Less than two weeks after shooting down rumors that he planned to compete in the 2020 NBA Dunk Contest, Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard has confirmed that “Superman” is, in fact, making a come back.
Howard, 34, headlined some the most memorable Dunk Contest competitions against Nate Robinson during a three-year run from 2007-09, including a championship in 2008.
So who will Dwight be competing against in Chicago on February 15th? As now, the only other confirmed entrant is Miami Heat forward Derrick Jones Jr. Memphis Grizzlies rookie point guard Ja Morant was one the four original invitees, but he recently declined in order to focus on “maintaining good health for the duration the season.” That said, Morant hasn’t ruled out competing in future contests.
Two-time dunk champion Zach LaVine was the fourth invitee and his decision still has not been made. According to ESPN’s Eric Woodyard, LaVine is still weighing his options, and he’ll be “more likely” to participate if he is selected to the Eastern Conference All Star team. The 24-year old high flyer captured the crown in 2015 and 2016 after outlasting Orlando Magic forward Aaron Gordon in dramatic fashion.
Stay tuned for updates regarding the Dunk Contest, as well as , as the NBA All-Star weekend is just a few weeks away. In the meantime, relive some Dwight’s greatest Dunk Contest moments in the video embedded below.