Thunder's Hamidou Diallo Wins NBA's Slam-Dunk Contest

Oklahoma City’s Hamidou Diallo is the NBA’s slam dunk champion. Going over Shaquille O’Neal in the first round, then getting a boost from rapper Quavo in the finale, Diallo soared to the crown by topping New York’s Dennis Smith Jr.

Sunday, February 17th 2019, 11:46 am

By: News 9

Oklahoma City’s Hamidou Diallo is the NBA’s slam dunk champion.

Going over Shaquille O’Neal in the first round, then getting a boost from rapper Quavo in the finale, Diallo soared to the crown by topping New York’s Dennis Smith Jr.

Diallo topped Smith 88-85 in the finale. Charlotte’s Miles Bridges and Atlanta’s John Collins went out in the first round.

Smith leapfrogged Miami’s Dwyane Wade and took a lob from Stephen Curry to give himself a chance with his last dunk, getting a perfect score from the judges — and a round of boos from the crowd, many of whom weren’t that impressed.

That left Diallo as the night’s final participant.

Diallo pulled off a dunk that will be talked about for years in the first round — dunking over O’Neal, hanging on the rim by his elbow, then tearing open his jersey to reveal a “Superman” shirt underneath. And then he plucked the ball from Quavo as he went airborne for the dunk that sealed the title.

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