Jaylen Brown explains why other All-Stars shy away from dunk contest

For a number of years, the NBA Slam Dunk Contest has been missing some big-name players, but Jaylen Brown made an effort to shake things up by joining this year. He also had a positive message for those who have criticized the event after it ended on Saturday night.

Brown came in second in the dunk contest, with Mac McClung clinching the back-to-back win. After the competition, Brown addressed the reluctance that players have had to take part in the contest and shared an intriguing theory.

“I think, ultimately, in this media era, some players are just afraid to get turned into a meme or whatever,” Brown said. “I wanted to come out and have fun with it and that’s what I did.”

Jaylen Brown after tonight’s dunk contest: “I think, ultimately, in this media era, some players are just afraid to get turned into a meme or whatever. I wanted to come out and have fun within it and that’s what I did.” — Shane Young (@YoungNBA) February 18, 2024

Brown was defeated by McClung in the final round. Some supporters believed that the Boston Celtics' standout had no right to be there. Brown's dunks were not particularly challenging, although a misstep by TNT meant that viewers couldn't even watch one of them live.

Numerous star athletes prefer not to risk injury by participating in the Slam Dunk Contest. That is one of the key reasons why the event has been on shaky ground.

Brown may be correct in asserting that other variables are also at play, but he was prepared to overlook all of that to provide fans with a genuine All-Star experience in the Dunk Contest for the first time in six years.