2006 NBA Dunk Contest: Where's Lebron James? - 1:02 p.m.

This is the weekend that basketball fans love more than life itself - NBA All-Star Weekend. It's a chance to see all of the great ones in one game and competing in the most exciting individual aspects of the game: those being 3-point shoot-out and the dunk contest. For groupies both male and female the location of this annually traveling circus is THE place to be. All those millionaires and 'connected' people in town, somebody is trying to be the next Eva Longoria. Visions of sitting in the best sections of an arena, eating good, spending frivolously, and cursing out fans Antonio Davis wife style. That's the life.

If you're not reading this from a Houston, Texas hotel room or a home nearby, you're probably too late to participate. Next year the All-Star game touches down in Las Vegas. Book that flight. Get those tickets.

With everything that goes on All-Star Weekend the most talked about event is the Slam Dunk contest. In 1997 Kobe did his thing. Then the contest was put on hold, due to a lockout and general lack of interest, until 2000 when Vince Carter brought life back into with a series of dunks, seemingly effortless, that ranged from 'holy shit' to 'did you see that?' With Steve Francis and Tracy McGrady also participating, it was the best dunk contest since the days of Mike and Dominque.

Last year Amare Stoudemire did some interesting things with Steve Nash. But Josh Smith was just getting started when he easily won the title.

This year Josh Smith will return to defend his title. In this day, can the kid get an appreciation award for having the guts to at least do that? Although he may walk away with the trophy regardless. Josh Smith will compete against Andre Iguodala, Nate Robinson and Hakeem Warrick. Out of them his biggest threat will be Nate Robinson because he's just 5-9, getting anywhere near the rim is going to have the crowd in a frenzy. Nate claims that he has never lost a dunk contest. I'd guess for that 'short' reason.

The sleeper is Hakeem Warrick. I know nothing of the guy. That's why I can't count him out. And Andre Iguodala. I don't think he'll do it for Philly. He seems like more of an in-game dunker. Which brings me to this point.. where the hell is Lebron James in all of this?

Let's call him up:.. *ring* 'Son, what's wrong with you?'

LJ: What?!? Who is this, Unc?

WH: Why aren't you in the dunk contest this year?

LJ (real quote): "I'm not a slam-dunk-competition-type of guy. On the spur of the moment, I can do dunks during the game. I can't think of a dunk before I do it. I'll leave it up to the guys who don't play as many minutes as I do. Those guys can go out there and throw the ball between their legs and stuff."

WH: You're really blowing it.

LJ: You don't know my pain.. Wait, who is this again?

I love Lebron, he's on my Yahoo Fantasy squad, but I've got a funny feeling that he doesn't want to compete because he's afraid of losing. How would it look for "the King" to lose to a Josh Smith or Nate Robinson? He'd lose a little of that mystique. It's the same reason why established MCs don't battle anymore; there is too much money involved, too much to risk if they lose.

Diss records don't count. The closest we've ever come to a straight up 8 Mile marathon was when Jay-Z offered to battle Nas on pay-per-view. Nas declined. Lucky for Jay-Z, because he would have had his ass handed to him. The Def House would've been occupied by Jermaine Dupri.

But talking dunk contests.. there's a good article about this on ESPN "LeBron needs to rise up"

I would add that it's not enough that he competes, he would have to do so against decent competition. In a fairytale that would be Vince Carter or Kobe, but a down to earth, still true win would be taking the Slam Dunk crown from Josh Smith. That would be a notch on Lebron's belt when he looks back 10 years from now. Michael Jordan won it twice. Since so many players channel him as the standard of how to win games, the need and number of championship rings, don't mind being like Mike endorsement-wise, why not go all the way and do the little things that make the legend complete?

So what if you lose? With great risks, come great rewards. You know, the have balls thing.

Pushing that aside, who wins this year? Get that crystal ball out.