After receiving 50s on his first five dunks, Orlando’s Aaron Gordon got a 47 from the judges on his final attempt and settled for second place in a controversial finish to this year’s dunk contest. The score came on a dunk where he leaped over 7’5″ Celtics rookie Tacko Fall, and the result was reminiscent of the 2016 dunk contest where Gordon finished second to Zach LaVine.
Gordon thrilled the crowd with a series of memorable slams, but still finished behind Miami’s Derrick Jones Jr., who put on a show of his own. It’s being hailed as of the greatest dunk showdowns in the history of the contest, but it will likely be remembered for its unpopular finish.
TNT announcers Kenny Smith and Reggie Miller both criticized the judging when the final score was revealed, and a host of NBA reporters followed suit on Twitter.
“Call the cops! Aaron Gordon just got robbed! When you dunk over Tacko Fall that’s a 50!” tweeted Michael Scotto of Bleacher Report.
“Aaron Gordon has jumped over Stuff the Magic Dragon and Tacko Fall and he’s somehow 0 for 2,” added Brian Mahoney of the Associated Press. “Nobody has ever done more and gotten less.” (Twitter link)
The world record in the high jump is 7 ft 11.67 inches,” noted former NBA executive John Hollinger, who now writes for the Athletic. “Gordon jumped over a guy who is 7-6 in shoes, grabbed a basketball and dunked it.” (Twitter link)
Gordon was among those unhappy with the judging, telling reporters, including Fred Katz of The Athletic, “Jumping over someone who’s 7’5″, that’s no easy feat. … What’d I get? 47? C’mon, man. What’re we doing? … I don’t even know who gave me the 9s. I’m gonna find them.” (Twitter links)
Gordon also said he’s through with the dunk contest and may try the 3-point competition in the future. “It’s a wrap,” he said. “I feel like I should have two trophies. So it’s over for that.” (Twitter link)
We want to get your feedback. Did Gordon deserve to win? Should the judges have declared the contest a tie in recognition of the great dunks from both Gordon and Jones that sent the contest into overtime? Please leave your feedback in the space below.
100 he was. Dwade was riding heat players Doinkers all night then he gives him a 9 when he jumps over tacko. That was the only not perfect score he got all night.
Well he didn’t really clear him. Tako had his head bent down, and AG kind of still landed on it. Actually pretty sloppy if you ask me.
As to whether it should have been a draw previously, probably. Don’t care that he was perfect in the prelims. Scores always get reset in the finals in really every type of competition. But the dunk contest is so lame these days that extra rounds are surely not needed. Just call it a draw already.
Jones tried to jump over bam who is a legit 7-8” inches shorter than tacko and djj had to push off to do it. It also took him 2 tries to do it and he got a 48 for it.
AG was robbed both years…. This time, after 4 Perfect & Spectacular Dunks (50 points on each)… the Judges should have gone to their cards after 4 attempts…Gordon 200 vs Jones 196… WHO WON – FAIR and SQUARE ? … the NBA should justifiably reverse this unfair decision and call it a draw, with both excellent players sharing the Trophy… as both deserved it.
The NBA makes a lot of noise with other issues that are not as demoralizing to players and to the fans as this delicate situation.
This is really not a light and artificial subject, as millions of faithful fans felt betrayed in their good faith by this unfair treatment of player Aaron Gordon by the judges, including from Dwayne Wade (who gave him a score of just 9 on his last attempt, but who simultaneously judged all dunks by player Jones from Miami with perfect scores, well deserved, don’t get me wrong).
NBA should intervene and give AG his deserved trophy as a co-winner of that competition… nothing more , nothing less.
Call the police
Absolutely robbed.
I thought both him and Derrick Jones Jr had solid dunks and it was another amazing dunk contest but they need to decide after the final 2 dunk each in the final.
At that point it’s either a tie or Aaron Gordon.
After the 6th dunk he got a 47 on a dunk that should’ve been 50…
surprised he even hung around for interviews I would’ve walked out
Why should it have been a 50? The dunk itself wasn’t really impressive for a guy that is 6’ 9”. Fall stood inside the restricted area which is 3 feet from the center of the rim. It’s impressive to jump over him but it was a basic dunk over a tall guy. What in your eyes made it a 50?
Tacko Fall is 7’5 and the world record high jump is 8 foot.
Gordon jumped insanely high and did a nice dunk. What did DJJ do for his last dunk? Oh that’s right a dunk we have seen done over and over before
Gordon’s dunk was exactly the same too, just jump over a guy like he did before. Maybe if he did something original, instead of the same dunk over and over, then maybe he would have won and no one would be whining about it.
Neither final dunk was great. But honestly it should have ended on Gordon’s prior dunk where he did between the legs over one guy as opposed to the two that DJJ did to earn a fifty early. The middle two dunks were more impressive than the first and last.
And if you actually watch this, his right leg is dragging over Fall. Fall ducks to try not to be knocked over by Gordon. He didn’t clear 7’5”. Call it what it is. The end result of a poorly laid out system.
Also worth nothing DJJ on his first dunk needed to piggy back push over Adebayo who is 6’8 and got a 46
Gordon didn’t need a push and did it over someone nearly a whole foot taller
The clear difference was how far Adebayo was from the hoop. And why are we talking about earlier rounds and comparing them to later ones? He landed on Fall and pulled himself closer which was easily done because Fall was inside the restricted area.
If everyone puts away their personal biases, the issue wasn’t the final dunk. It should have never gotten there. When a dunk off ensues, they should just have the judges vote on it as another poster suggested.
And it took him two times
The clear difference is about 8 inches in height genius
This high jump comparison is stupid. A successful jump in high jump means you got your ENTIRE BODY over the pole. Obviously Gordon did not get his entire body over Tacko
If Gordon did that du k in the first round no doubt they would give him a 50
To jump over Tacko Fall empty-handed is impressive.
To jump over him and complete a dunk is beyond impressive and should be a 50.
That’s like sayin a guy jumped from the 3 point line but did a basic dunk at the end.
You can’t debate with that mentality… complete waste of time and energy.
I thought it was a dunk contest, not a jumping contest. But the event needs a different name. Dunking merely means rising above the rim and dropping the ball into the net. This event, however, rewards something quite different—physical wizardry. And given the admission that judges had tried to fix the outcome in advance, you really can’t call it a “contest” or a “competition.” It’s just an exhibition.
I’ve rose above the rim and dropped the ball into the basket without dunking it countless times – albeit SEVERAL years ago.
But, imho, jumping is a big part of the “degree of difficulty” on certain dunks in the contest. Jumping off two feet from within 5 feet of the rim and doin a routine 2 hand dunk vs jumping from 5 feet over a 7’6 guy, but finishing with the same routine 2 handed dunk are still two WAY different things that should have a wide disparity of a score. But, that’s just me.
They were pretty generous with that first dunk Gordon had
If you look at all 5 dunks for both of them, think everyone will have to admit Derrick Jones Jr had the better package anyways. Gordon just kept jumping over the same guy, talk about lack of imagination. That being said, he should have won against Zach Lavine and that would’ve taken the sting outta this one.
Derrick Jones kept doing between the legs dunks. So what’s ur point? Aaron Gordon has the 2 best dunks in this competition
Only logical argument for Gordon winning is that one off the side of the backboard, that was sweet. Firstly, between the legs is alot harder than jumper over Chance the midget, and DJJ’s between the legs were all different in some way all showing off supreme athleticism, Gordon had two that were barely even different
Who did djj jump over? Acouple of short guys. And he played leap frog with bam because he couldn’t jump over him
Dude Aaron Gordon jumped over chance the rapper who was like a foot shorter than Gordon.
And djj jumped over some short white dude for 2 of his dunks that got 50s so what now?
In my opinion, you can’t trust any athletic competition that depends on judging. I mean gymnastics, diving, figure skating, boxing, MMA, skateboarding, snowboarding, dunk contests, and anything else I may have forgotten. Everyone is biased to one degree or another and no one can ever completely set aside those biases. And that doesn’t even include incompetence in the equation. And we all know that there are some incompetent athletic judges out there.
In long run….who cares….it’s a dunk contest. They had to pick a winner or it was gonna go on forever. DWade hooked his Miami boy up. But it’s a dunk contest again….
I can assure you Jones and Gordon both care. If you were in the dunk contest, you’d care too. People competitive and like to win no matter the game or contest.
In the long run….first words….in a few months, they won’t care. It’s a pointless award for entertainment purposes.
Best DUNK actually took place in the stands and involved Oreos and Milk.
It was cool and the whole jumping over the tallest guy in the NBA is cool — but if you watch it he didn’t really quite make it. Like yeah what he did is insane and to almost make it is impressive by itself. BUT it’s not the same as the world high jump record. You can’t spread your legs to a V over a guy and say you actually jumped over him — like I get it in a dunk that’s what they do… But the high jump record would count his feet as being lower than 7’5″ so it’s not exactly the same thing. Still a good dunk though and yes, I’ll admit it was a little weird that of all the dunks that had just gotten 50s that the judges seemingly randomly decided that that was the dunk to not give a 50 to. Seemed like they just needed to end it somehow so thats what they did.
Overall I thought Jones had the slight edge. But, to not get a 50 on the dunk over Tacko was bogus. They should have just split it.
Let’s get real stars back in the duck competition. Even a Lavine being it was in Chicago would have brought some extra buzz. They didn’t need him in the 3 point competition. MLB HR derby is more exciting based off the names.
it’s all entertainment and shows the NBA is rigged. Great players, great talent, just rigged outcomes.
Just like when LA or Boston always gets calls their way.
You mean when harden travels 24 7
Simple fix next year. If the finals dunk ends up in a tie they go to a dunk off and the judges vote instead of giving a score.
Obviously robbed. Nothing wrong with a tie in these contests, especially when Gordon and Jones both had insane dunks throughout. No reason for these games if it’s for laughs.
I thought pat connaughton was robbed personally. Gordon should have won but that off the backboard over giannis was the best dunk
Vince did it in a game against France. GOAT.
Wait, people care about the dunk contest?
Only when there is “controversy,” otherwise they just ignore it like the rest of the forgettable All Star Weekend.
Aaron Gordon was burned for second time.Why didn’t they have 5 former basketball players instead of some sorry ass rapper and a b-list actor.
They were both Awesome. Some seriously wild moves.
Should’ve been a tie and given both a trophy.
They still do that?
never watching this again so why comment
The event never should have gone on as long as it did. Gordon repeatedly had to make multiple tries each round to make his dunk. Jones completely his the first try each time I think.
How can you give a perfect score when it takes you three times to complete?
Also he did not jump over Tacko. He clothes lined him in the back of his neck with his leg.
The correct person won. Period.
Doesnt. Actually. Matter.
Things he could work on. Rebounding. 3pt shooting. Mid Range. Defense. Lateral Movement.
the guy got robbed plain and simple.
Dominique got robbed
Definitely, he should’ve won on that last dunk. Before that, they could’ve stopped it at a tie.
Change the scoring. Judges give 50 on the first dunk and they have nowhere to go except down.
Judges should see all dunks (score them if you want for fan interest and/or tie breaker). Then rank them (1 to 4) in the first round and 1st and (1-2) 2nd in the next round.
So let’s say in the first round last, the first dunks were rated (best to worst):
1) Gordon
2) Connaughton
3) Jones
4) Howard
The scores would be 10-8-6-4
The next round the order was:
1) Jones
2) Gordon
3) Connaughton
4) Howard
The first round winners would be: Gordon (18) and Jones (16) with Connaughton (14) and Howard (8) missing the cut. Maybe use the traditional scoring as tie breakers?
The above example would be the score card for 1 judge, obviously with 5 judges there may be some more some variation, so the totals from all judges would need to be added.
AG was robbed both years…. This time, after 4 Perfect & Spectacular Dunks (50 points on each)… the Judges should have gone to their cards after 4 attempts…Gordon 200 vs Jones 196… WHO WON – FAIR and SQUARE ? … the NBA should justifiably reverse this unfair decision and call it a draw, with both excellent players sharing the Trophy… as both deserved it.
Is it just me or did it look like Jones finished his dunks with more “authority” than Gordon?
Oh yes, Aaron was robbed, and it is incredible that NBA permits a former teammate to judge his fellow.
This would have NOT been allowed in any business.
The NBA makes a lot of noise with other issues that are not as demoralizing to players and to the fans as this delicate situation.
This is really not a light and artificial subject, as millions of faithful fans felt betrayed in their good faith by this unfair treatment of player Aaron Gordon by the judges, including from Dwayne Wade (who gave him a score of just 9 on his last attempt, but who simultaneously judged all dunks by player Jones from Miami with perfect scores, well deserved, don’t get me wrong).
NBA should intervene and give AG his deserved trophy as a co-winner of that competition… nothing more , nothing less.