NBA: Julius Erving Believes Aaron Gordon Should Have Won Slam Dunk Contest

NBA legend Julius Erving is one with the multitude of onlookers who thought Aaron Gordon deserved to raise last weekend's Slam Dunk Contest trophy, or if not, should have at least shared it with the eventual champion Derrick Jones Jr.

Erving, likewise known as a high-flyer in his prime years with the Philadelphia 76ers, aired his thoughts when he spoke with TMZ Sports on Monday, saying both slams in the last dunk off were not worthy of a perfect score as both dunkers might have already laid their best stunt prior. But the 69-year-old insisted Gordon’s dunk was way “cleaner”.

"I think [Gordon's] last dunk was cleaner. Neither one of them were 50's because they had shot their load in terms of their best stuff,” he said.

The contest decision drew flak as Gordon, who scored five straight perfect 50’s prior to the last dunk, was denied of yet another slam dunk contest title. It was deja-vu for the 24-year-old who lost via a close call in a mano-a-mano against Zach Lavine four years ago.

The contest judges were ultimately criticized, most particularly Dwyane Wade who was tagged as “biased” after giving Gordon a nine for his jaw-dropping stunt where he dunked over a 7’5 Tacko Fall. Most fans reckoned the retired NBA great did it on purpose to let Jones Jr., a Miami Heat player, take home the trophy. Jones Jr.’s last dunk was scored 48 by the judges before Gordon’s act earned him just 47.

Erving, however, said the contest could have avoided controversy if it had ended in a tie instead. "I don't know if robbed is the right term, if it had ended in a tie, I don't think anybody would've been upset. But, a contest like that going into basically 2 overtimes. Third overtime. You hate to have a loser."

Erving was a former Slam Dunk Contest champion himself, having won the ABA’s competition in 1976.