Former UCLA Bruin Zach LaVine Is 2nd Youngest, Behind Kobe, To Win Dunk Contest
NEW YORK (CBSLA.com/AP) Zach LaVine made a name for himself in a dunk contest that lacked star punch.
The 19-year-old Timberwolves rookie out of UCLA scored a perfect 100 in the opening round. He highlighted his scintillating start with a threw-the-legs, one-handed reverse slam. He wore a white No. 23 Jordan jersey for what he dubbed the "Spash Jam" dunk.
On his second dunk of the first round, he tossed the ball up, put it behind his back in the air and threw down a powerful one-handed slam for another 50.
LaVine had a final round of 94 to overtake Orlando's Victor Oladipo, who struggled to convert his first attempt in the final and finished with a 72 in the championship round. He became the first Timberwolves player to win the dunk contest since Isaiah Rider in 1994.
Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo, aka The Greek Freak, and Brooklyn's Mason Plumlee didn't advance past the opening round.
Oladipo, the smallest in the competition at 6-foot-4, still delivered a crowd-pleasing moment.
He missed his first two attempts in the first round before completing a 360-degree reverse dunk. He received a 50 from the Hall of Fame judges -- Julius Erving, Walt Frazier, Nate Archibald, Bernard King and Chris Mullin.
LaVine became the first Timberwolves player to win the dunk contest since Isaiah Rider in 1994.
LaVine, who was wearing the new Nike Kobe 10's, is the second youngest player to win the contest behind Kobe Bryant, who won it in 1997 when he was 18 years old.
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