{"id":136397,"date":"2026-01-09T00:43:38","date_gmt":"2026-01-09T00:43:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=136397"},"modified":"2026-01-09T00:43:38","modified_gmt":"2026-01-09T00:43:38","slug":"update-nba-legends-are-pushing-bronny-james-into-the-dunk-contest-conversation-for-a-young-lakers-guard-thats-high-praise-and-heavy-pressure-how-would-he-handle-the-league","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=136397","title":{"rendered":"Update: NBA legends are pushing Bronny James into the dunk contest conversation. For a young Lakers guard, that\u2019s high praise \u2014 and heavy pressure. How would he handle the league\u2019s brightest All-Star spotlight? (J)"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

NBA Legends Call on Bronny James to Enter Slam Dunk Contest, Citing Star Power and Hollywood Appeal<\/h3>\n

\"Bronny<\/p>\n

The NBA Slam Dunk Contest has struggled in recent years to attract elite star power, but a trio of basketball legends believes they may have found the perfect solution\u2014Bronny James<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

During a recent postgame broadcast on NBA on NBC<\/strong>, retired superstars Carmelo Anthony, Tracy McGrady, and Vince Carter<\/strong> discussed their wish list for All-Star Weekend participants. While Carter offered a handful of realistic names, the conversation took an unexpected turn when both McGrady and Anthony floated Bronny James as their \u201cdream candidate\u201d to revive interest in the dunk contest.<\/p>\n

And their reasoning was simple: location, spotlight, and name recognition.<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cListen, we going to Los Angeles, we going to La La Land, Hollywood,\u201d McGrady said.<\/em>
\u201cWhen we\u2019re in Hollywood, there\u2019s got to be a name that really just brings everyone out\u2014someone everybody wants to see. We need Bronny James. That\u2019s the name.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Why Bronny James Would Draw Massive Attention<\/h3>\n

There\u2019s no denying the star power attached to Bronny James.<\/p>\n

As the son of LeBron James<\/strong> and a member of the Los Angeles Lakers<\/strong>, Bronny carries a level of visibility rarely seen for a young role player. While his on-court role remains limited, his presence alone generates headlines\u2014and that\u2019s exactly what the dunk contest has been missing.<\/p>\n

Anthony and McGrady emphasized that All-Star Weekend is as much about entertainment as competition<\/strong>, and with the festivities taking place in Los Angeles, the opportunity for spectacle is obvious.<\/p>\n

Even though the Los Angeles Clippers<\/strong> are officially hosting the weekend, Lakers fans\u2014and casual NBA fans in general\u2014would undoubtedly tune in to see Bronny step onto the biggest individual stage of the event.<\/p>\n

Is Bronny a Realistic Dunk Contest Participant?<\/h3>\n

\"Lakers<\/p>\n

From a basketball standpoint, the idea isn\u2019t as far-fetched as it might sound.<\/p>\n

Bronny has flashed impressive athleticism in limited NBA minutes and during practice sessions, showcasing explosive leaping ability and creativity above the rim. He wouldn\u2019t be the first young or lightly-used rotation player to participate in the dunk contest\u2014many past competitors entered before becoming household names.<\/p>\n

In fact, the contest has increasingly relied on younger, less-established players<\/strong> as top stars have declined invitations. From that perspective, Bronny fits the modern mold.<\/p>\n

Other rumored names, such as VJ Edgecombe<\/strong> and Ja Morant<\/strong>, remain popular fan requests. Edgecombe would represent the traditional high-flying rookie option, while Morant would bring elite star appeal\u2014if he ever agrees to participate. If those names don\u2019t materialize, Bronny James could be a compelling alternative.<\/p>\n

The Risk Factor: Pressure and Expectations<\/h3>\n

Of course, the downside is obvious.<\/p>\n

Entering the dunk contest would place enormous expectations<\/strong> on Bronny. A lackluster performance would likely draw harsh criticism and online ridicule, particularly given the spotlight that follows the James family. That pressure alone could be enough to keep him from accepting an invitation.<\/p>\n

However, a strong showing\u2014or even a surprise victory\u2014could significantly boost Bronny\u2019s credibility around the league. It would give him a moment to define himself outside of his father\u2019s shadow and create his own narrative.<\/p>\n

Support From the NBA\u2019s Old Guard<\/h3>\n

Carmelo Anthony\u2019s comments also carry added weight given his close relationship with LeBron James and the James family<\/strong>. His call for Bronny to participate appeared more supportive than sensational, framed as an opportunity rather than a stunt.<\/p>\n

Anthony, McGrady, and Carter all understand what it means to perform on the All-Star stage\u2014and what kind of momentum it can generate for a young player\u2019s career.<\/p>\n

Could Bronny Help Save the Dunk Contest?<\/h3>\n

\"LeBron<\/p>\n

In recent years, the three-point contest has routinely overshadowed the dunk contest<\/strong>, largely due to stronger star participation. NBA commissioner Adam Silver<\/strong> has openly expressed a desire to bring excitement back to the event.<\/p>\n

While landing multiple All-Stars would be ideal, Bronny James represents a different kind of draw\u2014one rooted in intrigue, celebrity, and storyline rather than r\u00e9sum\u00e9.<\/p>\n

He may not yet be a star on the court, but few players could generate more buzz.<\/p>\n

Whether Bronny ultimately accepts such a challenge remains to be seen. But with NBA legends publicly calling his name, the idea has officially entered the conversation\u2014and that alone has already brought more attention to the dunk contest than it\u2019s had in years.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n
\n
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

NBA Legends Call on Bronny James to Enter Slam Dunk Contest, Citing Star Power and Hollywood Appeal The NBA Slam Dunk Contest has struggled in recent years… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":136401,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-136397","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba"],"yoast_head":"\nUpdate: NBA legends are pushing Bronny James into the dunk contest conversation. For a young Lakers guard, that\u2019s high praise \u2014 and heavy pressure. How would he handle the league\u2019s brightest All-Star spotlight? (J) - NEWS USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=136397\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Update: NBA legends are pushing Bronny James into the dunk contest conversation. For a young Lakers guard, that\u2019s high praise \u2014 and heavy pressure. How would he handle the league\u2019s brightest All-Star spotlight? (J) - NEWS USA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"NBA Legends Call on Bronny James to Enter Slam Dunk Contest, Citing Star Power and Hollywood Appeal The NBA Slam Dunk Contest has struggled in recent years...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=136397\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"NEWS USA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-01-09T00:43:38+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/4-21.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"673\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"MsThao\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"MsThao\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=136397\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=136397\",\"name\":\"Update: NBA legends are pushing Bronny James into the dunk contest conversation. For a young Lakers guard, that\u2019s high praise \u2014 and heavy pressure. How would he handle the league\u2019s brightest All-Star spotlight? (J) - NEWS USA\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=136397#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=136397#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/4-21.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-01-09T00:43:38+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-01-09T00:43:38+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/73dec88841ffe3be696a72d46df40731\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=136397#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=136397\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=136397#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/4-21.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/4-21.png\",\"width\":1200,\"height\":673},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=136397#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Update: NBA legends are pushing Bronny James into the dunk contest conversation. For a young Lakers guard, that\u2019s high praise \u2014 and heavy pressure. How would he handle the league\u2019s brightest All-Star spotlight? (J)\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/\",\"name\":\"NEWS USA\",\"description\":\"Your Daily Dose of Sports News and Updates\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/73dec88841ffe3be696a72d46df40731\",\"name\":\"MsThao\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/23335ad696d6700b03ba8d09f84a67eadb58cde164fc044a22845ec8be19771f?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/23335ad696d6700b03ba8d09f84a67eadb58cde164fc044a22845ec8be19771f?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"MsThao\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?author=3\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Update: NBA legends are pushing Bronny James into the dunk contest conversation. For a young Lakers guard, that\u2019s high praise \u2014 and heavy pressure. How would he handle the league\u2019s brightest All-Star spotlight? (J) - NEWS USA","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=136397","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Update: NBA legends are pushing Bronny James into the dunk contest conversation. For a young Lakers guard, that\u2019s high praise \u2014 and heavy pressure. How would he handle the league\u2019s brightest All-Star spotlight? (J) - NEWS USA","og_description":"NBA Legends Call on Bronny James to Enter Slam Dunk Contest, Citing Star Power and Hollywood Appeal The NBA Slam Dunk Contest has struggled in recent years...","og_url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=136397","og_site_name":"NEWS USA","article_published_time":"2026-01-09T00:43:38+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1200,"height":673,"url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/4-21.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"MsThao","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"MsThao","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=136397","url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=136397","name":"Update: NBA legends are pushing Bronny James into the dunk contest conversation. For a young Lakers guard, that\u2019s high praise \u2014 and heavy pressure. How would he handle the league\u2019s brightest All-Star spotlight? (J) - NEWS USA","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=136397#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=136397#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/4-21.png","datePublished":"2026-01-09T00:43:38+00:00","dateModified":"2026-01-09T00:43:38+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/73dec88841ffe3be696a72d46df40731"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=136397#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=136397"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=136397#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/4-21.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/4-21.png","width":1200,"height":673},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=136397#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Update: NBA legends are pushing Bronny James into the dunk contest conversation. For a young Lakers guard, that\u2019s high praise \u2014 and heavy pressure. How would he handle the league\u2019s brightest All-Star spotlight? (J)"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/","name":"NEWS USA","description":"Your Daily Dose of Sports News and Updates","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/73dec88841ffe3be696a72d46df40731","name":"MsThao","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/23335ad696d6700b03ba8d09f84a67eadb58cde164fc044a22845ec8be19771f?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/23335ad696d6700b03ba8d09f84a67eadb58cde164fc044a22845ec8be19771f?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"MsThao"},"url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?author=3"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/136397","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=136397"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/136397\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":136403,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/136397\/revisions\/136403"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/136401"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=136397"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=136397"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=136397"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}