CLEVELAND - From what he remembers, Cole Anthony was in the seventh grade the first time he dunked a basketball. It was a one-handed slam off a lob while messing around in the gym.
Several months later, while playing in an AAU game as an eighth grader, he made his first in-game dunk. This, too, was a one-handed jam, and he recalls throwing it down with power. That was a big moment for Anthony, considering as a young child he dreamed of one day participating in an NBA slam dunk competition during All-Star Weekend.
Now years later, the 6-foot-3 Orlando Magic guard can say his wish was granted after competing in Saturday night’s main event. Not only did he prove he has some serious hops, but Anthony showed the world why he’s one of the most charismatic showmen in the NBA.
His first dunk paid homage to his New York City roots. Wearing his dad’s No. 50 New York Knicks jersey from the 90s, along with a pair of Timberland boots, which are culturally iconic in New York, Anthony grabbed the ball from his father, Greg Anthony, and flushed home a left-handed windmill on his third try. The dunk earned a composite score of 40 by the five judges, who were Dominique Wilkins, Isiah Thomas, Clyde Drexler, David Robinson, and Julius Erving.
“I thought having the Timbs on, (they’d) give me a little more credit,” Anthony said. “You know Timbs heavy. You may not know how heavy Timbs are because people only wearing Timbs out in New York. Them joints are like bricks on your feet. I probably could have done a little more. Maybe a reverse windmill that next time, but I don’t think there’s going to be a next time. This might be a one-and-done appearance for me.”
Anthony failed to connect on his second dunk attempt. But, in fairness, it may have been the hardest one to make in the entire competition this year. After tossing the ball to himself, he tried to do a 360-scoop dunk, but he couldn’t quite slam it through. If he had made it, Anthony was confident it would have been given at least a 48, rather than the 30 it was scored.
“I would have been in the second round. I think I definitely would have been in the second round,” he said. “I’ve done it before. But hey, not today. I froze up in the spot. That’s what I like to call it.”
The Knicks’ Obi Toppin won the event, defeating the Golden State Warriors’ Juan Toscano-Anderson in the final. Anthony and Houston Rockets rookie Jalen Green were eliminated after the first round.
In his second season with the Magic, Anthony is averaging a team-best 17.7 points, nearly five more than in his rookie campaign. He got off to a scorching hot start this season with eight 20-plus-point performances through Orlando’s first 14 games.
The 21-year-old also took part in Friday’s reformatted Clorox Rising Stars challenge, playing for Team (Rick) Barry with his Magic teammate and backcourt mate Jalen Suggs. While his team lost in the semifinals to Team Isiah (Thomas) in a thriller, Anthony was happy to see Franz Wagner, the Magic’s other player in the competition, make the championship-clinching free throw in Team (Rick) Barry’s victory over Team Isiah in the final.
“I’m always proud of my man, only-Franz. Always proud of him,” Anthony said of Wagner. “He got a chance to be very good. So, I just want to see him keep getting better, see Jalen keep getting better. I think they both have a chance to be two excellent players. I think we have a chance to be a very good team. This has been fun. Back to real life now.”
Earlier that day, Anthony joined Suggs and Wagner in a community service project, in which they helped sort out and pack books that will be donated to children.
Although he had attended a couple NBA All-Star events as a fan growing up, taking part in the action was something Anthony surely will never forget. He hopes to return, but for a different competition.
“Next time I come to All-Star, my goal is to be an All-Star,” he said. “Hopefully, I can do that next year. I’m going to work as hard as I can to achieve that goal. Only time will tell.”