The air up there: NBA’s list of unknown Dunk Contest participants

The NBA’s All-Star Weekend begins on Friday as the league’s biggest stars head to San Francisco for a showcase of the best players from all over the world. The festivities will begin with the Celebrity Game on Friday night, followed by All-Star Saturday which has taken the spotlight in recent years, and will culminate with the new look All-Star Game on Sunday night.

No stars in the Dunk Contest

Over the course of the last decade the actual game has become more and more diluted as the top stars in the league dial down the defense, slash the intensity and spoil the spectacle. As a result Saturdays at All-Star weekend have taken the spotlight.

One of the top events of the weekend has always been the Dunk Contest even though the league’s headliners tend to shy away. Gone are the days of MJ and Dominique or Vince Carter brining the house down. The participants over the last few years have had plenty of hops, but lacked the star power to really make for must see TV.

This year is no different. The cast of high flyers that will be looking to bring home the title of Slam Dunk Champion are not household names. There is a rookie, Stephon Castle, who is having a great debut season with the Spurs with a few spectacular dunks sprinkled into his highlight reel. Two second year playes, Andre Jackson Jr. and Matas Buzelis, who have bounced back and forth from the G-League to the NBA. Lastly, we have a Dunk Contest veteran who has spent most of his career in the G-League, but Mac McClung is THE dunk champ, having won the last two and become the first player ever to win three Slam Dunk Contests in a row.

Here are your contestants of the

- Matas Buzelis, Chicago Bulls

- Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs

- Andre Jackson Jr., Milwaukee Bucks

- Mac McClung, Osceola Magic (G League)