Boston Celtics standout Jaylen Brown made an ᴜnexpected entry into this year’s NBA All-Star Dunk Contest, but his performance faced widespread criticism. The Dunk Contest, much like the previous year’s event, received a lukewarm response. Jaylen Brown, in particular, drew considerable nеɡɑtiᴠе feedback on social media for his display.

In response to the comments, Brown addressed the situation in an interview with Shane Young of Forbes Sports, stating, “I think, ultimately, in this media era, some players are just afraid to get turned into a meme or whatever.” He acknowledged a perceived apprehension among his peers and emphasized his intent to have fun in the contest.

Despite this being Jaylen Brown’s inaugural appearance in the Slam Dunk Contest, he advanced to the final round, where he ultimately lost to the reigning champion, Mac McClung. Brown garnered 96.4 points in the initial round after the eliminations of Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Jacob Toppin. In the final stage, Brown secured 97.8 points from the judges, falling short of McClung’s winning score of 98.8 points.