Minnesota Timberwolves Zach Lavine made a name for himself when he became the second youngest basketball player to win the popular slam dunk contest during the NBA All Star Weekend 2015 at the Barclays Centre here.
Lavine showcased a spectacular aerial display to emerge champion, defeating Orlando's Victor Olapido in the dunk competition during All-Star Saturday night which was attended by celebrities from across field in American professional boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr, tennis legend John McEnroe, singing legend Paul McCartney, Ludacris, Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, actress Julianne Moore, Chris Tucker and Kevin Hart.
The 19-year-old Timberwolves rookie scored a perfect 100 in the opening round before registering 94 in the final round to overtake Olapido, who failed to convert his first attempt and finished with a total of 72.
Lavine made a scintillating start with a threw-the-legs, one-handed reverse slam before tossing the ball up, putting it behind his back in the air and threw down a powerful one-handed slam for another 50 on his second dunk of the first round.
Lavine, thus, became the first Timberwolves player to win the dunk contest since Isaiah Rider in 1994. He is also the second youngest player to win the contest behind Kobe Bryant, who won it in 1997 when he was just 18 years old.
Other participants in the fray, Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo, nicknamed 'The Greek Freak', and Brooklyn's Mason Plumlee failed to get past the opening round.
Meanwhile, the trio of Chris Bosh, Dominique Wilkins and Swin Cash made a hattrick by winning their third straight shooting stars competition.
The skills competition, which combines dribbling, passing and shooting, was bagged by Houston's Patrick Beverley, who came from behind to beat Milwaukee's Brandon Knight in the final round.
Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry Stephen Curry scored 27 out of a possible 34 points in the championship round to capture his first three-point contest Saturday.
Curry topped fellow Warriors guard Klay Thompson (14 in the championship round) and 2013 three-point contest winner Kyrie Irving (17) of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
