, Ibaka engaged in a bit of performance theater by bringing out a child and attaching a small toy to the rim. Ibaka dunked the ball while removing the plushie with his teeth.

VIDEO: Blake Griffin Dunks Over A KIA

Remember when we were talking about Blake Griffin dunking over a car in the Slam Dunk Contest tonight? Well, Blake Griffin dunked over a car in the Slam Dunk Contest tonight, and it was as insane as you might have assumed.

Griffin's dunk itself isn't quite legendary, but dunking after leaping over the hood of a car while grabbing an alley-oop pass from Baron Davis through the car's sunroof while a gospel choir sang "I Believe I Can Fly" behind him is a moment that will go down as one of the best in Slam Dunk Contest history.

The car Griffin skied over to throw down what will be known forever as "The Blake Griffin Car Dunk" and "The Time The Internet Ran Out Of Exclamation Points" and "The Best Video Game Dunk Ever" is a KIA Optima. (KIA is the title sponsor of Sunday's NBA All-Star Game.)

Blake Griffin will be in that, too. It's hard to imagine that he'll jump over a car in an All-Star Game, but, hey, I'm not prepared to rule out anything humanity hasn't done as a future Griffin exploit.

(Video via @blazersedge.)

Blake Griffin Dunks Over A KIA Optima SX In 2011 Slam Dunk Contest

Blake Griffin dunked over the hood of a KIA Optima SX off of a pass from Baron Davis through the moon roof with a choir singing R. Kelly's "I Believe I Can Fly" in the final round of the 2011 Slam Dunk Contest. The build-up was incredible, even if the dunk itself was rather mundane. Griffin's coach Kenny Smith said after the dunk that the pass from Davis wasn't where it was supposed to be; it's unclear if Davis was supposed to go off the backboard or whether Griffin needed the ball higher.

Rumors swirled about an over-a-car dunk from Griffin all day, but the Clippers' rookie saved the dunk for the final round. KIA is the title sponsor of the NBA's All-Star Game; Griffin was voted onto the West All-Star by coaches. Griffin was facing Wizards center JaVale McGee in the final round. Serge Ibaka and DeMar DeRozan helped the finalists put on a show in the first round.

Slam Dunk Contest 2011: Blake Griffin, JaVale McGee Advance To Finals

Hometown favorite Blake Griffin and Wizards center JaVale McGee advanced to the final round of the 2011 Slam Dunk Contest during NBA All-Star Saturday night. McGee dunked a total of five times in his two-dunk first round. His first dunk involved dunking two balls on two separate, adjacent 10-foot rims.

That creative dunk earned a perfect 50 from the judges. McGee's second dunk involved dunking three balls at once, two held in his hands and one passed by teammate John Wall.

Griffin's first dunk, a 49, was a twisting 360-degree hammer that led the Staples Center crowd to explode. Griffin's second dunk took a number of attempts as Baron Davis attempted to pass the ball to a soaring Blake off of the side of the stanchion. But the judges gave the rookie a 46, which tilted him past excellent efforts from DeMar DeRozan and Serge Ibaka.

2011 Slam Dunk Contest: JaVale McGee Earns A Perfect Score By Dunking Two Balls At Once

JaVale McGee earned a perfect 50 with his first effort in the 2011 Slam Dunk Contest during the NBA's All-Star Saturday festivities. It was actually dunks, as the Wizard center had a second 10-foot rim rolled out adjacent to the contest rim. After a few missed attempts, McGee managed to dunk two balls on the two rims, with one of them being passed off the backboard. It was both unique and impossible.

Blake Griffin trailed McGee by one point after the first set of dunks. Griffin hit a twisting, wrong-way 360-degree two-hand tomahawk to earn a 49. Julius Erving docked Griffin a point for some reason.

Serge Ibaka had a legit free throw line dunk, but earned just a 45 from the stingy judge's panel. DeMar DeRozan had an incredible Isiah Rider off of a stanchion pass by Amir Johnson, but earned just a 44 because it took a few attempts.

James Jones Beats Two Celtics To Win 2011 Foot Locker Three-Point Contest

James Jones of the Miami Heat scored one for South Beach by knocking off two members of the rival Boston Celtics in the final round to take home the 2011 Foot Locker Three-Point Contest title. Jones' 20 point in the final round surpassed Paul Pierce's 18 and Ray Allen's 15 to settle the game.

Pierce survived the first round by hitting his final shot, a moneyball that sent him to the finals over the Golden State Warriors' Dorell Wright, who had 11 points. The make sent a courtside Kevin Garnett into wild celebration, marking the most intense moment in All-Star Saturday history.

Allen was the final shooter of the contest, needing 21 to win. He was eliminated midway through the fourth rack, and finished that spot with 13. Commentator Reggie Miller declared that Allen needed to hit all of his shots in the final rack to stay alive, even though 13 + 6 does not equal 20.

Daniel "Boobie" Gibson of the Cleveland Cavaliers scored a ridiculously low seven in the first round. But reigning NBA scoring champ Kevin Durant one-upped him with a six.

Stephen Curry Wins 2011 Taco Bell Skills Challenge Over Russell Westbrook

Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors won the 2011 Taco Bell Skills Challenge over the Oklahoma City Thunder's Russell Westbook on Saturday night, executing a near-perfect run in the final round. Westbrook, who finished last in the 2010 competition, had the best run of the first round. But his final round run was fraught with disaster, and took 44 seconds. Curry won with a 28-second run.

Chris Paul of the New Orleans Hornets came as close to tanking as anyone since Dwyane Wade in 2008 by missing the opening lay-up in his first-round run. Rookie Challenge MVP John Wall of the Washington Wizards and reigning champion Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls were also knocked out in the first round after substandard attempts.

Fans selected the contestants (other than Paul) via online voting. It is unfortunate, one could argue, that the Lakers' Derek Fisher wasn't elected to the challenge.

Al Horford Launches Team Atlanta To Haier Shooting Stars Victory

Al Horford hit two halfcourt shots to lead Team Atlanta, starring Coco Miller of the WNBA's Atlanta Dream and retired Hawk Steve Smith, over Team Texas for the 2011 Haier Shooting Stars crown. The contest pits four teams against each other in a timed shooting contest in which players have to hit shots from specific spots. The final shot in the sequence is a halfcourt shot. Ergo, the contest always turns into an exercise in watching current and former professional basketball players miss halfcourt shots for about 30 seconds to a minute before someone gets lucky. In the final round, Team Atlanta missed 17 halfcourt shots before Horford sunk one. These were your champions.

Of particular note was Bulls forward Taj Gibson's attempt to maim the already suffering audience with halfcourt attempts that soared over the shot clock and into the crowd. Steve Kerr graciously saved all in attendance from harm.

Team Texas, starring Dirk Nowitzki, advanced to finals as TNT commentator hit his first halfcourt attempt in the first round. But Team Texas lost to Atlanta by two seconds in the final round, missing the backboard regularly.

Blake Griffin Could Jump Over A Car During 2011 Slam Dunk Contest

Blake Griffin is without question the most hyped Slam Dunk Contest participant in years. Only Griffin could get NBA fans, nearly unanimously opposed to the contest's recent turn toward the use of props, excited for another prop dunk. Well, Griffin and a car. The New York Times' Jonathan Abrams tweeted Saturday that Griffin may be jumping over a car during the dunk contest. SBNation.com's own Rohan Cruyff (@atthehive) snapped a photo of the victim auto.

Good news: that is indeed a car! Bad news: instead of Kobe Bryant's Aston Martin, it's a KIA. KIA happens to be the title sponsor of Sunday's NBA All-Star Game. And thus, the awestriking idea of Blake Griffin dunking over a car becomes Blake Griffin dunking over product placement.

The 2011 Slam Dunk Contest should begin around 10:30 PM Eastern on TNT. The network's All-Star Saturday coverage kicks off at 8:30 PM Eastern. Griffin will compete against JaVale McGee, Serge Ibaka and DeMar DeRozan.

NBA Slam Dunk Contest 2011: Time, Competitors, And More

Tonight's NBA Slam Dunk Contest is one of the most anticipated in recent memory. Why? Blake Griffin. So what time will Quake Griffin (or the Rim Reaper, or any one of the many fantastic nicknames Griffin's acquired) be throwing down tonight? And where can you find it on TV? That's what we're here for.

Time: Around, and likely after, 10:00 p.m. Eastern. The Slam Dunk Contest is the last event of All-Star Saturday Night.
TV broadcast: TNT, which will begin its All-Star Saturday night telecast at 8 p.m. Eastern.
Location: Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Defending champion: Nate Robinson, whose Lilliputian reign of terror comes to an end this year.
Competitors: Griffin's the prohibitive favorite as the hometown entrant and the best-known player in the field, but DeMar DeRozan finished second in last year's Dunk Contest, and JaVale McGee and Serge Ibaka are both bringing lanky frames and pogo stick ups to the court.
Why it matters: Um, Blake Griffin may be jumping over a car.
Prediction: Griffin wows the fans early, then fends off a challenge from McGee in the finals.
Further reading: You can find a quick history of the Slam Dunk Contest and highlight reels from all the competitors in our StoryStream, which will have updates from All-Star Weekend's Saturday night events as they occur.

DeMar DeRozan's Highlight Reel: Raptors High Flyer Could Be Slam Dunk Contest Spoiler

DeMar DeRozan may not be the most exciting name in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest, but the Raptors swingman is the only player in the field with Slam Dunk Contest experience: he came in second to Nate Robinson in last year's underwhelming competition, despite possibly outperforming the mighty-mite dunker. Can DeRozan make his spectacular athleticism work in his favor tonight, and upset the frontcourt-heavy field, including hometown favorite Blake Griffin? His body of work suggests that he at least has a chance.

DeRozan was a good enough dunker in 2009-10 to spur fans to make videos in hopes of getting him in that Dunk Contest.

This facial on Tyrus Thomas earlier this season is probably DeRozan's best dunk so far.

DeRozan's between-the-legs two-hander from last year's Slam Dunk Contest might win for degree of difficulty, though.

And for a reminder that you and I are both unathletic schlubs — or, uh, at least one of us is — here's DeRozan winning a high school dunk contest.

Throughout the day, be sure to check back with this StoryStream, which we'll be updating with more highlight reels and updates from tonight's dunk contest. And to follow along with DeMar DeRozan's career, check out our Toronto Raptors fan community, Raptors HQ.

Slam Dunk Contest History: Michael Jordan, Vince Carter And The Best Dunks Of All Time

The 2011 Slam Dunk contest will take place Saturday night in Los Angeles, and it will be the latest chapter in a competition that dates back to the early 1980s. The Clippers' Blake Griffin, the Wizards' JaVale McGee, the Thunder's Serge Ibaka and the Raptors' DeMar DeRozan will do battle in the 26th edition of the event

So what dunks will they have to top in order to go down as the best dunkers in the history of the Slam Dunk Contest? Here's a quick look at some of the most memorable dunks in the contest's history, including the legendary performances by guys like Michael Jordan, Dominique Wilkins and Vince Carter.

Larry Nance wins first-ever NBA Slam Dunk Contest in 1984

In the first-ever Slam Dunk Contest, Larry Nance of the Suns won out against a field that included aging legend Julius Erving, the inspiration for the contest ever happening. Nance's best dunk was when he dunked two balls at once, showing off his length and leaping ability all in one package.

Spud Webb shocks everyone, 1986

The 5'7'' Webb amazed the crowd, pulling off dunks that guys his size should not be able to accomplish. Of course, teammate Dominique Wilkins' dunks were probably more impressive, but the very fact that Webb did what he did at his size was enough to win. It was not the last time a smaller man was given preferential treatment because of the novelty of his size.

Michael Jordan vs. Dominique Wilkins, 1985, 1987 and 1988

Jordan vs. Wilkins was the perfect battle between grace and power, and it changed the Dunk Contest forever. Every dunk contest that followed these epic battles came with more anticipation than the ones before it. Wilkins topped Jordan in 1985, while Jordan won in 1987 when Wilkins was injured. That set up a rubber match in Chicago Stadium in 1988, and it did not disappoint. Wilkins took the lead with a one-handed throwdown off the glass from far away from the basket, but Jordan topped that with his patented free-throw line dunk to win it all.

J.R. Rider goes between the legs, 1994

Rider became a punchline later in his career, but he is famous in Slam Dunk Contest history for being the first player to successfully go between the legs on a dunk. Many others replicated Rider's move in future years, adding more flavor to it, but Rider was the trend setter.

Vince Carter dominates, 2000

In what remains the most impressive individual performance in Slam Dunk Contest history, Vince Carter brought in a new era in the competition emphatically, making it clear to everyone that they were playing for second place. Alas, he never once came back to defend his title.

Jason Richardson's reverse between-the-legs dunk, 2003

Easily the most underrated dunk in Slam Dunk Contest history. Needing a perfect score to defeat Desmond Mason, Richardson threw the ball up in the air, caught it, went between the legs backward and slammed it in over his head to defend his title. That's getting it done in a high-pressure situation.

Dwight Howard's "Superman" dunk, 2008

Everything about Howard's signature dunk to win the 2008 Dunk Contest was awesome, except for the fact that he didn't actually dunk it. Nevertheless, the theatrics were enough for Howard to score one for the big men and take the title. 

Throughout the day, be sure to check back with this StoryStream, which we'll be updating with more highlight reels and updates from tonight's dunk contest.

Blake Griffin's Highlight Reel: See The NBA Slam Dunk Contest Favorite's Greatest Throwdowns

Blake Griffin has taken the NBA by storm this year with an array of impressive slam dunks and is the prohibitive favorite to win tonight's NBA Slam Dunk Contest in Los Angeles. (Especially if he jumps over a car.) Griffin's been the driving force of the Los Angeles Clippers this year, combining a deft touch near the rim with some awesome athleticism to make the "rookie" from Oklahoma — it's Griffin's second year in the NBA, but he missed the entire 2009-10 season with a knee injury — one of the league's most exciting players. Griffin played in the Rookie-Sophomore Challenge on Friday night, will compete in the Slam Dunk Contest tonight, and should play for the West in the All-Star Game on Sunday.

But it's his appearance tonight that should highlight Griffin's All-Star Weekend. Can we even expect to see from Griffin tonight, if his highlight reel is already so thoroughly exhilarating?

His oop off John Wall's bounce pass alley in last night's game may be the least replicable dunk in Griffin's arsenal.

Griffin's early-season throwdowns over the Knicks' Timofey Mozgov may have been his most thunderous of the year.

ESPN's top 10 dunks of Griffin's first half is pretty good...

...but 137 dunks in two minutes is a much stronger highlight reel.

Throughout the day, be sure to check back with this StoryStream, which we'll be updating with more highlight reels and updates from tonight's dunk contest. And to follow along with other Blake Griffin lovers, check out our Los Angeles Clippers fans, Clips Nation.

Blake Griffin To Jump Over Car At Slam Dunk Contest, According To Report

We really didn't need any more reason to be excited over Blake Griffin's participation in Saturday night's NBA Slam Dunk Contest, but it looks like we're getting it anyway. Jonathan Abrams of the New York Times is reporting that tonight, Griffin plans to dunk over a car.

Dunk contest spoiler alert: Blake Griffin is planning to jump over a car tonight.

Wow. If this is indeed the plan, let's break this down. Griffin is 6'10". For example's sake, let's suppose he wants to jump over, say, a 2011 Toyota Corolla, which is about 4'10" at its highest point. We know that he can get eye-level with a 10-foot rim, which means he can lift himself just over three feet off the ground.

Keep in mind, though, that he can bend his legs up and create more space under him. That might give him, what, another two feet of clearance? I know this is Blake Griffin we're talking about, but still... this could be a close call.

Maybe he'll give himself a break and dunk over a Miata. Or a convertible. Whatever the case, stick with us.

Throughout the day, be sure to check back with this StoryStream, which we'll be updating with more highlight reels and updates from tonight's dunk contest. And to follow along with Blake Griffin fans, check out our Los Angeles Clippers blog, Clips Nation.

Serge Ibaka's Highlight Reet: Get To Know Your NBA Slam Dunk Contestant

Of the four players in Saturday night's NBA Slam Dunk Contest, Serge Ibaka's road here may be the most improbable. Born in the Republic of the Congo to two basketball players, he used his own basketball skills to escape the war-torn climate in which he grew up. The silliness of the dunk contest doesn't quite jibe with the drama he experienced to get here, but his conclusion is testament to the impression he's made on the league in his brief career.

In his second year with the Oklahoma City Thunder, Ibaka has complemented superstar teammate Kevin Durant with 9.4 points per game. Ibaka and the Thunder hold one of the best records in the Western Conference, and surely have high hopes for a postseason run.

On to the highlights. Here's an outstanding put-back dunk that required as much anticipation as it did athleticism:

In this clip, Ibaka takes the feed from teammate Eric Maynor. Ibaka can dunk better with one arm than most can dunk with two.

And finally: although half of the greatness of this play owes itself to Ibaka's ability to snare the ball away, it's possibly my favorite Serge Ibaka moment.

Throughout the day, be sure to check back with this StoryStream, which we'll be updating with more highlight reels and updates from tonight's dunk contest. And to follow along with Serge Ibaka fans, check out our Oklahoma City Thunder blog, Welcome To Loud City.

JaVale McGee's Highlight Reet: Get To Know Your NBA Slam Dunk Contestant

JaVale McGee will be one of the four participants in Saturday night's Slam Dunk Contest. This will be McGee's first appearance in the NBA All-Star Weekend contest, but based on what he's shown the League so far, he's capable of giving early favorite Blake Griffin a run for his money.

McGee stands at seven feet tall and weights 252 pounds. The 23-year-old center is in the middle of his third season with the Washington Wizards. Wiz fans will tell you that McGee has room to improve in some areas, but his dunking qualifications aren't in doubt.

Here's a clip of McGee finishing an alley-oop and dunking over his dunk contest rival, Blake Griffin:

Here, McGee lifts the ball from his hip and throws down a one-handed dunk:

But this clip from Summer League play might be my favorite. It looks as though he took a zipline up to the rim for this one:

Throughout the day, be sure to check back with this StoryStream, which we'll be updating with more highlight reels and updates from tonight's dunk contest. And to follow along with JaVale McGee fans, check out our Washington Wizards blog, Bullets Forever.

Slam Dunk Contest 2011: History, Contestants, And More

On Saturday night, the NBA's All-Star Weekend continues with the Slam Dunk Contest (8 p.m. Eastern on TNT). Many will tune in to witness the spectacle that is Blake Griffin, but the Clipper faces plenty of competition in the Wizards' JaVale McGee, the Thunder's Serge Ibaka, and the Raptors' DeMar DeRozan.

This will be the NBA's 26th dunk contest. It has been held every year since 1984 with the exception of 1998 and 1999, when a lockout squeezed it out of the schedule. Here are all of the previous winners:

2010 – Nate Robinson, New York Knicks
2009 – Nate Robinson, New York Knicks
2008 – Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic
2007 – Gerald Green, Boston Celtics
2006 – Nate Robinson, New York Knicks
2005 – Josh Smith, Atlanta Hawks
2004 – Fred Jones, Indiana Pacers
2003 – Jason Richardson, Golden State Warriors
2002 – Jason Richardson, Golden State Warriors
2001 – Desmond Mason, Seattle SuperSonics
2000 – Vince Carter, Toronto Raptors
1999 – no contest held
1998 – no contest held
1997 – Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers
1996 – Brent Barry, Los Angeles Clippers
1995 – Harold Miner, Miami Heat
1994 – Isaiah Rider, Minnesota Timberwolves
1993 – Harold Miner, Miami Heat
1992 – Cedric Ceballos, Phoenix Suns
1991 – Dee Brown, Boston Celtics
1990 – Dominique Wilkins, Atlanta Hawks
1989 – Kenny Walker, New York Knicks
1988 – Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls
1987 – Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls
1986 – Spud Webb, Atlanta Hawks
1985 – Dominique Wilkins, Atlanta Hawks
1984 – Larry Nance, Phoenix Suns

As you can see, the field of competition is normally made up of young players or non-superstars. Blake Griffin is arguably the most exciting contestant to enter the Slam Dunk Contest in years. Throughout the day, be sure to check back with this StoryStream, where we'll be posting highlight reels of each of tonight's competitors.