The Lakers will have a rare representative in All-Star Saturday this year.
On Thursday, Shams Charania of ESPN reported that Jaxson Hayes will take part in the Slam Dunk Contest during All-Star weekend.
He will be joined by Carter Bryant from the Spurs, the only other confirmed participant so far.
The Slam Dunk Contest has been carried in recent years by Mac McClung, who has won the contest three times. However, the former Laker will not be taking part this year. That leaves the door wide open for a new winner, though the contest is certainly going through a tough period.
Save for McClung, the contest has been woefully underwhelming. A lack of starpower, new rule and format changes and the absence of innovative dunks have left fans wanting more over recent years.
Could Hayes fill that void? Well, the announcement comes off the heels of his most impressive dunk of the season against the Bulls.
There is something aesthetically pleasing about a big man taking part in the dunk contest. Dwight Howard, the most recent Laker to take part in the dunk contest, is the best example of that as he had one of the best performances in the event.
The question will be whether Jaxson can come up with innovative dunks. He’s not necessarily a creative dunker in-game for the Lakers, but instead someone who jumps high and over or through people.
The main goal for Hayes, though, is not to have as disappointing a performance in the dunk contest as Shannon Brown did. RIP #LetShannonDunk.
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