It takes guts to channel Michael Jordan and "Space Jam" in an NBA All-Star Slam Dunk Contest. But Timberwolves' Zach LaVine has confidence bordering on hubris — and after Saturday he has his first Slam Dunk win, stealing the show with four gravity-defying jams that electrified the Barclays Center crowd.
LaVine — just 19 and born the year before "Space Jam" came out — had the Quad City DJ's do their theme song from the movie, complete with lyrics "Come on and Slam," before his first dunk, as he came out wearing a Jordan replica "Toon Squad" jersey. He lived up to it, with four straight spectacular dunks, including back-to-back 50s from the judges.
"That's from the 'Space Jam' movie," said LaVine, who already has a Nikko Lafre song named after him. "That's what [Jordan] was wearing in Looney Tunes practice. I brought the people who sang the song out with me. I just wanted to do something different.
"I guess you can't go wrong with Jordan, the greatest player ever."
LaVine might have more after that routine.
"I came up with them in high school," he said. "I was practicing them in high school. I just wanted to come out with a bang. I want to get a 50 on every dunk. I didn't get it, but I was close. I just wanted to show everybody what I've got.''
LaVine did just that. On his first, he went between his legs and slammed home a reverse dunk. On his second, he went behind the back for a perfect score. LaVine's third was a gravity-defying dunk with an assistant from Timberwolves teammate Andrew Wiggins, who earned the MVP in the rookie game and forms a talented young core in Minnesota.
But LaVine wasn't done. The UCLA product overcame Victor Oladipo's absurd 540-degree dunk, with a fourth straight strong jam to become the second-youngest champion ever. After a perfect 100 in the first round, he scored 94 in the final to easily beat Oladipo's 72.
"My confidence, I look at all the greats. Michael Jordan: Confident. Kobe Bryant: Confident. LeBron James: Confident,'' LaVine said. "I got it instilled from a young age from my dad. He played professional football. If you're not confident, have some arrogance, cockiness. … That's what the greats have. You have to have confidence in your game.''
Houston guard Patrick Beverly pulled off the surprise of the night in winning the Skills Challenge. A defensive stopper who only got in as a late replacement for John Wall, Beverly pulled out a come-from-behind win over Brandon Knight.
After Knight missed his first two 3-point attempts to give Beverly a chance to catch up, the Rockets' defensive ace calmly drained his first attempt for the upset.
Team Bosh — Chris Bosh, Dominique Wilkins and Swin Cash — took the Shooting Stars title. Wilkins clinched it with the half-court shot, and Bosh jumped on his back to get carried off the court.
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