Once again, the NBA’s dunk contest won’t feature any of the league’s usual high-flyers. On Tuesday, the league announced the participants for this year’s dunk contest, and you could be forgiven if you aren’t too familiar with any of them: Portland’s Anfernee Simons, Indiana’s Cassius Stanley and New York’s Obi Toppin.

Over the last few years, stars have steered clear of the the dunk contest, and participants have mostly been more younger players without big time status. For example, Derrick Jones Jr. and Hamidou Diallo are champions from the last two years.

While diehard fans know that Simons, Stanley and Toppin have serious hops, these probably aren’t the names that will draw many folks to the TV. It doesn’t look like the casual fan’s dream of seeing LeBron James in the dunk contest is going to come true, but there have got to be some names that can return a little more emotional investment in the contest.

We’ve got a few ideas.

Zion Williamson

Since the moment that he stepped foot in the NBA, everyone has wanted to see Zion Williamson in the dunk contest. He’s one of the most unusual athletes we’ve ever seen, a bowling ball of a human who floats like a butterfly and throws it down like basketball’s Aaron Donald. We know he's shown some interest in the dunk contest before, so let’s make it happen!

Ja Morant

Likewise, if Zion ever joins, then so would Ja Morant. The No. 2 pick after Zion in 2019, these two share a friendly rivalry on the court, and even though he’s a lightweight 6-foot point guard, Ja is as much a high-flyer as Zion is. This would be a dunk contest matchup worth top billing.

Jamal Murray

We don’t really think of Jamal Murray as a dunker, but he’s really starting to change that reputation. Even though his game is definitely as a shooter, he can get himself on a few highlight reels once he gets a lane to the rim. What does it say about his acrobatic skills that he can turn a simple layup into the play of the year?

 

Norman Powell

There hasn’t been a Raptor in the dunk contest since Terrence Ross in 2014. Right now, Norman Powell makes the best case for inclusion, since he’s having a truly lights-out offensive season and we know him to be one of the Raps’ best showmen. Also... We can’t help but have some curiosity about how Chris Boucher would do in the dunk contest?

Anthony Edwards

We'll let the film speak for this one.

Joel Embiid

Bigs don’t join the dunk contest, which is historically more of a swingman’s event... but maybe they should. As a high-flyer, you can do more acrobatics in the air in theory, but we’re sure that a thunderous 7-footer like Embiid could come up with something — especially with his bent for theatrics. Come on! Let’s reward the big man’s MVP level season.

(We would also accept Ben Simmons here. If you refuse to shoot threes, at least go put on a show in the dunk contest!)