According to the Orange County Register Los Angeles Clippers big man DeAndre jordan decided it best not to take part in the Sprite Slam Dunk Contest during NBA All-Star weekend in Orlando this year, despite being pressured by teammate and last year's dunk champion Blake Griffin to partake in the event.
Jordan told the register that th league had been in contact with his agent about taking part in the dunk contest this year, but he was not interested.
"Maybe if I was playing in the game," he said.
As for Griffin, he had no interest in defending his title this year as the league announced that New york Knicks rookie Iman Shumpert, Houston Rockets Chase Budinger, Indiana Pacers Paul George, and Minnesota Timberwolves Derrick Williams (of La Mirada High School fame) will be the four contestants in this year's contest.
The contest will have a new format this year, consisting of only one round with each competitor executing three dunks. Fan voting will open after all four players have completed their first dunk. Previously, the Sprite Slam Dunk contest consisted of two rounds, with the first round scored by a panel of judges which determined two finalists.
Only fan voting will be used to determine the winner, and for the first time ever, fans will be able to cast votes on Twitter by posting a corresponding letter assigned to each dunker along with the hashtag #SpriteSlam.
The contest starts at 5 p.m. PT on February 25, with coverage on TNT.
For more on the Dunk Contest and All-Star weekend, head over to SB Nation's dedicated NBA hub.