NEW YORK, Feb. 13, 2012 – The double-clutch, tomahawk, windmill and 360 are some of the most memorable and backboard-shaking dunks of all time. Will we see a new twist on a dunk, or one never-before-seen, thrown down as the four finalists in the third annual Sprite Slam Dunk Showdown compete for the title of North America’s best amateur dunker?
We’ll find out when the Sprite Slam Dunk Showdown will take place at NBA All-Star Jam Session at the Orange County Convention Center on Friday, Feb. 24, at 4:25 ET. The event will be streamed live on NBA.com and a 30 minute recap program will air on NBA TV at 1:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Feb.25. Additionally, Sprite is encouraging fans to tune in to Sprite.com immediately following the competition for a big announcement about a new Sprite program featuring several NBA players.
An All-Star panel of judges will help determine the winner, including NBA All-Star LeBron James of the Miami Heat, NBA Legend Darryl Dawkins, GRAMMY® nominee J. Cole, and Sprite All-Stars Carlos “Los” Smothers and Myree "Reemix" Bowden. The Sprite Slam Dunk Showdown will also feature a special performance from J. Cole at Center Court at NBA All-Star Jam Session.
Each participant will perform two dunks in the first round. The two contestants with the highest score from the judges will advance to the final round. The two finalists will complete two dunks and fans will determine the winner via SMS text message. The champion will receive a $10,000 grand prize and have the honor of presenting the trophy to the NBA player who wins the Sprite® Slam Dunk at the Amway Center the following night.
The four finalists who will compete at the Sprite Slam Dunk Showdown at NBA All-Star 2012 are:
- Zach Jones, 6’0” a.k.a. “Jonesy” – Emerging from Dayton, OH, Jones, 24, has been dunking for six years and won the semifinal competition in Washington D.C.
- Kenny Dobbs, 6’3” a.k.a. “K.Dobbs” – Dobbs, 26, hailing from Phoenix, Ariz. is an 11-year dunking veteran who won the semifinal competition in Los Angeles. He was also a finalist at last year’s Sprite Slam Dunk Showdown finals at NBA All-Star 2011 in Los Angeles.
- Michael Stewart, 6’1” a.k.a. “Airdogg” – Stewart, 28, comes out of the City of Angels and brings an impressive 15 years of dunking experience to the Showdown. He takes inspiration from NBA legends and dunkers Darryl Dawkins and Dominique Wilkins and solidified his spot in the Showdown through the online competition by uploading his dunk clip to NBA.com/dunk.
- Kendall Boyd-Hill, 6’1” a.k.a. “Kasper” – From St. Louis, MO, Boyd-Hill, 21, has been dunking since he was 14 years old. He takes inspiration from NBA aerial artists such as Vince Carter and is the winner from Denver.
Inspired by the NBA Sprite Slam Dunk contest that takes place annually on NBA All-Star Saturday Night presented by State Farm, Sprite and the NBA launched the national search for the best amateur dunkers with competitions in eight cities throughout the summer of 2011. James also led a panel of judges that picked two semifinalists from video entries. Through online votes, fans narrowed the top 10 down to the four finalists who will compete in Orlando.
Sprite is the world’s leading lemon-lime soft drink and has been the official soft drink of the NBA since 1994.
About The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world's largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands. Led by Coca-Cola, the world's most valuable brand, the Company's portfolio features 15 billion dollar brands including Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Coca-Cola Zero, vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply and Georgia. Globally, we are the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages, juices and juice drinks and ready-to-drink teas and coffees. Through the world's largest beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy the Company's beverages at a rate of 1.7 billion servings a day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our Company is focused on initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, support active, healthy living, create a safe, inclusive work environment for our associates, and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. For more information about our Company, please visit our website at www.thecoca-colacompany.com.
About NBA All-Star 2012
NBA All-Star 2012 in Orlando will bring together some of the most talented and passionate players in the league’s history for a global celebration of the game. The 61st NBA All-Star Game, which will take place on Sunday, Feb. 26 at Amway Center, will reach fans in more than 200 countries and territories in more than 40 languages. TNT will televise the All-Star Game for a 10th consecutive year, marking Turner Sports' 27th year of All-Star coverage in prime time. NBA All-Star Saturday Night presented by State Farm will feature the Haier Shooting Stars, Taco Bell Skills Challenge, Foot Locker Three-Point Contest, and Sprite Slam Dunk. Other events at NBA All-Star 2012 will include the BBVA Rising Stars Challenge, NBA Development League All-Star Game presented by 26 Seconds, Sprint NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, and NBA All-Star Jam Session. Orlando also hosted NBA All-Star in 1992.
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Contact:
Will Cutrone, NBA, (212) 407-8086, wcutrone@nba.com
Kerry Tressler, Coca-Cola Refreshments, (404) 676-2683, ketressler@coca-cola.com