NBA All-Star Weekend brought the spotlight to Southern California this year, with the festivities unfolding at the brand-new Intuit Dome in Inglewood. While the Clippers were technically the hosts, there was no shortage of purple and gold pride, especially with the Lakers well-represented across the weekend’s marquee events.
Luka Dončić and LeBron James suited up for the All-Star Game, but it was Jaxson Hayes who took center stage during Saturday night’s Slam Dunk Contest. Known for his explosive finishes and highlight-reel jams throughout his three seasons in L.A., Hayes finally got his shot to showcase that bounce on the league’s biggest dunking platform.
A Big Stage for a Big Leaper
Hayes was part of a four-man field that included Carter Bryant (Spurs), Jase Richardson (Magic), and Keshad Johnson (Heat). Judging the contest? A panel stacked with dunk royalty: Brent Barry, Dwight Howard, Nate Robinson, and Dominique Wilkins-names that have all left their mark on dunk contest history.
Hayes was the last to go in the opening round and tried to make a statement early. He appeared to go for the iconic free-throw line dunk-a move that, when pulled off cleanly, can electrify a crowd and earn big numbers.
But he took off a step inside the line, and while he still threw it down with authority, the judges weren’t overly generous. He walked away with a 44.6, placing him fourth after the first round.
Second Round, Second Chance
With the lowest score from the opening round, Hayes kicked off the second round and went to a move that’s become part of his in-game arsenal-a self-lob, through-the-legs dunk. He missed the first attempt, which always takes a bit of the shine off, but he connected cleanly on the second try. The judges gave him a 47.2, a solid score considering the miss but not quite enough to vault him into the final.
His combined total of 91.8 edged out Richardson (88.8), but fell short of Bryant (94.8) and Johnson (92.8), who advanced to the final round. That set up a head-to-head between Bryant and Johnson, and while both opened strong, Bryant stumbled on his second attempt. That opened the door for Johnson, who capitalized and walked away with the trophy.
A Dream Realized
For Hayes, just being part of the event was a personal milestone. Before the contest, he spoke about what the moment meant to him.
“It would be really special if it was in Cleveland or Indiana, that’s close to my family,” Hayes said. “But for me, I’ve always dreamed of being in the Dunk Contest-it’s just something you do as a kid.
Obviously, making it to the NBA and being an All-Star, stuff like that is what you dream of, but I was always big into the Dunk Contest, if you guys can’t tell by the way I play. So yeah, just excited.
When I got that call, I was definitely down.”
That passion shows every time he takes flight. And while he didn’t bring home the crown this time, Hayes added his name to a long line of high-flyers who’ve made their mark during All-Star Weekend. For a player who plays above the rim as naturally as he walks, it was a fitting stage-and likely not his last.