OU Commit Blake Griffin wins McD's Slam Dunk Contest

[Frozen Sooner]

Congratulations to Blake!

I'm getting really excited to see this kid play. From everything I hear about him, he plays great fundamental back to the basket ball, but can set up for the midrange jumper. Obviously he has some athleticism.

[CobraKai]

Obviously he has some athleticism.

He reminds me of a young me.

[Newbomb Turk]

OC's Griffin wows judges with slam
McDonald's All-American games: Slam dunk contest


‘I was trying to do something no one had ever seen'


By Andrea Cohen
Staff Writer

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Blake Griffin stood at the free-throw line with his back to the basket.

The Oklahoma Christian senior bounced the ball between his legs, turned around and threw it down with authority.
Griffin hardly had his feet on the floor when he was mobbed and dog-piled by the rest of the McDonald's All-Americans.


"I was trying to do something no one had ever seen before,” Griffin said. "I'd never done it that well, the timing worked perfectly.”


The celebrity judges, including Bill Walton, held up unanimous 10s, and one round later, Griffin was named the Slam Dunk Champion.


The dunk contest was part of Monday night's Jamfest, held in front of a sold-out crowd of 2,500 at Bellarmine University. The contest will be aired at 7 p.m. Wednesday on ESPN (Cox 29).


"That was what I wanted to do coming in here ... was win that and do good in the game, so it's a great feeling,” Griffin said.


The Oklahoma-bound forward said he was surprised he wasn't more nervous.
"I was talking to the guys who were in the 3-point contest (earlier), and I thought I'd be really nervous,” he said. "But when I got out there I was relaxed.”


Griffin's competition in the finals included Kansas State-bound Michael Beasley and Austin Freeman, who is committed to Georgetown.
The dunk contest is the glory event, but the most impressive competition of the night was the boys' 3-point shooting contest. Each contestant had five racks with five balls apiece, including one "money ball” worth two points.


In the first round, Florida-bound Nick Calathes came out on top with 23 points, and Chris Wright, a Georgetown commit, had 20.
In the finals, Wright scored 21, while Calathes fell one shy with 20.
Duke-bound Nolan Smith and future Tarheel Cetera DeGraffenreid won the Team Ball shooting competition with 53 points. OSU commit James Anderson and Duke-bound Jasmine Thomas were paired up in the Team Ball competition but didn't make the finals.

[Rhino]

The McDonald’s All-American High School game will be televised live by ESPN Wednesday at 7 p.m. CST. The Powerade Jam Fest dunk contest, which Griffin won on Monday, will air on ESPN Wednesday at 6 p.m. http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/4849/blakedunkyy4.jpghttp://img46.imageshack.us/img46/1193/blakedunk2wc3.jpg

[Shneeg11]

ya, i saw him play in h.s., he's not too bad

[birddog]

we need to support the hell out of our sooners starting.......................................... ......now!

[Shneeg11]

yes, and it's a shame beasley is on his team, as athletic as he may be, blake is too physical of a specimen for him to keep up with. It would be nice to see him go up against the number one player at his position.

[william_brasky]

Yay!

Maybe he can get an uncommitted player or two to become Sooners. That'd be sweet.

[Shneeg11]

I'm bettin he does....no names tho...i was sworn to secrecy

[sooner518]

Yay!

Maybe he can get an uncommitted player or two to become Sooners. That'd be sweet.
perhaps a certain J. Lucas. no wait, thats too obvious.....Jai L. :D

[Shneeg11]

haha, my insider info says perhaps, and my info happens to be in louisville right now, and if he's lying to me, he's gonna make me look like an idiot!!

[the_ouskull]

Trust me. He's doing nothing to make you look like an idiot.

the_ouskull

[ouradu]

just started watching, and it went to half. How has it looked so far?

[william_brasky]

blake's getting very little PT. brasky's getting angry.

[TopDawg]

I thought Jai had planned on announcing at the game.

Maybe shortly after the game?

[william_brasky]

I thought Jai had planned on announcing at the game.

Maybe shortly after the game?

He probably doesn't know yet with the Kentucky job still open.

He looks like he can run a team from the little I saw of him in the game.

[TopDawg]

He probably doesn't know yet with the Kentucky job still open.

He looks like he can run a team from the little I saw of him in the game.

You're probably right...I just saw it in the paper today (that he was planning on announcing at the game) so I figured that was still his plan.

[william_brasky]

I just saw it in the paper today (that he was planning on announcing at the game) so I figured that was still his plan.

I didn't read that. What paper? Joklahoman?

[TopDawg]

The OU paper.

[william_brasky]

http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=146#S=146&F=2446&T=308904

says he'll most likely wait until UK hires a new coach to decide.

[Shneeg11]

ya, jai looked good, every now and then(rarely) he looked a little bit clumsy. but other than those few times, I he played well. O.J. Mayo played terrible, and Blake didn't touch the ball enough.

[NormanPride]

The Griffin brothers have definite hops.

[stoopified]

BG THE DUNK KING.Why do I have this feeling of deja vu.

[skycat]

yes, and it's a shame beasley is on his team, as athletic as he may be, blake is too physical of a specimen for him to keep up with. It would be nice to see him go up against the number one player at his position.

I disagree.

[GoState]

For your viewing pleasure: McD's AA dunk contest (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPzYqv3H3mE)

The kid can fly.

[Shneeg11]

I disagree.

You may be right, but there are few people that can physically match up with Blake in the post that are his height. Beasley is a better perimeter player, but back to the basket, and rebounding, I would take Blake. *Biased opinion*