The 2016 Slam Dunk Contest remains one of the greatest contests in league history, but it’s also one of the most controversial competitions, and it still sparks debate nearly a decade later. Now, Shaquille O’Neal, who was one of the judges, has revealed that the controversy became so heated that Aaron Gordon’s sister tried to fight him backstage.
Speaking on the Old Man and the Three podcast, Shaq rewound the clock to when he was serving as one of the judges during the historic battle between Aaron Gordon and Zach LaVine.
“I tried to bring it back because, if you go back to the Aaron Gordon versus Zach LaVine dunk contest, I was a judge on that. And if you remember, I kept stretching it because those guys were putting on such a show. I didn’t want to end it. I was like, ‘One more dunk. One more dunk. One more dunk.'”
“And then the NBA finally was like, ‘Hey, you got to end it.’ And that’s why people think the voting was unfair. Actually, Aaron Gordon’s sister was so mad at me, she tried to fight me in the back. I was like, ‘I’m sorry.'”
The 2016 Dunk Contest has long been viewed by fans as one of the biggest robberies in NBA Slam Dunk Contest history. After both Gordon and LaVine traded a series of 50-point dunks, the contest entered several sudden-death rounds.
Gordon’s iconic mascot dunk, where he jumped over Orlando Magic mascot Stuff, who was sitting on a hoverboard, before finishing with a reverse slam, is still considered one of the greatest dunks in NBA history.
But still, it wasn’t enough. In the final round, Gordon received scores of 9 from Tracy McGrady, Dikembe Mutombo, and George Gervin, while Magic Johnson and Shaq awarded him a 10, giving him a total of 47 points.
LaVine followed up with another perfect 50-point dunk to clinch the title, his second in a row.
Shaq was actually one of the judges who consistently rewarded Aaron Gordon with perfect scores throughout the entire contest. And his latest comments are understandable. He clearly wanted the duel to continue rather than forcing a winner after such an extraordinary display between the two stars.
Unfortunately for Gordon, history repeated itself four years later.
The 2020 Slam Dunk Contest ended in even greater controversy after Gordon faced Miami Heat forward Derrick Jones Jr. in another legendary battle.
Following several rounds of perfect scores, Gordon’s final dunk saw him clear 7-foot-5 Boston Celtics center Tacko Fall before throwing down a one-handed slam. Players erupted around the court and mobbed Gordon, expecting him to receive another perfect 50 and win the title.
Instead, Gordon received a controversial 47 after Dwyane Wade famously gave him a 9, while the other judges believed they had agreed to award matching scores that would force another tiebreaker. Derrick Jones Jr. was declared the winner, leaving Gordon fuming, after which he famously declared that he was done with the dunk contest.
To this day, many NBA fans believe Gordon should have won at least one, if not two, Slam Dunk Contest trophies. His creativity, athleticism, and consistency produced some of the greatest dunks ever seen. But still, he never walked away with the title.
Shaq’s latest story only adds to how emotional the 2016 Dunk Contest was. While the Hall of Famer simply wanted to keep one of the greatest showcases alive, that decision ultimately left Gordon’s family furious.
Nearly a decade later, the debate over whether Aaron Gordon was robbed is still as alive as ever.
