Back on January 29th Chris Haynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer sent out the following Tweet about Denver Nuggets guard/forward Will Barton and the NBA’s Slam Dunk Contest:
Should be no-brainer to invite Denver high-flying, rising star Will Barton to compete in Slam Dunk Contest. League is considering, I’m told.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) January 29, 2016
Haynes, formerly a reporter in Portland where Barton broke into the league, followed up that Tweet tonight with some good news for fans of The People’s Champ:
Denver Nuggets G Will Barton has been invited to compete in Slam Dunk Contest, league source informed @clevelanddotcom. Well deserved honor.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) February 4, 2016
It should be a no-brainer that Barton will accept the invite as he recently had the following to say to Christopher Dempsey of the Denver Post on the subject:
Would he want to be in the NBA’s Slam Dunk contest?
The short answer is yes.
“I mean, if they asked me, I would do it,” Barton said. “It’s just how I feel about it. But I don’t have too many feelings about it.”
If Barton does indeed compete, that will mark three Nuggets who will be in Toronto for All-Star festivities as Emmanuel Mudiay and Nikola Jokic will participate on the World Team in the Rising Stars Challenge on Feb. 12th.
Plays like this one against Houston Rockets power forward Donatas Motiejunas are a major reason why Barton should be in the contest.
Dunk Contest Info:
What: Verizon Slam Dunk
When: Feb. 13 | All-Star Saturday Night | 8:30 p.m. ET | (4th Event)
Where: Air Canada Centre
TV: TNT
Participants: TBD (Barton?)
Year-by-year list of NBA Slam Dunk Contest winners:
| Year | Winner (Team) | Location |
| 2015 | Zach LaVine (Timberwolves) | New York City |
| 2014 | John Wall (Wizards) | New Orleans |
| 2013 | Terrence Ross (Raptors) | Houston |
| 2012 | Jeremy Evans (Jazz) | Orlando |
| 2011 | Blake Griffin (Clippers) | Los Angeles |
| 2010 | Nate Robinson (Knicks) | Dallas |
| 2009 | Nate Robinson (Knicks) | Phoenix |
| 2008 | Dwight Howard (Magic) | New Orleans |
| 2007 | Gerald Green (Celtics) | Las Vegas |
| 2006 | Nate Robinson (Knicks) | Houston |
| 2005 | Josh Smith (Hawks) | Denver |
| 2004 | Fred Jones (Pacers) | Los Angeles |
| 2003 | Jason Richardson (Warriors) | Atlanta |
| 2002 | Jason Richardson (Warriors) | Philadelphia |
| 2001 | Desmond Mason (Sonics) | Washington, D.C. |
| 2000 | Vince Carter (Raptors) | Oakland |
| 1997 | Kobe Bryant (Lakers) | Cleveland |
| 1996 | Brent Barry (Clippers) | San Antonio |
| 1995 | Harold Miner (Heat) | Phoenix |
| 1994 | Isiah Rider (Timberwolves) | Minneapolis |
| 1993 | Harold Miner (Heat) | Salt Lake City |
| 1992 | Cedric Ceballos (Suns) | Orlando |
| 1991 | Dee Brown (Celtics) | Charlotte |
| 1990 | Dominique Wilkins (Hawks) | Miami |
| 1989 | Kenny Walker (Knicks) | Houston |
| 1988 | Michael Jordan (Bulls) | Chicago |
| 1987 | Michael Jordan (Bulls) | Seattle |
| 1986 | Spud Webb (Hawks) | Dallas |
| 1985 | Dominique Wilkins (Hawks) | Indianapolis |
| 1984 | Larry Nance (Suns) | Denver |
Denver Nuggets in the Slam Dunk Contest via RealGM:
| 2012-2013 | Kenneth Faried | Denver Nuggets | F | 6-8 | 228 | 23 | Morehead State | N/A |
| 2008-2009 | J.R. Smith | Denver Nuggets | SG | 6-6 | 225 | 23 | Saint Benedict’s Preparatory School (New Jersey) | N/A |
| 2003-2004 | Chris Andersen | Denver Nuggets | FC | 6-10 | 245 | 25 | Blinn | N/A |
| 1996-1997 | Darvin Ham | Denver Nuggets | F-G | 6-7 | 220 | 23 | Texas Tech | N/A |
| 1993-1994 | Robert Pack | Denver Nuggets | SG | 6-2 | 180 | 25 | USC | N/A |
| 1992-1993 | Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf | Denver Nuggets | PG | 6-0 | 162 | 23 | LSU | N/A |
