Stars Need Not Apply ... or should they?

On the ESPN ticker this afternoon, I read that the contestants for the NBA Slam Dunk contest will be Andre Iguodala (76ers), Nate Robinson (Knicks), Josh Smith (Hawks), and Hakim Warrick (Grizzlies). These guys are all fantastic athletes. Iguodala is a regular on Sportscenter top 10 reels for his dunks. Robinson is listed at 5'9" and can jump out of the gym. Warrick had the best dunk I have ever seen from someone who was guarded in the post. Smith, well, he's the defending champion. Fortunately, they don't have to keep Chris "Birdman" Andersen away, he did that himself with his drug suspension.

However, where is the match-up of stars we had in the 80s with Michael "Air" Jordan and "The Human Highlight Film" Dominique Wilkins? Why not play out the contention between Kobe Bryant and Vince Carter [1] in the dunk contest? Or, King James vs. Carmelo? The NBA is a league built on stars, so why are they trying to promote young, little known (to average sports fans) players for the marquee event on Saturday at All-Star Weekend. Ken Griffey Jr., Barry Bonds, Jason Giambi, Miguel Tejada, Mark McGwire, David Ortiz, Sammy Sosa. MLB gets these guys to participate in the Home Run Derby.

Some people claim that the dunk contest is a relic that hasn't been interesting since the 80s. Apparently, those people did not tune in to see Vince Carter's back-to-back wins. The 360 windmill and forearms in the hoop, hanging on the rim by the elbows, were innovative. Perhaps, that's all Vince had and he didn't want to end up losing. Or, maybe, he thought he'd established himself as a star, so he didn't need to bother any more. So, the NBA needs to make it worth the players' while.

I know, they have prize money. I also know that it isn't enough, obviously. I'd dunk for $50-100K, but I can't imagine it's all that inviting for LBJ or Kobe. Up the ante. $5 million might be enough to get some stars to come out. The dunk contest may be dying, but anything will wither under neglect. Give it a little fertilizer and water and watch it blossom!

In a follow-up, King James said he doesn't want to be known as a slam dunk contestant. Is Michael Jordan rembered as a slam dunk contestant? Dominique? Is Larry Bird remembered as a 3-pt shootout contestant? Is Barry Bonds thought of as a HR derby contestant? LBJ's comment was just another lame excuse for not competing in the contest. Apparently, the skills competition has more luster than the dunk contest, or maybe the expectations for LeBron won't be as high. James has been criticized for blending in at important times (end of game situations when he passes where Michael or Kobe would put up the shot), rather than putting himself out there to excell or fail. Perhaps, the dunk contest is just another misdirection LBJ pass.

[1] Bryant and Carter got into a little fracas after Bryant fouled Carter in a game earlier this season. Then, after Bryant dumped 81 on the Raptors, Carter said it might be a bad example for kids because they might not appreciate playing as a team.