To say the 2021 NBA Slam Dunk Contest underwhelmed is an understatement. After all, it's not only the fans who were disappointed with the annual showing but also the players themselves.

While there is not much hype and expectations for the contest given the lack of big name players and its three-man lineup, NBA players still couldn't hide their frustration. The competition didn't excite at all, and it didn't help that the judges' scoring remain as controversial as ever.

Players like Draymond Green and Ja Morant were among the first ones to react, with Green taking notice of Cassius Stanley's vastly different first two dunks and Morant highlighting the scoring.

Magic Johnson, on the other hand, got brutally honest with his assessment and noted that it “wasn't the most exciting” dunk contest he has watched–a comment that is probably too generous already given the lack of reaction from NBA players and fans alike.

To be fair, it's hard to blame Obi Toppin, Anfernee Simons and Cassius Stanley. They did throw down some solid highlight dunks, but the lack of gimmick certainly affected the narrative of the competition.

There is also the fact that they have to live up to the hype of the 2016 NBA Dunk Contest between Aaron Gordon and Zach LaVine, which will certainly go down as the best in the history of the competition. Although it is worth noting that the competition has been in a decline since then, thanks to a combination of controversial judging and the refusal of the game's high flyers to participate.

https://twitter.com/JordanClarksons/status/1368759177993015297

Hopefully, it will be a different story for the NBA Slam Dunk Competition next year.