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Michael Rapaport Blames LeBron James Over Lack Of Participation In The 2021 Dunk Contest

Although LeBron James once declared that he was putting his name down for a Slam Dunk Contest, the four-time MVP never had the time to actually take part in any dunk contest over the years of his career. Now that LeBron is 36-years old, it’s highly unlikely that fans will ever see him enter in one.

But even with LeBron’s lack of participation, the Slam Dunk Contest has seen a strong group of creative performers ever year. Last year alone, fans witnessed one of the most electrifying dunk contests in recent memory featuring Derrick Jones Jr. and Aaron Gordon who had extended rounds to determine the winner of the competition.

Following an epic and controversial contest, it seems like the Slam Dunk Contest has toned down this year, with only three players committing in the highly-awaited competition. While it could be attributed to the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, American actor Michael Rapaport believes LeBron James is the one to be blamed over the lack of participation in this year’s contest.

“Only three players are participating in the NBA All-Star Game Slam Dunk Contest? Only three dudes are down to participate in the Slam Dunk Contest?” Rapaport started his rant. “What the f*ck is going on? Are you guys too cool? You need rest? When I was 20-year-old I couldn’t spell “rest.” I would wake up, I would do this, I would do that, I would do this, I would do that. Twenty-f*cking-years-old you could be slam f*cking dunking all day. I couldn’t never dunk when I was twenty. But if I could, I’d be f*cking dunking my ass off.

“Are you cool with Dr. J, David Thompson, George ‘The Iceman’ Gervin, Larry Nance, Michael f*cking Jordan, Dominique Wilkins, Kobe Bean Bryant? Kobe Bryant spent his entire life dreaming of being in the Slam Dunk Contest. As soon he got into the NBA, boom he won the Slam Dunk Contest. You’re too cool? J.R. Rider, Shawn Kemp, Tracy McGrady, Vince Carter, all of these guys. They killed the Slam Dunk Contest. The won some, they lose some.

“Three people? Three players? Obi Toppin and two guys I never heard of. No disrespect to two guys I never heard of, but only three of you guys want to participate in the Slam Dunk Contest? And I blame you LeBron James. I know, I know it sounds like a cliche when all things are bad, blame LeBron. You’re 36-years-old, you never participated in the Slam Dunk Contest. Would the NBA didn’t pay you enough to be in the Slam Dunk Contest? They didn’t pay Dominique Wilkins. They didn’t pay Michael f*cking Jordan.

“But what I say is, let’s not make it a contest. It’s crazy times, we are in a pandemic. LeBron, let’s turn it into a cypher. Let’s turn it into a freestyle NBA Slam Dunk Contest cypher. you get out and you do one dunk, you do your patented ‘Boom’ dunk. And you say Zion, you’re 20. We’ve been watching you dunk your entire life. You’re 20. You’re up next. Turn it into a cypher. Only three people, three players want to be in the Dunk Contest? Get the f*ck outta here, man.”