The Brooklyn Nets’ Mason Plumlee had a busy schedule during NBA All Star Weekend. He had been looking forward to competing in front of the hometown fans.
“It’s a lot of fun,” he said. “I’m very excited to be a part of the weekend in any capacity. But to play Friday night and then do the dunk contest Saturday is going to be special.”
On Friday February 13, the 6-foot-11 center played in the Rising Stars Challenge at Barclays Center. The U.S. Team lost to the World Team 121-112, but Plumlee finished the game with 13 points, nine rebounds and three assists. His Nets teammate Bojan Bogdanovic played for the World team and scored 16 points.
On Valentine’s Day, Plumlee took part in the Sprite Slam Dunk Competition back in Brooklyn. Hometown favorite Plumlee was a longshot to win the Slam Dunk Contest, but held his own. On Plumlee’s first dunk, the Nets big threw down a reverse dunk off a lob from Cleveland Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving, Plumlee’s old Duke teammate.
For his second dunk, he jumped over his brother Miles Plumlee of the Phoenix Suns. Plumlee earned a combined score of 76 out of 100 by the New York themed panel of judges featuring Fort Hamilton’s Bernard King, Xaverian’s Chris Mullin, former Net “Dr. J” Julius Erving, and Knicks legends Nate “Tiny” Archibald and Walt “Clyde” Frazier. Plumlee exited the first round and Zach LaVine won.
“He has the most athleticism and will be the toughest to go up against,” said Plumlee before the Slam Dunk Competition.
Now that All-Star Weekend is over, the 21–31 Nets begin the second half of the season with a West Coast road trip starting on Friday against the Los Angeles Lakers. Brooklyn is just a game behind the Miami Heat for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
