Subscribe
Follow Us
Derrick Jones, Jr. disappointed in his only appearance to date in the dunk contest. As a member of the Phoenix Suns in 2017, the 6-foot-7 jumping jack failed to convert during his first attempt in the finals after earning a pair 50s in round one, all but clinching a win for Glenn Robinson III before the event was finished.
It's understandable that Jones may not want to participate in All-Star Saturday's main event again, but that hasn't stopped the league's most ardent followers from fawning over his aerial antics on a nightly basis in the interim.
Another factor that may be contributing to Jones' lack of interest in the dunk contest? The fact that he's apparently not even the best dunker on his own team.
During his appearance on the Five Reasons Sports podcast, Jones said it is actually big man Bam Adebayo who's the top dunker on the Miami Heat.
One reason among several? “I'm kind of bored with my own dunks,” he said.
Derrick Jones Jr says @Bam1of1 is the best dunker on the Heat.
“I’m kind of bored with my own dunks.”@TheRea1DJones https://t.co/oRK1HPDQlM
— Ethan J. Skolnick, 5 Reasons Sports (@EthanJSkolnick) March 6, 2019
Adebayo is indeed one of the most impressive overall athletes in basketball.
The 6-foot-10, 255-pounder looks like a mini version of young Dwight Howard in terms of physique, and lives up to that “first off the bus” look by playing with the explosion, quickness, and overall coordinator of a player much smaller.
Adebayo, recently inserted into the Heat starting lineup for veteran Hassan Whiteside, by the way, is one of the league's best switching big men, and Erik Spoelstra has been affording him more and more freedom to make plays with the ball in his hands.
When it comes to dunking, though, ignore Jones' humble brag of being “bored” with his own dunks. A
debayo certainly gets up with the best of them for towering lobs and highlight-reel posters, but he can't match the grace with which Jones throws down dunks.
