Stephen A Smith blames LeBron James for NBA Slam Dunk Contest's entertainment decline

NBA All-Star Weekend drew mixed reviews from fans connected societal media, with galore calling retired the deficiency of amusement successful the Slam Dunk Contest connected Saturday night.

It’s nary concealed the signature lawsuit of the pre-All-Star-Game festivities hasn’t been what it utilized to be, and the latest mentation connected Saturday nighttime astatine the Intuit Dome successful Los Angeles was much of the same.

Miami Heat guardant Keshad Johnson won the event, but the showing by each 4 contestants didn’t wow the assemblage and those connected societal media.

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Stephen A. Smith and LeBron James inactive person immoderate beef heading into the 2025-26 NBA season.   (IMAGN)

In turn, the statement astir the lawsuit came to ESPN’s "First Take" wherever property Stephen A. Smith really pointed immoderate blasted successful the absorption of a non-participant — Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James.

"I’m going to blasted LeBron James," Smith said to the panel. "Now, I’ve sat present for months and I’ve applauded his greatness and each the things helium had done and helium has meant to the NBA, but I’ve said it and I’m going to beryllium precise consistent…The idiosyncratic who truly is the provocateur to ruin the slam dunk contention is him."

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While Smith didn’t person immoderate grounds arsenic to wherefore James ruined the contest, he’s simply saying that the all-time large ne'er competing successful the lawsuit is atrocious for it successful general.

"He was a superstar who enactment connected a dunk contention each nighttime successful the layup line, peculiarly erstwhile helium knew determination was momentum swelling for him to participate, and helium ne'er did. He adjacent teased that helium was going to enactment 1 year."

USA Stripes guardant LeBron James (23) answers questions earlier the NBA All-Star hoops crippled Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026, successful Inglewood, California. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Perhaps Smith is implying James’ deficiency of information has led different NBA superstars to steer wide of the event. Gone are the days erstwhile fans get iconic dunk battles with players similar Zach Levine and Aaron Gordon.

Mac McClung, who is presently connected a two-way declaration with the Chicago Bulls, has been a large gully successful caller seasons considering his show-stopping dunks that blew distant the remainder of the competition. He won 3 consecutive contests from 2023-25.

But the lawsuit connected Saturday, which besides featured James’ Lakers teammate, Jaxson Hayes, San Antonio Spurs’ Carter Bryant and Orland Magic’s Jase Richardson, the lad of two-time Slam Dunk Contest champion Jason Richardson, was a hard watch.

"I didn’t deliberation astir the contest," helium said. "I privation to applaud Keshad Johnson for winning. Pat Riley lasting up and applauding him…but we each cognize it was unspeakable due to the fact that determination was nary prima power. The world is that we are going to bring it location to wherever the GOATS tin get it."

Los Angeles Lakers guardant LeBron James appears during the archetypal fractional of an NBA hoops crippled against the Utah Jazz, connected Feb. 10, 2025, successful Los Angeles, California. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)

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Of course, it’s not lone James who could bring immoderate large prima powerfulness to the event. But what was erstwhile the lawsuit wherever Michael Jordan, Vince Carter, Dwight Howard and galore others had to compete, it has turned into 1 wherever players of lesser presumption successful the league effort to marque a sanction for themselves.

The past notable NBA All-Star to triumph the lawsuit was Cleveland Cavaliers defender Donovan Mitchell, who was playing for the Utah Jazz successful 2018 erstwhile helium took location the victory.

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