All-Star Weekend Rewind: John Wall Wins 2014 Slam Dunk Contest
By Ethan Smith
The 2014 NBA Slam Dunk Contest: The Rules
In 2014, as grumblings about a “boring” dunk contest grew, the NBA decided to switch things up. After letting the fans decide the winner in 2013—and letting them choose Terrence Ross—the NBA adopted a new team-based format that pitted a 3-man Team East vs a 3-man Team West.
The Freestyle Round
In the new format, each team started with a 90-second dunk showcase. A 3-man free-for-all assault on the rim. In the freestyle round, dunks weren’t to be ranked individually. Instead, each team’s 90-second showcase would be judged as a whole and against the other team’s freestyle round.
Battle Rounds
After the freestyle round, the contest moved to a more traditional style, but with a twist. In the Battle Rounds, guys are back to throwing down individual dunks. But instead of simply crowning the best dunker, the battle rounds pitted one Team East dunker vs one Team West dunker.
Three dunk-offs. One dunk each. Who’s better?