Pelicans star Williamson says he'll enter dunk contest if he makes All-Star team

TORONTO (AP) — New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson said he’ll enter the NBA dunk contest on one condition: he’s got to be picked as an All-Star, too.

After scoring 16 points in a 139-98 win at Toronto on Tuesday, Williamson was asked whether he sees himself taking part in the dunk contest in the future.

“I’ve got to do my part and make the All-Star game,” the fourth-year forward said “If I’m in the All-Star game, I’ll do the dunk contest. If I’m not, I’m not doing it.”

Williamson was an All-Star for the first time in 2021, his second season. He missed all of the following season because of a foot injury. Williamson was an All-Star again last year but skipped the game because of a hamstring injury.

G League guard Mac McClung defended his slam dunk title in Indianapolis last month.

Williamson had nine assists and eight rebounds against the Raptors. In his first professional appearance in Toronto, he wowed fans with a powerful fast break dunk late in the second quarter.

Still, Williamson said even he preferred teammate Brandon Ingram’s dunk to start the second, when Ingram eluded Toronto’s Jordan Nwora with a crossover before rising above Jontay Porter for a one-handed slam.

“You’ve got to give to BI,” Williamson said. “He hit them with the cross, sent that person out of the picture, and then he dunked over somebody.”

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