News release from the NBA:
Anfernee Simons, Cassius Stanley and OBI Toppin to take flight in 2021 AT&T Slam Dunk
Competition to Take Place on Sunday, March 7 at Halftime of 2021 NBA All-Star Game
Five Past Slam Dunk Champions to Serve as Judges: Dee Brown, Jason Richardson, Josh Smith, Spud Webb and Dominique Wilkins
Final Round: One Dunk for Each Finalist and Winner Determined by “Judges’ Choice” Instead of Individual ScoreNew York (March 2, 2021) – A new AT&T Slam Dunk champion will be crowned this year as first-time participants Anfernee Simons of the Portland Trail Blazers, Cassius Stanley of the Indiana Pacers and Obi Toppin of the New York Knicks compete for the title on Sunday, March 7 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta. The 36th AT&T Slam Dunk will take place at halftime of the 2021 NBA All-Star Game, airing on TNT and ESPN Radio.
AT&T Slam Dunk is part of NBA All-Star 2021, which will be held on one night. TNT’s NBA All-Star coverage on March 7 will begin at 5 p.m. ET with TNT NBA Tip-Off presented by CarMax, followed by the Taco Bell® Skills Challenge and MTN DEW® 3-Point Contest starting at 6:30 p.m. ET. NBA All-Star Game coverage will begin at 8 p.m. ET. NBA All-Star 2021 will reach fans in 215 countries and territories in more than 50 languages.
Simons (pronounced SIGH-mons) is averaging 8.2 points and shooting a career-high 40.7 percent from three-point range in his third NBA season. The 6-3 guard was selected by Portland with the 24th pick in NBA Draft 2018 presented by State Farm.
Stanley, a 6-5 rookie guard on a two-way contract, was selected by the Pacers with the 54th pick in NBA Draft 2020 presented by State Farm. He recorded a maximum vertical leap of 44 inches in the 2020 NBA Draft Combine, tied for the third-highest mark since 2000.
Toppin, a 6-9 rookie forward, was selected by the Knicks with the eighth pick in NBA Draft 2020 presented by State Farm. As a redshirt sophomore at the University of Dayton last season, Toppin led the nation in dunks and was named the consensus National Player of the Year.
Led by Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins, five past AT&T Slam Dunk champions will serve as the judges. Wilkins (1985 and 1990 champion) will be joined by Dee Brown (1991), Jason Richardson (2002 and 2003), Josh Smith (2005) and Spud Webb (1986). Wilkins, Smith and Webb won their Slam Dunk titles while representing the Atlanta Hawks. Richardson won the last Slam Dunk competition in Atlanta, in 2003.
AT&T Slam Dunk will be a two-round competition. In the first round, the three competitors will perform two dunks each. The five judges will score each dunk on a scale of 6 to 10, resulting in a maximum score of 50 and a minimum score of 30. The two players with the highest combined score for their two dunks (a maximum of 100 and a minimum of 60) will advance to the final round.
In the final round, the two competitors will perform one dunk each. The winner will be determined by “Judges’ Choice” instead of individual score. The judges will choose the winner by raising a card that has the dunker’s name on it. >Click here for a complete explanation of the rules for AT&T Slam Dunk.
AT&T and the NBA: An Innovative Partnership:
Since AT&T’s partnership with the NBA began, AT&T has been bringing the power of 5G to various events and activations across the country. In 2020, AT&T deployed its AT&T 5G HoloVision technology during the 2020 NBA Conference Finals and NBA Draft, and brought 5G to NBA All-Star for the first time, including at NBA Crossover and via the AT&T 5G Courtside Cam which shared unique, live camera angles directly from the AT&T Slam Dunk Contest as part of State Farm NBA All-Star Saturday Night. AT&T and the NBA were the first to broadcast a professional sports event in 5G at the 2019 MGM Resorts NBA Summer League. AT&T also previously worked with Turner and the NBA during the 2019 NBA Tip-Off broadcast to deliver virtual side-by-side access to TNT’s broadcast of through a volumetric 3D experience powered by AT&T 5G.AT&T is the Official 5G Wireless Network of the NBA and the WNBA.
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