“LeBron throughout his career could have competed in any dunk contest” — Dominique Wilkins talks about LeBron’s missed opportunity in the NBA originally appeared on Basketball Network.
Dominique Wilkins was an unforgettable NBA player who loved to excite fans every time he stepped on the floor. The Atlanta Hawks legend was best known for his aerial acrobatics and vicious dunks, most of which were seen in the NBA Slam Dunk Contests he participated in.
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The two-time NBA Slam Dunk champion admitted that there are many players who could have given basketball fans a treat in the All-Star Game’s Dunk Contest event. One name that comes to mind is LeBron James, who Nique feels could have wowed fans with his slams.
“LeBron throughout his career, could have competed in any dunk contest. It would have been great to see him get in one,” the nine-time All-Star said when he appeared on the Jaxxon podcast.
LeBron broke the slam dunk contest tradition
Considering NBA greats such as Julius Erving, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, and himself joined the annual event, it would have made sense for LeBron to participate as well. Unfortunately, it never happened, and James shed light on why he never joined.
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“I don’t think it was something I wanted to accomplish in my career,” LeBron said to Brandon Robinson of Bally Sports. “It’s not a goal of mine, and it never was coming into the NBA to be part of the Dunk Contest.”
Unfortunate as it may have been, Wilkins respected LBJ’s decision. He knows that James had a lot on his plate and had good reasons for not participating in any slam dunk contest.
“In today’s world you got so many things that’s distracting you. Do you really have time for… especially a guy at his level. A lot of respect for him,” the 3rd overall pick of the 1982 Draft said.
Would LBJ have won a slam dunk title?
Seeing LBJ would have been surreal, given his athleticism and ability to throw down the ball in the cylinder. However, another former NBA player, Cedric Ceballos, said James wouldn’t have won anyway.
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“I do not think that LeBron would have achieved in the dunk contest,” Ceballos, the 1992 Slam Dunk champion, said on Byron Scott’s podcast. “I mean, powerful dunker, dunks on a lot of people, but the trickery, the suaveness – no.”
With his goals set, James’ decision to pass on joining any slam dunk contest was clear. But for those who are wondering if LeBron ever tried joining a slam dunk contest, the answer is yes.
Bron participated in the 2003 McDonald’s All-American dunk contest (better known as the Powerade Jam Fest) at Cleveland State University’s Woodling Gym. James was still a high school senior at the time and faced Shannon Brown and J.R. Giddens in the finals.
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James won it all after tallying an aggregate score of 250 compared to Brown’s 167. Giddens, who was dealing with a broken fifth metatarsal on his left foot at the time, never got a score and conceded after failing to put up a decent score on several failed attempts for his first score.
With his athleticism and savvy, James could have won the slam dunk crown had he wanted to. However, as he stated, it was not part of his goals when he entered the NBA, so fans had to settle for his highlight reels during games.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 13, 2025, where it first appeared.