Stephen A. Smith names one area where LeBron James has robbed the fans: "He has never given the fans the opportunity to see him in a dunk contest"

NBA analyst Stephen A. Smith heavily praised LeBron James’ dunking ability as he sat down with Kendrick Perkins to discuss the upcoming dunk contest at the All-Star weekend. While Perkins placed his bets on Obi Toppin winning this year’s edition Saturday, Smith reminisced about the past.

Smith believes that in the previous era, the dunk contest had the league’s best players participating, while today it’s the younger guys. He took nothing away from them but mentioned that it drops the level of excitement the competition once had:

“I’m picking anybody but the current crop of NBA players. Look man, listen, I long for the days. I mean, it’s hard to take man.

"When you think All-Star weekend, and you just think stars and there’s no stars participating. It’s a problem, and that’s what I long for.”

LeBron James has made slam dunk contest-like dunks in games

LeBron James has been selected as an All-Star 18 times, tying with the late Kobe Bryant for second place. But in all those years, he has never participated in a dunk contest, not even once. James has an elite dunking ability, charging down the lane with authority whenever he sees an opening. He has displayed some flair in his in-game dunks with regularity.

Analyst Stephen A. Smith was in awe of James’ dunking ability, saying:

“You ever watch LeBron James in a layup line? You ever seen some of the dunks LeBron has done? Listen, LeBron James – we will miss him when he’s gone.”

“This brother is something special on every level. But the one area where LeBron has robbed fans – is when he has never given the fans the opportunity to see him in a dunk contest.”

There have been seasons when James considered participating in the contest. Injuries prevented LeBron from doing so, as he was reportedly close to participating in 2006 and 2012. In an interview in 2015, James agreed that it would have been cool to try it, saying:

“There was times when I wanted to do it and didn't do it, and there was times when I just didn't really care about it too much. But it definitely would have been pretty cool to do."

However, Smith still holds it against him:

“He never once competed in a dunk contest. And it’s the only thing he has ever done that I felt has cheated the game of basketball – not participating in the slam dunk contest.”

James of the LA Lakers is now 37 years old and can still dunk with authority. He has entertained fans, racking up some dunks throughout the current season and will probably throw down a few in the All-Star Game as well. But there is no chance he would participate in a dunk contest now, if he didn’t in the past few years, that boat has sailed.