New York Knicks‘ high-flying forward Obi Toppin is returning to the NBA All-Star Weekend Slam Dunk competition to claim what is rightfully his.
Though Toppin felt he wasn’t robbed last year, many fans thought the Brooklyn native should have won the crown that went to Portland Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons.
“I didn’t feel like I got robbed at all,” Toppin said after the loss last year. “Anfernee is a great dunker and got all three of his dunks on the first try. The second and third, I had to do it a second time. If I got it on my first, it would’ve been a different result. I don’t think I got robbed at all. He deserved that trophy.”
This early, Toppin is the early favorite to win after Shams Charania of The Athletic broke the Slam Dunk competition cast.
Toppin will face fellow New York-bred talent in Cole Anthony of the Orlando Magic, Mexican-American forward Juan Toscano-Anderson of the Golden State Warriors, and Filipino-American guard Jalen Green of the Houston Rockets.
Toppin will undoubtedly have the crowd behind him to win this year’s Slam Dunk crown with Cleveland just three hours away from Dayton, where he starred as a Flyer in college.
Relive Toppin’s dunks from his runner-up run last year:
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