Nobody in the world is better at coming up with new ways to screw up a dunk contest than the NBA. Every time I think they have done something that I think can't be topped (like the wheel) they will come back with something even more worthless (last year's no-winner-dunk-tandem-dunk-exhibition).
Nobody in the world is better at coming up with new ways of making a dunk contest into a see-it-to-believe-it event than the people behind the Sprite Street Slam Dunk contest at the Ghetto Games...seriously it's called the Ghetto Games!
The 3 hour event starts with the dunkers coming out on the court with half naked women and dogs - seriously! Then they bring out the classic cars, boxer Roy Jones, hot girls boxing and even a girl to give the dunkers lapdances - seriously!
Unlike many lackluster dunk contests in America where the crowd is bored out of their minds as equally boring judges and emcees guide them through an exhibition of missed dunks in a poorly formatted event. The crowd at the Ghetto Games are more like concert goers giving and taking energy from the performers on the stage. The crowd screams. The dunkers scream. The guy with the mic and the "fuck swag" shirt screams. Dogs are barking. Cheerleaders are cheering. Did I mention the stripper giving Roy Jones a lapdance - seriously!
As for the performers, the contest featured some of the best dunkers in the world including Lipek, 5'5 Maberry and winner Justin "JusFly" Darlington. The dunks alone were enough to put the NBA dunk contest to shame but it wasn't the dunks that made this event so great. It was the atmosphere that I haven't seen in a dunk contest since Vinsanity brought the dunk contest back from the dead or the 1988 Chicago home job that Jordan "won."
Now I'm not saying Adam Silver and the interns ( I know it's not interns but it sounds more acceptable if these decisions are made by interns) at the NBA should upset PETA and have a bunch of pitbulls walk out on the court with Zach LaVine who is accompanied by some hip-hop video models but they might want to call up Ghetto Games producer Renars Zeltins and ask for some advice.
Regardless of what the NBA does, I can't wait to see next year's Sprite Street Ghetto Games contest. I'm booking a ticket to Latvia right now!
