NBA Slam Dunk Competition Should Take Notes From MLB Home Run Derby

Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. won last night's MLB All-Star Home Run Derby in exciting fashion after hitting 25 of his 72 homer total in the final round to defeat the Seattle Mariners' Julio Rodriguez.

It was especially exciting for baseball fans because it showcased one of the games best as Guerrero is a 3x All-Star.

You know who isn't having any 3x All-Stars winning their annual showcase in recent years? The NBA and their Slam-Dunk competition. And if anything, last night's exciting baseball-bursting performance once again showed just how much the NBA and their players just don't get it.

THE NBA WOULD NEVER

The Home Run Derby was a perfect mixture of up and coming stars like Julio Rodriguez and the Chicago White Sox Luis Robert as well as big names like Vlad Guerrero Jr. and the New York Mets Pete Alonso. It's simple logic - by having recognizable names, people will tune in. It's also fun for the "anything can happen" moments. For example, Rodriguez hit a record-setting 41 home runs in just ONE at-bat in the first round!

Meanwhile, this past year's NBA Slam Dunk competitors were:

And no, that's not Kenyon Martin as Kenyon Martin... that's his son.

NBA PLAYERS EXCUSES

So why won't the star NBA players bother to give back to the fans by showcasing their dunking skills? In an ever-so-viral social media driven world, clearly the athletes know that a spectacular dunk competition would only benefit the sport - hell, it may even help their historically low ratings.

Well, many of the players cite injury concerns and the need to rest. Ya know, because Greg Popovich hasn't paved a big enough pathway for that yet. Bottom line is that this is pure BS for many of them.

Similar concerns were heard for years in the Home Run Derby. "Oh, it may change my swing for the worst..." some would say. (Important to note - simply based on the star Derby participants, this reasoning is only held by a couple).

How'd that excuse work out for the few that decided to use it? Previous Derby champions have included Ken Griffey Jr., Frank Thomas, Mark McGwire, David Ortiz, Sammy Sosa, Barry Bonds, Daryl Strawberry, Bryce Harper, Pete Alonso (twice), and oh yeah, Aaron Judge - who won it in 2017. Clearly his swing was affected by it after he ended up setting the American League Home Run record last year with 62.

LEBRON HAS NEVER DONE THE SLAM DUNK COMPETITION

The truth is that the NBA players don't want to do the Slam Dunk competition because of their ego and because they simply don't have to. Whereas previously Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Domonique Wilkins, Vince Carter and others had previously participated in it, "King" LeBron James never has. This has set a precedent that other players don't have to - and no, it doesn't have to do with "needing rest" - they get plenty of that with their obsession with "workload management." It has to do with not feeling an obligation to build the sport, as well as being scared of missing a dunk that might hurt their ego. Imagine if LeBron got stuffed by the rim? His holiness wouldn't know what to do.

For all its faults - and believe me I have plenty with Commissioner Rob Manfred - at least last night's Derby and tonight's All- Star Game should be somewhat enjoyable. We know that it won't be an embarrassment like the NBA's 184-175 final.

Meanwhile the NBA continues to see pathetic, pitiful, and problematic ratings both from the All Star Game, which fell from 3.1 to 2.2 this year, to across the league itself.

But don't worry - Adam Silver is here to save the day with his recent announcement of an in-season tournament that nobody ever asked for or will care about.