'I couldn't sleep all night' - Nate Robinson looked back on how much the slam dunk contest meant to him

One of the biggest reasons why the NBA slam dunk contest is no longer as hype as it once was is because players don't approach it very seriously anymore. Back in the day, highfliers like Vince Carter and even Nate Robinson used the opportunity to compete in the Slam Dunk contest as a way to make a name for themselves. For Robinson, it was something he even circled in his calendar just because he knew it was going to be his rare moment to shine.

"I couldn't wait, man. I couldn't sleep all night. I was nervous, scared, everything. I wanted to let everybody know I was here. One of the highest-jumping little guys to ever play in the NBA. I wanted them to respect that. That's why I had to go and get three of them," Robinson told GQ.

Robinson built a reputation out of it

This quote by Robinson — who once revealed that the NBA almost didn't allow him to join the dunk contest — is actually really nice to hear, particularly 14 years after he last won the slam dunk contest. It shows that these dunking icons truly cared about the tournament and are concerned with its current state. In fact, the point guard once said that the tournament's reputation was slowly trending down during his time, but he did his part in saving it by participating because he knew he was an entertainer like no other.

"The NBA was scrambling, especially that last year. Nobody wanted to do it! I was like, I might as well. I ended up winning it again! That was pretty cool. I wasn't expecting to win or even do it, and I made history," Robinson stated. "It didn't bother me. People wanted to see what I could do! It's okay. Every time I stepped in the arena, they always wanted to see me dunk."

True enough, Robinson ended up winning the 2010 as well as in 2006 and 2009. Unlike some of the legendary highfliers who have done it, the "KryptoNate" ended up making a name for himself as the small dunker who has the most slam dunk contest trophies in NBA history. Until today, it's something that Robinson truly prides himself in.

Nate doesn't like the current state of the contest

To be fair to the NBA, they've tried to get some of the most notable superstars to participate in the contest, but to no avail. So, the league exhausted its options by opening the tournament to players competing in the G-League, hence Mac McClung's participation over the last two years.

But for as happy as Robinson is to see someone like McClung win the award two straight years in a row, he feels this was actually a bad move for the ambitious point guard who has hopes of securing an NBA contract.

"That's what I don't like about the dunk contest [now]," Robinson said. "Y'all threw him in knowing he wasn't a part of an NBA team. You were scrambling and just put him in the dunk contest. Now everybody knows who he is, and that's cool, but he wasn't a part of the NBA. That's not his fault; he's a solid player. I don't understand. He's good enough for the dunk contest, but is he not good enough for a team? That's kind of weird to me. Personally, I wouldn't have done the dunk contest if I wasn't on a team for real in the NBA. I want you to take me seriously, not as a gimmick."

Robinson hopes that there will be a time when players eventually make an effort to save the competition that has been ongoing for 39 years now, as he once did. It'll boil down to how much they truly value making a name for themselves despite all the inconvenience they think comes with the tournament.