Derrick Jones Jr. controversially took the crown at this year’s AT&T Slam Dunk Contest after defeating Aaron Gordon in a dunk-off.

It feels wrong to pick just one winner from tonight’s contest. In another universe, Aaron Gordon gets a trophy for jumping over the tallest player in the NBA, Tacko Fall (7’6″). Derick Jones Jr. and Aaron Gordon put on a clinic of creativity, with 9 of their 12 dunks receiving a perfect score from the judges, but it was Jones who is taking home the trophy.

The dunk contest at All-Star weekend has gone up and down in popularity since its creation. Unfortunately for fans, big-name players often elect to refrain from competition in favor of an extra day off and less risk of injury. This year, however, featured young stars Derrick Jones Jr. and Pat Connaughton alongside the return of fan-favorites Aaron Gordon and Dwight Howard, peaking interest from former fans and new fans alike.

The future is bright for this competition, as our Rising Stars demonstrated last night in the final minute of their game:

Give them a year to perfect these acrobatic experiments and we should be in for a show in 2021.

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