Duke basketball: Zion Williamson teases potential dunk contest availability

Duke basketball star Zion Williamson teased his availability in the 2021 NBA Dunk Contest. 

It’s only been two seasons that former Duke basketball superstar Zion Williamson has been in the NBA, but the league has been waiting for the high-flying young All-Star to appear in the Dunk Contest.

After getting a brief preview at some dunks the former Blue Devil almost threw down at last season’s Futures Game, Williamson seems intrigued by making an appearance at this year’s All-Star Sunday Night.

When asked about the potential of being in the NBA Dunk Contest, Williamson said, “Who knows? That’s all I can say. Who knows? I might. You never know.”

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Zion Williamson was named to his first career All-Star Game as a reserve on Tuesday night as he is averaging 25.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.0 steals per game on 61.6-percent shooting from the floor.

Williamson ranks ninth in the NBA with 58 dunks.

Former champion Zach Lavine, also an All-Star this year, announced that he will not participate in the event this year.

Instead of taking place on its usual Saturday night, the NBA will host its ‘Saturday Night’ at halftime of the All-Star Game on Sunday evening.

Duke basketball star has shown flashes in past dunk contests

Prior to his arrival at Duke and his jaw-dropping slams in college, Zion Williamson was throwing tomahawk dunks in the McDonald’s All-American Game Dunk Contest.

However, prior to the 2019 NBA Draft in a sit-down interview with Rachel Nichols on The Jump, Williamson explained that he doesn’t like to participate in dunk contests. Rather, he just prefers to dunk in games or warmups to hype himself up.

Perhaps since the 2021 Dunk Contest is at halftime of a game, Zion Williamson will need some self-motivation in order to hype himself up for the second half of the All-Star Game.

If Zion is to participate in the dunk contest, he has to make his final decision in the coming days.