Former Suns player Derrick Jones Jr. beats Aaron Gordon in dunk contest
Feb 15, 2020, 9:00 PM | Updated: 10:43 pm
Miami Heat's Derrick Jones Jr. heads to the basket during the NBA All-Star slam dunk contest in Chicago, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
(AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
In what will go down as one of the most exciting NBA Dunk Contests ever, Miami Heat forward and former Phoenix Suns player Derrick Jones Jr. took down Aaron Gordon.
The two had to go into an extra round to decide the winner as both received 50s in both their dunks in the championship round.
Jones won with a windmill in which he took off one step inside the free throw line.
THE DUNK THAT WON THE DUNK CONTEST FOR DERRICK JONES JR. 😱🔥 pic.twitter.com/Cr7mJ0wbg5
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 16, 2020
In Gordon’s final dunk, he jumped over 7-foot-5 Boston Celtics rookie Tacko Fall, which apparently was unplanned.
AG dunked over TACKO!! 😨 #ATTSlamDunk pic.twitter.com/aYM3eMRIPk
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 16, 2020
The fact that this didn’t secure Gordon the championship caused some shock, and not just from NBA fans on Twitter.
Giannis and Donovan Mitchell know Aaron Gordon was robbed pic.twitter.com/VjF6vxuCgO
— bluewirepods (@bluewirepods) February 16, 2020
Los Angeles Sparks star Candace Parker and hip hop artist Common, who were two of the judges, told ESPN the score was supposed to be a tie. Jones had scored 48, but Gordon ended up with 47 points.
“But somebody didn’t do it right. I don’t know who it is,” Common said to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne.
Nevertheless, neither were undeserving of a win. Here’s a full video of all the 50s of the night:
💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥
All 10 of the 50-point dunks from #ATTSlamDunk! pic.twitter.com/PpKgvPRH1E
— NBA (@NBA) February 16, 2020
Here are some individual highlights from Airplane Mode and Gordon, the latter of whom could go down as the greatest dunk contest dunker to never win a championship after also losing to Zach LaVine in extra rounds in 2016.
Gordon told ESPN he doesn’t plan to compete in another dunk contest.
Derrick Jones Jr. needed a 45 to advance to the finals …
So he got a 50 😱
(via @MiamiHEAT) pic.twitter.com/rUjY5IJmrK
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 16, 2020
AARON GORDON. SHUT IT DOWN. 😱 #SCtop10
(via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/lDyN4g1a9B
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 16, 2020
DJJ. BETWEEN THE LEGS. OVER TWO PEOPLE.#ATTSlamDunk pic.twitter.com/F4Mg4DrITQ
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 16, 2020
Perfect 50 for AG 🤯
(via @OrlandoMagic) pic.twitter.com/OSQMri7rvA
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 16, 2020
A I R P L A N E M O D E#ATTSlamDunk
(@ATT) pic.twitter.com/9LfHtMbplX
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 16, 2020
Aaron Gordon leaped over @chancetherapper 😮 #ATTSlamDunk pic.twitter.com/HFOEIan7XM
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 16, 2020
DJJ got UP! 🐰 #ATTSlamDunk pic.twitter.com/ZGkMRVhl88
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 16, 2020
Gordon frequently used help from rapper Chance the Rapper. Dwight Howard paid homage to Kobe Bryant and Pat Connaughton brought out fellow Milwaukee star Christian Yelich and donned a White Men Can’t Jump shirt.
Dwight with a tribute to Kobe on dunk number two. pic.twitter.com/2zed1uVr79
— Lakers Outsiders (@LakersOutsiders) February 16, 2020
“That’s the MVP of baseball!”
Pat Connaughton brings out @ChristianYelich for his first dunk 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/12DOPAf5dE
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 16, 2020
