NBA Slam Dunk Contest 2020: Derrick Jones Jr. edges Aaron Gordon for controversial win, and Twitter loses it
Gordon, controversially, came up short once again
For the second time in his NBA Slam Dunk Contest career, Aaron Gordon made it to the final round where he got perfect scores, got into a "dunk-off" and wound up coming out on the losing end. It happened in 2016 after the Orlando Magic's high-flying forward used the team's mascot to assist in a couple of memorable slams, before falling to Zach LaVine. It happened again in 2020. This time, Gordon scored 50's for every dunk until his last -- when the judges decided that (nearly) clearing the 7-foot-5 Tacko Fall wasn't quite as good as Heat high-flyer Derrick Jones Jr.'s windmill from just inside the free throw line.
The judging for these contests is as subjective for the experts on the court as it is for you at home, or wherever you may have been watching or following, and the controversial ending was the culmination of a very entertaining NBA All-star Saturday Night.
Here's a look at some of the reactions, opinions and insights from the NBA Twitterverse after Jones took the 2020 dunk crown -- or the crown that was taken away from Gordon (again), depending on how you saw it.
We can start with Gordon himself, who pretty obviously believes he should be doing this press conference with a trophy on the table:
aaron gordon says he’s gonna find who gave him 9s pic.twitter.com/JAc9nI9fBp
— James Herbert (@outsidethenba) February 16, 2020
And there are some who are just pointing to the scoreboard, as they agree with Gordon:
Who holds the record for most 50s in Dunk Contest history?
— . (@keanukarg) February 16, 2020
Aaron Gordon.
Who holds the record for most 50s in a single Dunk Contest?
Aaron Gordon.
Who was robbed twice and deserves 2 trophies?
Aaron Gordon. #BellLetsTalk
With the Oscars taking place less than a week ago, the Photoshop superstars were out in full force:
Aaron Gordon is the 2020 #DunkContest Champion. There's been a mistake pic.twitter.com/zdWxBIfZVb
— Adam Cubbage (@DACubbage) February 16, 2020
Hey, they went through two rounds of the "dunk-off." Surely, Gordon isn't too tired for a revenge tour:
I’d watch a Kill Bill style movie where Aaron Gordon takes revenge by roaming the globe, dunking on every judge in every dunk contest he’s deserved to win but lost
— Rodger Sherman (@rodger) February 16, 2020
With Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade on the judging panel being a former teammate of Jones, some are speculating that the fix might have been in:
Dwyane Wade calculating the score he needed to give Aaron Gordon to make sure Derrick Jones Jr. won pic.twitter.com/S8rAD5a4sw
— bluewirepods (@bluewirepods) February 16, 2020
Being that the All-Star Game is in Chicago, you knew there was going to be at least one Kanye West reference:
Derrick, I’m really happy for you and ima let you finish but Aaron Gordon has some of the best dunks of all time 🤷🏽♂️ #NBAAllStar pic.twitter.com/ROEXKHNf1I
— Richie (@imRiCH247) February 16, 2020
Sometimes, for "ripped from the headlines" references, you don't even have to leave the sports section:
Derrick Jones Jr. is the Houston Astros of the NBA Dunk Contest. #NBAAllStar
— A Certain Something, Something Luni (@LUNI_TUNZ) February 16, 2020
Oh, that's right! It's an election year:
Aaron Gordon won the popular vote.
— Frank Ojeda (@UCLADodgerFrank) February 16, 2020
Derrick Jones Jr. won the Electoral College.#NBAAllStar #ATTSlamDunk
















