National Basketball Association

Zach LaVine wins 2016 Slam Dunk Contest, but there was no real loser

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 2:48 p.m. ET

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Minnesota's Zach LaVine was the heavy favorite to win the 2016 Slam Dunk Contest, and his performance did not disappoint. 

LaVine also won the contest in 2015, but this year he had some stiff competition from Orlando's Aaron Gordon. While LaVine and Gordon were the two most dominant dunkers of the first round, it quickly became tough to determine who had the edge this year. In fact, the final round required a series of "dunk offs" to decide LaVine was the inevitable winner.

While contest judge Shaquille O'Neal was initially reluctant to offer out a "ten" score to give LaVine and Gordon perfect scores, the NBA legend eventually became convinced about how exciting this year's competition was.

After several tiebreakers, LaVine was eventually crowned champion. But after throwing down some of the most original and challenging dunk attempts in recent memory, Gordon will be remembered as arguably the most impressive runner-up in the contest's history.

And really, that's what mattered in the 2016 Dunk Contest. An event that's had its ups and downs of late was as good as it's ever been, with second-place dunks that would have won in almost any other year.

It's impossible to call Gordon anything but a winner when he essentially sat down on a basketball in mid-air before slamming it home.

Zach LaVine was just slightly more impressive. There's no shame in that. Thankfully, however, Gordon says he's open to a re-match.

Bryan Kalbrosky produces digital content for FOXSports.com. For more, follow him on Twitter @BryanKalbrosky

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