Magic Johnson Offers Lebron $1 Million To Do The Dunk Contest
ESPN – LeBron James never has taken part in the NBA’s dunk contest. Now he might have a million reasons to try it. Magic Johnson on Friday said he wants to see James take part in the annual contest so badly that he offered to give $1 million to James — or anyone who can beat him. “Please, LeBron, get in the dunk contest. I’m going to put up a million dollars,” Johnson said on ESPN’s Kia NBA Countdown. “A million dollars from Magic to LeBron. Please get in the dunk contest. I go every year. I want to see you out there. A million to the winner.” The NBA currently pays $100,000 to the winner and $50,000 to the runner-up. James always has declined to take part in the annual contest, but he has been throwing down trophy-worthy dunks lately in pregame warm-ups. Jalen Rose called for more elite players to take part, as well. “LeBron James, Blake Griffin both have to be in it,” Rose said on the show, and Johnson agreed. “All-Star-caliber players helping build the league during All-Star weekend.” Griffin won the contest in 2011.
I used to be the number 1 Lebron hater on the planet earth. But then everyone took hating on him to such a nauseating level and he basically proved himself as much as anyone can prove himself so I just don’t hate the guy anymore. I think the fact that he pisses off Celtics fans and Boston Stoolies so much makes me like him more. I still hate him as far as him being a member of the Miami Heat. But I don’t have that irrational, blind hatred I used to have. So I’m not gonna be the normal dude just being like “Lebron is such a faggot! Why doesn’t he just do the dunk contest!”
I’ll admit I would love to see him do it. I think he should. And I think he’d absolutely win. But I understand why he doesn’t do it. The dunk contest is for when you’re a kid. Your first few seasons when you’re a high flying phenom still playing street ball. If he wasn’t an automatic All Star every year to start his career, maybe he would have done it back then. He probably should have done it back then, but that ship has sailed. Now he’s a perennial MVP candidate and champion. And more importantly the dunk contest fucking sucks. Its an actual embarrassment. Like if I was Lebron I wouldn’t wanna do that shit either. Go up against scrubs like James White and Terrence Ross who basically choreograph dance routines and gimmicks like its a magic show or something? No thanks. It sounds snobby and cocky but Lebron James is absolutely above the Dunk Contest at this point.
I obviously think some level of Lebron refusing to do this is still his douchey old self worrying about his image and his brand if he were to lose. And thats definitely lame. I don’t think anyone on the planet would say he’s still not the best basketball player in the universe in the event he lost a Dunk Contest. Win or lose he could actual be a gracious competitor and even further distance himself from that “The Decision” version of Lebron. But I’m sure he’s still worried about taking a hit and I’m sure his entourage of PR people are too. Whats crazy is that he’d even worry about losing. I guess the fact that he can jump through the roof doesn’t mean he’s got some creative, acrobatic gene in him that allows him to do that Vince Carter shit, but his two pre-game dunks recently would have won him this year’s title with ease. But the main point here is I don’t think any amount of money from Magic Johnson is gonna sway him. I don’t think being crowned a Dunk Champion, the way the current contest works, is gonna sway him. Its just not worthwhile anymore.
Whats ironic is if he grabbed Blake Griffin and Josh Smith and Gerald Green and put on his own, legitimate dunk contest, it would probably be the most popular, fan friendly thing he’s ever done. Again, he’d have to be cool with potentially losing. But there would honestly be no shame in losing to any of those guys. Donate Magic’s offer of $1,000,000 to AIDS research or some other charity and win or lose he’s still the hero.
PS – The fact that Magic Johnson is not only not fucking dead, but still has $1 million to toss around like it ain’t no thang, is just unbelievable. What a joke AIDS is.