Rudy Gay to compete in Sprite Slam Dunk Contest
Joe Murphy/NBAE/Getty Images
Memphis, January 21, 2008 – Memphis Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay will compete in the 2008 Sprite Slam Dunk Competition to be held on NBA All-Star Saturday Night Feb. 16, at New Orleans Arena (7 p.m. Central time), the NBA announced today. No Grizzly has ever won the event, which debuted in 1984.
The 6-9, 220-pound sophomore forward will make his second appearance during All-Star Weekend after leading the rookie team with 22 points in last year’s T-Mobile Rookie Challenge in Las Vegas.
The 21-year-old is the only NBA player ranked in the top 40 in dunks (63, 9th) and three-point field goals made (64, T-33rd). He is also second among all second-year NBA players in scoring and shares team high honors with Pau Gasol, averaging 19.3 points per game.
Gay will join a slam dunk field that includes the defending champion and Minnesota Timberwolves swingman Gerald Green, Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard and Toronto Raptors rookie forward Jamario Moon.
For the first time, fans will have the final say in deciding the winner of the Sprite Slam Dunk competition. Following the concluding round of dunks, fans will be able to cast their votes via SMS TXT message and at NBA.com to determine this year’s winner. The dunker with the most fan votes will be named the winner of the Sprite Slam Dunk. A panel of judges will continue to play a key role by determining which two participants advance to the final round. During the final round, each judge’s vote will count the same as a fan vote.
The dunker with the lowest total score from the first round will compete first in the final round. Dunks then will alternate until each player has completed two. Time limit rules still apply. After the four finals dunks are completed, fan voting polls will open via SMS TXT message and at NBA.com. Each judge will then provide commentary on the dunkers and hold up a placard with his vote for the winner. The judge’s votes will be combined with the SMS TXT and NBA.com votes to determine the champion.
As with all of this year's All-Star participants, Gay, Green, Howard and Moon will join over 2,500 members of the NBA Family for the NBA Cares All-Star Day of Service on Friday, Feb. 15. The volunteers will participate in a variety of service projects at 10 different sites throughout New Orleans.
The Sprite Slam Dunk is part of NBA All-Star 2008, which also includes the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam; Foot Locker Three-Point Shootout; PlayStation® Skills Challenge; Haier Shooting Stars; NBA All-Star Jam Session presented by adidas; and the 57th NBA All-Star Game.
Sprite is the world’s leading lemon-lime soft drink and has been the official soft drink of the NBA since 1994.