Jalen Johnson’s electrifying record seals his case for future dunk contest glory

Jalen Johnson has the longest recorded take-off distance for a dunk this season, jumping an astonishing 10.6 feet in the air in a match against the New Orleans Pelicans. Maybe it’s about time the Atlanta Hawks stopped beating up on the Pels?

In all seriousness, Johnson’s high-flying nature has been well documented, with this latest accolade serving as the cherry on top of his already impressive resume for the dunk contest.

During the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game last Friday, Johnson said in an interview, “I will be in the dunk contest one day.” Considering this year’s iteration of the event was considered one of the worst in history and his record for furthest dunk distance this season, Johnson is the obvious choice for next year’s contest.

Johnson isn’t a one-dunk wonder either; he also holds the longest hangtime among the ten furthest dunks this season by a whopping 0.08 seconds – double the margin between the second and third-longest hangtime. This dunk came against the Brooklyn Nets, where Johnson pulled out a move similar to Michael Jordan’s world-saving dunk in the classic film Space Jam.

How would Johnson fare in the dunk contest?

There are many different molds of dunkers in the NBA; Johnson falls squarely into the LeBron James category of strong, physically dominant jumpers. This stands in contrast to the elite dunkers at the guard position, who seem to float in the air at the expense of overall length and vertical leap.

The most iconic dunker in history who falls in this mold is Aaron Gordon, the two-time runner-up (2016, 2020), who many think deserved both awards. Johnson, however, doesn’t seem to be quite as fluid an athlete as Gordon was. For example, I have a hard time seeing Johnson jump over the mascot and, in one motion, bring the ball up from under his seat for a one-hand jam, as seen in the second dunk of this highlight tape. 

Still, Gordon is quite a high benchmark among dunkers. If Johnson could recapture even 80% of his magic, he would have been the clear victor in this season’s contest. 

If Johnson is serious about winning the dunk contest, he should expect to receive an invite next season. The NBA will be looking to juice ratings after a decade full of disappointing dunkers, and what better way than with a star player who has been compared to LeBron multiple times due to his unique athletic profile?

If I were Johnson, I’d budget about 5 minutes of dunking practice at the end of every offseason training session he attends this summer. I’d also work with a professional, such as the dunking legend Jordan Kilganon, to find ways to maximize the aesthetics of the dunk while minimizing preparation time (and bodily wear and tear).

Johnson could become an NBA legend overnight with an electric dunk contest performance. With the athletic ability he flaunts, the sky is truly the limit for JJ.