Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

League Tried To Lure 2 LA Hall Of Famers For Slam Dunk Contest

Originally posted on FanNation All Lakers
By Alex Kirschenbaum | Last updated 2/20/24

Two of the greatest players to ever don not just Los Angeles Lakers jerseys but NBA jerseys almost competed against each other — and possibly the best dunker of all time — in what would have been an epic Slam Dunk Contest.

During an interview on FanDuel TV’s Run It Back, Michelle Beadle asked 2000 Slam Dunk champ Vince Carter, himself an eight-time All-Star and 2024 Hall of Fame finalist, if there was any credibility to the rumor that the league floated a major purse to himself and some other big names in the hopes they could revive the sagging Slam Dunk Contest during All-Star weekend.

Carter confirmed that this did happen, and that the league reached out to himself, his cousin and fellow Hall of Famer (Vinsanity is getting in, we’re calling it now) Tracy McGrady, and two eventual Los Angeles luminaries in former Hall of Fame shooting guard Kobe Bryant and sure-to-be first ballot Hall of Fame current Lakers combo forward LeBron James. They were apparently offered $1 million each just to suit up for the festivities.

"There was a rumor back in the day that the NBA tried to elevate the dunk contest...Who were they trying to pitch you against?" @MichelleDBeadle

"It was Kobe, T-Mac, LeBron...But guys didn't want to do it." @mrvincecarter15

: https://t.co/qYBPWhYgh7 pic.twitter.com/6scfnZYVpY
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) February 20, 2024

According to Carter, other invitees demurred the offer.

Considering that James, one of the league’s best in-game dunkers ever, has never participated in the Slam Dunk Contest across any of his 21 seasons, one can only assume that he was less-than-enthused at the time. It’s unclear exactly when this was, but James was a Laker after all the other players, save Carter (who played for an NBA-record 23 seasons) had retired. One can assume he was with the Cleveland Cavaliers or perhaps the Miami Heat by the time this offer was tendered (Carter and McGrady were no longer All-Stars when James joined Miami).

Carter may be the best dunker of this group, but all four were athletic marvels capable of displaying plenty of flash and creativity, especially in a more nascent era for the Dunk Contest (no one was jumping over Kias just yet). It would have been fascinating to see these greats go head-to-head.

This article first appeared on FanNation All Lakers and was syndicated with permission.

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