Lebron is such an a**

[Packfill]

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i call it cowardice...not just cowardice to lose when you're a big name...but cowardice that you're afraid you're going to get some mythical stigma as just being a dunker..

it's ignorant...how can you be labeled something if you already do much more than that?..why is it for the "lesser minute" guys?...

it's a diss when you say basically that your holiness will leave some crumbs for the lesser players to fight over with just a slam dunk trophy...

just like kobe and the rest...

why can't people be honest? why not just say i don't think i'm one of the top dunkers in the league..i can hold my own but not in a competition...

tell me this Lebron...you think if you get beat by say, hakim warrick, that when you're playing each other, anyone's going to say something...it's going to tarnish your legacy?

that's why noone will ever be the next michael jordan..he didn't care, he wanted to compete, he was a competitor..i hope josh smith reads that and takes it to heart and gets fired up....

i also hope he doesn't back out the next couple years because of this attitude that is spreading..

i miss Jordan, Dominique, Barkely, Bird, and Magic.

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The reason why none of the top players participate in the dunk contest anymore is because it really isn't that important anymore. It was much newer and exciting during its first ten years - there was much more buzz. Now it is not as novel a concept and there is far less fan appeal. Most of the dunks are rehashes of what has already been done by the dunk pioneers like Dr. J, Dominique and Jordan. Prior to the 1980's there was very little attention given to dunking as an art form - heck in most high school gyms you weren't allowed to dunk. Interest in the dunk contest was somewhat revived when they brought it back after a few years without, but that interest has waned now.

As such, the league has essentially set the dunk contest up as a vehicle to generate interest in some of its young stars. This makes sense because it introduces fans to a new generation of players.

LeBron is too big of a star for the dunk contest, he knows it, the league knows it, and we as fans know it.

[exodus]

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You think Larry and MJ didn't give their inferiors some schitt from time to time?

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Bird and MJ were two of the biggest trash talkers on the court, especially Bird. And MJ also dished out a lot of abuse to his teamates.

You can't get to the top without a little attitude. Lebron's comments are a non-issue as far as I am concerned.

[TheDude]

if some team out there would actually pay lebron or kobe or tmac LESS because they actually got beat in the dunk contest, then that GM would be drawn and quartered..

there is now way that a player of their skills would lose any respect/money/face whatsoever just by losing the dunk contest....

did jordan lose face? dominique?....no, this started with the young players...they're afraid to get beat by someone who is better than they are when they are supposed to be superstars in the league...

it's just dumb...if you THINK you can win, then go for it...if not, then use the real reason for not...don't say something stupid essentially that it's for lesser players...

[Lascar78]

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LeBron is too big of a star for the dunk contest, he knows it, the league knows it, and we as fans know it.

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But he is perfect for the world-famous superstar phenomenom that is the PG skills challenge?

[tmac13]

In the days of Nique and Jordon it meant something, now it seems like some noname or nonstarting kid wins every year..Who cares...

[Packfill]

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LeBron is too big of a star for the dunk contest, he knows it, the league knows it, and we as fans know it.

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But he is perfect for the world-famous superstar phenomenom that is the PG skills challenge?

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Probably, but I have never heard of that skills competition.

[CrawDaddy]

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you sound ridiculous. He didn't want to be in it so that other people who don't get the press he gets, could get some spotlight. Get over it already.

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Yes, you're right. I'm sure he declined to participate so that someone else could be in the spotlight. I would LOVE to borrow those rose-colored glasses you see the world through.

[chillzatl]

I would love to drink some of that hater-aid you're chugging down by the gallon.

It's ok for you to assume the worst, that he's an arrogant d*ck who meant to insult everyone not on his level. But for me to suggest what actually makes sense, that he didn't want to do it and would rather let some lesser known guys get their shine on, is just naive fancy? yah..please.. keep drinking.

[Lascar78]

I think a lot of that quote would depend on the intonation. It could have been innocent, or it could have been degrading. Either way it was unnecessary, and either way it's not that big a deal.