5 NBA players who could win a 35-and-older dunk contest
Age is only a number, unless your knees don’t work anymore. Here are five NBA players over 35 years old that could win a 35+ slam dunk contest.
The NBA All-Star game needs some work. No star player is going to play defense in this glorified exhibition, as nobody wants to get hurt for the NBA Playoffs. The three-point contest and skills competition are neat, but we have to make All-Star Weekend better.
Here’s one crazy theory to get the fans fired up. Let’s add a 35-and-older division to the slam dunk contest. Of course, it’s caveat emptor for these aging NBA veterans, but we want to be entertained. If there are five guys in the NBA today that are 35-and-older who can get this done, here are the ones who can win this slam dunk contest.
5
Zach Randolph
Power Forward, Memphis Grizzlies
It doesn’t matter if he can’t jump over a phone book, Memphis Grizzlies power forward Zach Randolph would claw and grit his way through a slam dunk contest because that’s the type of player he is.
Because leaping ability is not his strong suit, should Randolph get a foot or two off the ground, the slam dunk panel would absolutely give him the benefit of the doubt in a 35+ slam dunk contest. Randolph has been an ultra-physical frontcourt player in the NBA since 2001 with the Portland Trail Blazers. He turned 35 years of age back on July 16, 2016.
Would Z-Bo be above using a prop to win the 35-and-older slam dunk contest? How about no. Let’s get Randolph, Memphis mascot Grizz, and a fold-out picnic table and just see what happens.
Breaking a picnic table on an alley-oop from the Grizz would have to be Randolph’s best dunk in this 35-and-older slam dunk contest. Randolph won’t win on finesse maneuvers above the rim. His best shot is with Raw Power like he’s Iggy Pop … and destroying a fold-out picnic table to send the crowd into a frenzy. The world needs this to happen in the 35+ dunk contest.
Dec 2, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Los Angeles Lakers forward Metta World Peace (37) during their game against the Toronto Raptors at Air Canada Centre. The Raptors beat the Lakers 113-80. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
Metta World Peace
Small Forward, Los Angeles Lakers
Metta World Peace is 37 years old and has to be a participant in the 35-and-older slam dunk contest. He’s not an above-the-rim player by any means, but if anybody can use theatrics to win a slam dunk contest, put the money on Metta.
The veteran presence on the Baby Lakers probably needs some prodding from yesteryear to get all riled up to win the slam dunk contest. Make sure this 35-and-older dunk contest is at The Palace at Auburn Hills, make World Peace wear an Indiana Pacers jersey and call him Ron a bunch of times.
If that doesn’t get him fired up, a beer shower from the stands will have to be the kicker, right? Should the staff at The Palace not be down for The Malice, Part Deux, just get some young ball handling phenom to hit World Peace up with the Shammgod during warmups. If that guy has to be God Shammgod Wells, so be it.
For about a 15-minute to half-hour 35+ slam dunk contest, World Peace would channel all that made Ron Artest amazing in his Pacers years and dominate this glorified above-the-rim exhibition. World Peace would have about two or three dunk attempts in him, but he’d make them count.
Dec 21, 2016; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Sacramento Kings forward Matt Barnes (22) reacts to a play in the first quarter against the Utah Jazz at Vivint Smart Home Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Swinger-USA TODAY Sports
Matt Barnes
Small Forward, Sacramento Kings
Of all the guys on this list, Matt Barnes is shockingly over 35 years old. The 14-year NBA veteran is 36 years old but he oftentimes plays like a guy 10 years younger than he. His inherent scrapiness has never faded and Barnes continues to carve out a meaningful rotational role in the NBA into his late 30s.
Like most of his contemporaries, Barnes doesn’t play above the rim. He makes his money playing out on the perimeter with the three-ball and wing defense. However, with nobody guarding him, Barnes would be one of the few contestants in the 35+ slam dunk contest that won’t tire.
That helps him tremendously, as he would be able to get off the ground into the deeper rounds of the 35-and-older slam dunk contest. Barnes has surprisingly aged gracefully in his NBA career, and he could definitely win the old man’s slam dunk contest.
He wouldn’t need a gimmick prop or the audience to get himself into the finals. A one-handed jam or a reversal could be in his arsenal. Barnes would execute highly efficient, but not too flashy dunks to possibly win this event. While he doesn’t have the highest ceiling of the 35+ slam dunk contests, Barnes would have the lowest floor. Can efficiency win slam dunk contests remains to be seen.
May 23, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Richard Jefferson (24) dunks for a basket in the fourth quarter of a 105-99 loss to Toronto Raptors in game four of the Eastern conference finals of the NBA Playoffs at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Richard Jefferson
Small Forward, Cleveland Cavaliers
If there is one player over the age of 35 that could win a regular NBA slam dunk contest, wouldn’t it have to be Cleveland Cavaliers small forward Richard Jefferson? He’s been in the NBA since 2002-03 with the then New Jersey Nets.
Jefferson showed us with the 2015-16 Cavaliers that he can still play meaningful minutes in huge basketball games. In the days of his youth, Jefferson was a high-flying complementary star for Jason Kidd with the Nets. Jefferson was an Olympian and an All-Star.
One would like to believe that for a few shining moments, Jefferson could channel all that made him great in his mid-20s and win the 35-and-older slam dunk contest at age 36. Jefferson wouldn’t tire and could probably throw down something technical above the rim to shock and awe those in attendance.
He is one of the first NBA players that come to mind over the age of 35 that would be participating in this old man’s dunk contest. One could easily argue that Jefferson would be a serious contender to win, but there is one guy that could beat him on name recognition alone.
Nov 30, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Memphis Grizzlies forward Vince Carter (15) hugs the Toronto Raptors mascot Raptor before the start of their game against the Toronto Raptors at Air Canada Centre. The Raptors beat the Grizzlies 120-105. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
Vince Carter
Small Forward, Memphis Grizzlies
You can’t have a 35-and-older slam dunk contest without Vince Carter! It doesn’t matter that he turns 40 on January 26, Carter has to be the overwhelming favorite to win this must-see television event.
Carter is the only Basketball Hall of Famer of the quintet of participants. He built his reputation as one of the best above-the-rim players in NBA history in the early 2000s with the Toronto Raptors. Carter carried that into the latter years of his prime with the Nets.
In slam dunk contest lore, Carter’s performance in the 2000 NBA Slam Dunk Contest will go down as one of the greatest showings in the history of the event. If you didn’t know what a windmill dunk was, Carter showed the world one of the most powerful versions of all time.
Let’s put this 35-and-older dunk contest in the Air Canada Centre just to see what happens. Carter just has to attempt a windmill dunk to win, really. For the Toronto faithful, Carter will use every last bit of legs he has to throw down another all-time slam to win this All-Star Weekend extravaganza. With Carter still in the NBA, it’s over for every other 35-and-older player.
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