Orlando Magic forward Aaron Gordon will not participate in the 2018 Verizon Slam Dunk, the team announced today in a tweet from its official public relations account.
“Orlando Magic forward Aaron Gordon will not play tonight at Miami due to a strained left hip flexor. It is the fourth straight game he has missed. In addition, Gordon has withdrawn from the Slam Dunk contest at NBA All-Star Weekend,” the tweet read.
Orlando Magic forward Aaron Gordon will not play tonight at Miami due to a strained left hip flexor. It is the fourth straight game he has missed.
In addition, Gordon has withdrawn from the Slam Dunk contest at NBA All-Star Weekend.
— Orlando Magic PR (@Magic_PR) February 5, 2018
This would have marked the third consecutive Slam Dunk appearance for Gordon, whose runner-up finish to Zach LaVine in 2016 included three straight perfect scores of 50. In his fourth season, Gordon is averaging career highs of 18.4 points and 8.3 rebounds. He has already set a career high for 3-pointers made in a season with 79. Gordon has scored at least 40 points in a game twice this season — the first Magic player to do so since Dwight Howard in the 2010-11 season.
Utah Jazz rookie Donovan Mitchell will replace Gordon in the contest, which also features Indiana Pacers guard Victor Oladipo, Los Angeles Lakers forward Larry Nance Jr., and Dallas Mavericks guard Dennis Smith Jr.
