Surprising NBA star vows to join dunk contest

After the game, in which the Spurs won 139-122, Wembanyama was asked about the dunk during his postgame interview.

“I mean, I’ll be in the dunk contest one day,” Wemby replied.

The NBA slam dunk contest suffered from a serious lack of star power. While there were some fantastic finishes during the event, the names doing the dunking weren’t ones familiar to most casual fans.

Wembanyama could very well be the face of the league in a few years. His name is definitely be one that could draw fans back to at least giving the slam dunk contest a chance again, after the likes of Jaxson Hayes and Keshad Johnson duked it out this year.

Wemby could seriously spice up the competition, which has suffered from a lack of creativity from every competitor not named Mac McClung in recent years. While a sentiment exists that big man dunks aren’t as impressive as those pulled off by smaller players, Wembanyama’s comical proportions make his potential participation all the more intriguing.

Many claim that dunk contestants have exhausted more of the dunks considered humanly possible, with a few exceptions here and there. Wemby’s 8-foot wingspan may open up a new category of dunks we’ve never seen before.

NBA stars have teased joining the dunk contest before, only to turn down the invitations once the date nears. But given Wembanyama’s desire to elevate the NBA All-Star Game, he may stay true to his promise “one day.”