Probably Afraid of Kenny "Sky" Walker.
We all remember last year when LeBron grabbed the mic at the All-Star game and said he was putting his name in the hat for this year’s dunk contest. Well, if you don’t remember it, it happened. LeBron wondered over, wearing his Kanye sunglasses and said we’d see him in 2010. Apparently, LeBron has had a change of heart. I don’t think anyone ever expected LeBron to do the dunk contest, but basically entering, and then pulling out? That’s uncalled for. Should LeBrizzle dunk? Well…
The Case that he shouldn’t:
1. The Dunk Contest is Dead. There’s no disputing this. The event has undergone some revival (white guys aren’t winning anymore), but ever since 2000 when Vince did his thing, the event has never hit that peak again in my mind. Dwight Howard’s a beast, and some of these guys have crazy stuff, but it’s hard to be impressed.
2. Injury. Do I think LeBron would get injured in the dunk contest? No. Would it be an incredibly bad time for him to get injured? Yes.
3. Lose/Lose. If he wins, everyone will say, “of course.” If he loses, he’s basically getting punked. Remember the video of the college kid “not really” dunking on LeBron over the summer? Why risk the trash talk?
Why he should dunk…
1. Pride. Back in the eighties, and even the nineties the best guys did these contests. You didn’t see Larry Legend pulling out of the three-point contest because he didn’t want to lose. He knew everyone was gunning for him, but he still took home some trophies. Don’t tell me LeBron isn’t an egomaniac. I’m sure he thinks he would win. Why not prove it?
2. Revive the Weekend. All-Star games as a rule have become impossibly dull. Baseball has inter-league play messing things up, and occasionally gets a decent home-run derby. Football is a lost cause, and no one cares or plays defense in hockey. The NBA All-Star Game is always a sloppy affair, but Saturday Night used to be a big draw. If LeBron comes back, it’s instant credibility, and I think you’d see more superstars follow his lead.
3. Money. You don’t think LeBron could use that extra 25 grand or whatever? It’s hard out there for a pimp. But, seriously. How about keeping your word. Is he going to enter 2011’s contest this year after he gets caught up in the action on the sidelines?
Ultimately, I think LeBron should dunk, and if doesn’t they should get rid of the contest. I imagine it’s a little like watching skateboarding, or snowboarding. Don’t these fans get tired, or desensitized to these tricks? It has to get old, of course in those sports you have the possibility of a crash….and I imagine that helps. No one ever falls during the dunk contest.
3-Putt Territory 
bottom line, sports industry = subset of entertainment industry…big is usually better, glamour is great (hold the effort).
dunks will always be performative, isn’t that why fans pay the big bucks and why the harlem globe trotters are still in business?
Q, who needs to go to sleep already but has fun on the blog during this very festive MLK,Jr day edition.
He 100% should. 1 time, not every year, but he should. If you watch the guy play his hops are extra-terrestrial (sp). I don’t pay much attention to the dunk contest, but there are a few guys every couple years who can actually do something that you haven’t seen anyone do, and LeBron is one of those guys.
I heard Larry Bird walked into the locker room one year and said, “I hope all of you ladies have fun playing for 2nd place.” Something to that effect. He went out and wiped the floor with everybody else.
i think it’s the idea of creative that stops him. It seems to me like everything has already been done, you have to think and plan pretty good before you come up with something good.