On Feb. 15, former University of Connecticut men’s basketball players Stephon Castle and Andre Jackson Jr. will be among the four NBA players competing in this year’s Slam Dunk Contest.
The NBA Slam Dunk Contest is a competition between four to six NBA players.
There are five judges who score the dunks out of 10 points. The maximum score a player can receive on a dunk is 50 points.
To start, all four players will get two dunks in the first round. The two players with the highest combined score between the two rounds go to the final round. These final two players will then get two more dunks and the player with the highest combined score will compete in the championship round.
This will be a first dunk contest for both of the former Huskies, with Castle emerging as a rookie and Jackson Jr. in his second year in the NBA.
Both players are known for their strength and athleticism, with it not being a major surprise that either player is participating. Both players have already had plenty of highlight dunks in their short careers.
Castle, the fourth overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, is having quite the rookie campaign for the San Antonio Spurs, averaging under 13 points per game.
Castle’s athleticism, quickness and high-volume offensive play has seen him become the current front-runner for the NBA Rookie of the Year award.
Castle will also be participating in the NBA “Rising Stars” game, a similar event to the All-Star game except it is for the young players in the league such as rookies and second years.
Castle’s former UConn teammate and fellow rookie Donovan Clingan will be participating in the Rising Stars game.
While Castle may have stronger stats than Jackson Jr., he has secured a spot as a starting player for the championship contender, the Milwaukee Bucks. His value on the defensive end as a top tier defender is what got him playing time throughout his professional career so far.
UConn coach Dan Hurley, who coached both players during their time at the university, was asked for his input on his pick to win this year’s dunk contest.
“I’ve got to go with Andre,” Hurley said to the New Haven Register. “It’s hard to pick between the two champions. As much as it pains me to go against another champion, I would put my money on Andre.”
Castle and Jackson Jr.’s two other competitors in the dunk contest are rookie Matas Buzelis of the Chicago Bulls and Mac McClung of the Orlando Magic.
McClung has won two dunk contests consecutively and is looking for another win on Saturday.
Regardless of the result, Storrs is going to be proud of the representation in this year’s NBA All-Star weekend, specifically the dunk contest.
