Anfernee Simons' Winning Dunks at NBA Slam Dunk Contest 2021 Revealed
I still remember that Sunday evening like it was yesterday. I was sitting in my favorite worn-out armchair, the one with the coffee stain from last year's All-Star weekend, scrolling through highlights on my tablet when the notification popped up. "Anfernee Simons' Winning Dunks at NBA Slam Dunk Contest 2021 Revealed" - the headline made me sit up straight immediately. As someone who's followed basketball religiously since my high school playing days, there's something magical about dunk contests that always gets my blood pumping. That particular evening, watching Simons defy gravity, I couldn't help but draw parallels to something I'd been studying recently - the fascinating dynamics of the University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons' roster construction.
The way Simons approached each dunk reminded me of how basketball teams assemble their pieces. You see, while Anfernee was soaring through the air with that incredible athleticism, I found myself thinking about how the Fighting Maroons' already-stacked backcourt featuring Harold Alarcon, Gerry Abadiano, Terrence Fortea, Reyland Torres, Janjan Felicilda, and Jacob Bayla got further bolstered by Rey Remogat. It's funny how basketball works sometimes - you stack talent in one area while other parts remain works in progress. Watching Simons' final dunk, that breathtaking between-the-legs jam that earned him a perfect 50, I thought about how teams often have their flashy guard positions sorted while their frontline remains a work in progress, much like how Mark Belmonte, Gani Stevens, and new foreign student-athlete Francis Nnoruka hold down the fort for UP.
What struck me most about Simons' performance was how each dunk built upon the last, creating a narrative arc that captivated everyone watching. The first dunk - a tribute to Tracy McGrady - scored a respectable 46 points. His second attempt, that clever off-the-bounce reverse jam, earned him 49 points. But it was that final dunk that sealed the deal, the one that had me jumping off my couch and nearly knocking over my drink. The sheer elevation, the body control, the execution - it was basketball poetry. I've watched dunk contests since the days of Dominique Wilkins and Michael Jordan, and what Simons did that night belongs in the conversation with some of the best contest performances I've seen.
Thinking about team construction while watching individual brilliance might seem odd, but that's how my basketball brain works these days. The Fighting Maroons situation particularly fascinates me because they've essentially created what analysts call a "positionless basketball" scenario with their guard-heavy lineup. With seven quality guards competing for minutes, the practice sessions must be incredibly competitive. Meanwhile, their big men - Belmonte, Stevens, and Nnoruka - face the challenge of developing chemistry while knowing the backcourt will likely dominate both minutes and offensive schemes. It's not unlike how Simons had to balance flash with substance during his dunk routine - too much of either wouldn't have won him the trophy.
The 2021 dunk contest was particularly special because it came during that strange pandemic period where everything felt different. No roaring crowds, just the quiet intensity of players and judges in the arena. Simons' victory marked the third time a Trail Blazers player had won the contest, joining the legendary company of Jerome Kersey (1986) and Harold Miner (1993 and 1995). What impressed me beyond the athleticism was his strategic approach - he knew exactly when to pull out his best material, saving that spectacular between-the-legs dunk for the final round when the pressure was highest. That's the kind of gamesmanship you don't always see in dunk contests, where many contestants just throw everything they have early and hope something sticks.
Reflecting on both Simons' performance and the Fighting Maroons' roster construction, I'm reminded why I love basketball's constant evolution. The game keeps finding new ways to surprise us - whether it's a relatively unknown player like Simons (he was the 24th pick in the 2018 draft, remember) rising to the occasion, or college programs reinventing how they build their teams. The Fighting Maroons' approach of loading up on guards while developing their frontcourt might seem unconventional to traditionalists, but basketball has always rewarded innovation. Similarly, Simons brought fresh creativity to a dunk contest format that many critics had called stale in recent years.
As I finally turned off my tablet that night, Simons' winning dunk replaying in my mind, I found myself appreciating how basketball's different levels - from the NBA's brightest stage to collegiate programs - constantly influence and learn from each other. The Fighting Maroons' guard-heavy strategy reflects the modern basketball trend of prioritizing perimeter play, much like how dunk contests have evolved to emphasize creativity alongside raw athleticism. Simons didn't just win because he jumped high - he won because he understood the assignment, much like how successful teams understand their strengths and weaknesses. That night, watching a champion being crowned and thinking about team building thousands of miles away, I fell in love with basketball all over again.