Miami Heat forward Derrick Jones Jr. is on a mission.
The youngster is extremely confident that he will be winning the 2020 Slam Dunk Contest on Saturday and bringing the trophy back to Miami.
"I'm gettin' this one." 😳@TheRea1DJones is celebrating his birthday on the night of the #ATTSlamDunk and he sounds serious about getting that trophy. #NBAAllStar // #NBATwitter pic.twitter.com/I6jSEkw7BZ
— Stadium (@Stadium) February 14, 2020
Jones, who is celebrating his 23rd birthday on Saturday, will be participating in the Slam Dunk Contest for the second time in his career.
The 6-foot-6 pro was a dunk contest participant in 2017; however, he lost to Glenn Robinson III in the final round. Although he was looking to redeem himself in the contest last year, a knee injury kept him out of action.
While the high flier is known for his ferocious dunks, he has become a phenomenal all-around player on the Heat. As a matter of fact, he is averaging career-highs across the board this year.
The fourth-year forward is putting up 8.7 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.0 steals in 24.7 minutes per game this season. He is looking to score more and guard the opposing team’s best players.
Perhaps his former teammate, Dwyane Wade, will show him love on Saturday night. Wade will be one of the judges for the 2020 Slam Dunk Contest.
Regardless of the results, Heat fans should be very proud with the representation they have from players all throughout All-Star Weekend.
