Dallas Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki will be competing in the Three-Point Contest at All-Star Weekend for one last hurrah, so why not let Atlanta Hawks wing Vince Carter compete in the Slam Dunk Contest?
Many fans and media pundits want to see it, and now, Los Angeles Lakers youngster Kyle Kuzma is petitioning to get Carter into the event:
Make it happen @NBA sincerely, the fans. https://t.co/UFluxku9Gl
— kuz (@kylekuzma) February 1, 2019
Of course, this is not necessarily up to the NBA; it's up to Carter.
The league would surely love to get Carter into the dunk contest, as, well, let's face it: the dunk contest could use the ratings. However, back in December, Carter said he would not participate in the event, saying that it could potentially taint his all-time great performance in the contest back in 2000 when “Vinsanity” took the world by storm.
Of course, while Carter probably won't admit this himself, it could also happen to do with the fact that he is 42 years old.
A 40-year-old getting up a bunch of jump shots within a minute like Nowitzki is one thing, but a 42-year-old trying to beat a bunch of 20-somethings in a contest of pure athleticism?
It just doesn't sound all that humanly possible.
While Carter can still absolutely throw it down, he is barely a shell of the athletic phenom he once was, so can you blame him for not wanting to ruin his image from 2000?
I would love to see it, you would love to see it and the NBA would love to see it, but it doesn't matter what we think if Carter is not willing to participate. That's his decision, and we have to respect it.
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