Dunk Contest

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John Collins Flies In Dunk Contest

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The Atlanta Hawks have a long and unmatched history in the NBA's Slam Dunk Contest. John Collins hopes to add to that legend when he competes in the 2019 AT&amp;T Slam Dunk on Saturday, Feb. 16 in Charlotte.

Dominique Wilkins, Spud Webb and Josh Smith combined to win four dunk contests while representing the Hawks. Wilkins won twice: in 1985 and 1990. 

"It's in the Hawks' DNA to win one," Collins said, "so I want to be a part of the Hawks' DNA and the Hawks' lineage of guys who have won a Slam Dunk Championship."

Collins will compete against Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges, Oklahoma City Thunder guard Hamidou Diallo and New York Knicks guard Dennis Smith Jr. In the two-round event, each player gets two dunks in the first round, scored on a scale from 30 to 50. The two players with the highest two-dunk combined score advance to the final round. In the finals, both players get the chance to complete two more dunks, and the player with the higher combined scored from the last two dunks wins the event. 

Head coach Lloyd Pierce is happy that Collins is about to get recognized on a national stage at All-Star Weekend.

"I think it's great," Pierce said. "John is a guy who was the 19th pick. He is in that middle ground. There's no hype for the 19th pick. If there's one guy that deserves a little hype and a little recognition, it's John Collins."

Though the Hawks have had a rich history in the event, Collins is the first Hawk to compete in it since Smith did in 2006. In addition to the former Hawks winners, Collins also has a teammate to lean on for experience: Vince Carter. Carter topped Tracy McGrady and Steve Francis in 2000 in one of the event's most competitive fields. 

"There are so many (former Hawks) and then we've got Vince, so there a lot of guys who I could potentially do odes or tributes to," Collins said. "It's a little bit of a ways out, but not too far, so I'll make a decision very soon." 

Pierce hinted that Carter has already been helping Collins prep for the event. 

"My only concern is that he jumps too high," Pierce said with a laugh. "Vince has been educating and been helping him already. John is doing stuff that is so basic to him but bizarre to us, and there's no adrenaline right now. When you know when millions of people are watching and it's a packed house, that's going to be the interesting part. How high is this kid going to jump when he has got adrenaline and he's amped up for it?"

"I honestly felt like I had more of a resume to get in last year than I did this year," Collins said. "I definitely accepted the invitation and I'm excited about the competition."

At the same time, Collins wants to live up the Hawks' long history in the event.

"I don't want to come back to Nique empty-handed," he quipped.

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John Collins Hoping To Continue Hawks Legacy In Dunk Contest

NEW YORK, Feb. 5, 2019 – Charlotte Hornets forward Miles Bridges, Atlanta Hawks forward-center John Collins, Oklahoma City Thunder guard Hamidou Diallo and New York Knicks guard Dennis Smith Jr. will showcase their aerial artistry and leaping ability in the 2019 AT&amp;T Slam Dunk on Saturday, Feb. 16 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The 34th Slam Dunk is part of State Farm® All-Star Saturday Night, which also features the Taco Bell® Skills Challenge and the MTN DEW 3-Point Contest.  All-Star Saturday Night will air live on TNT and ESPN Radio in the United States at 8 p.m. ET.  NBA All-Star 2019 will reach fans in more than 200 countries and territories in more than 40 languages on their televisions, computers, mobile phones and tablets.

AT&amp;T has become the title partner of Slam Dunk as part of a new multiyear official marketing partnership with the NBA.  This new agreement will tip off next week at NBA All-Star 2019, where AT&amp;T will also be the presenting partner of NBA All-Star Practice and Media Day. 

Two rookies (Bridges and Diallo) and two second-year NBA players (Collins and Smith) comprise the AT&amp;T Slam Dunk field.  Here is a closer look at the participants:

• Miles Bridges, Hornets: Competing in his home arena, the 6-7 forward is the Hornets’ first Slam Dunk participant since 2010 (Gerald Wallace).  Bridges, the 12th overall pick in NBA Draft 2018 presented by State Farm, has 12 double-digit scoring games this season.  He was a consensus 2017-18 Second Team All-American in his sophomore season at Michigan State.

• John Collins, Hawks: Collins leads Atlanta in scoring (19.6 ppg) and rebounding (10.0 rpg) and ranks ninth in the NBA in field goal percentage (58.4).  He earned a spot on the U.S. Team for MTN DEW ICE Rising Stars, which will be played on Friday, Feb. 15 during NBA All-Star 2019.  The 6-10 forward-center was named to the 2017-18 NBA All-Rookie Second Team after averaging 10.5 points and 7.3 rebounds last season.  A former Wake Forest star, Collins is Atlanta’s first Slam Dunk competitor since 2006 (Josh Smith).  

• Hamidou Diallo, Thunder: Diallo, a 6-5 guard, recorded a 44.5-inch maximum vertical jump at the 2017 NBA Draft Combine powered by Under Armour, the second-highest mark in event history.  The 45th overall pick in NBA Draft 2018 presented by State Farm has appeared in 43 games as a rookie with Oklahoma City.  In his three starts, Diallo has averaged 8.7 points and shot 76.9 percent from the field.  He is the Thunder’s first Slam Dunk participant since 2011 (Serge Ibaka). 

• Dennis Smith Jr., Knicks: Smith returns to Slam Dunk after finishing third last season.  The 6-3 guard, who was acquired by New York in a trade with the Dallas Mavericks on Jan. 31, is averaging 12.8 points and 4.4 assists per game.  Last season, the Fayetteville, N.C., native averaged 15.2 points and 5.2 assists and joined Collins on the 2017-18 NBA All-Rookie Second Team.  Smith is the Knicks’ first Slam Dunk competitor since 2013 (James White). 

In the two-round event, participants can perform any dunk they choose.  The players have a maximum of three attempts to complete each dunk in both the first round and the final round.  Five judges score every dunk on a scale of 6 to 10, resulting in a high score of 50 and a low score of 30.

All four competitors get two dunks in the first round.  The two players with the highest combined score for their two dunks advance to the head-to-head final round.  The player with the highest combined score for his two dunks in the final round is crowned the champion.  Click here for a complete explanation of the rules.

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