8 points, 9 seconds
Fansided

Indiana Pacers rookie Cassius Stanley gets his chance to cement himself in NBA history

By Brendan Purdue

CLEVELAND, OHIO - DECEMBER 12: Cassius Stanley #2 of the Indiana Pacers dunks over Thon Maker #14 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the second half of a preseason game at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on December 12, 2020 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OHIO - DECEMBER 12: Cassius Stanley #2 of the Indiana Pacers dunks over Thon Maker #14 of the Cleveland Cavaliers during the second half of a preseason game at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on December 12, 2020 in Cleveland, Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /
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If there is one thing that Indiana Pacers rookie Cassius Stanley loves to do, it’s dunking a basketball. The 6-foot-5 highflying rookie out of Duke University is quite known for his thunderous dunks. Stanley is essentially a walking SportsCenter Top 10 highlight reel.

Tonight, Stanley has a chance to solidify himself in the history books. Stanley, along with fellow rookie Obi Toppin, and Afernee Simmons will battle it out in the 2021 Slam Dunk Contest during halftime of the 2021 All-Star game. This has been a moment in the making since Cassius Stanley could first dunk in the sixth grade.

Go watch any of his high school or college highlights and it won’t take to see why he was chosen for this year’s dunk competition. Stanley posses a 46-inch vertical jump, which broke former Duke Blue Devil Zion Williamson’s previous record at the school, that not only allows him to soar above the rim but to thrive above it.

What can we expect from the Pacers rookie in the dunk contest? In an interview via Pacers.com, Stanley says he has “original dunks” planned out that no one has seen before. Someone with Stanley’s dunking and leaping ability to come up with dunks no one has seen before has all the makings for a historical night.

Stanley has an opportunity tonight to be immortalized along with some of his dunking idols such as Michael Jordan, Vince Carter, and fellow Los Angeles native Zach LaVine. If he wins tonight’s contest, he will be the third Indiana Pacers player to win the contest, Fred Jones (2004) and Glenn Robinson III (2017) are the only other champions.

I will close this out with a quote from Stanley’s open letter to Pacers fans on The Players Tribune. Stanley says this about dunking:

"“For me, it’s easy. I just kind of obliterate it. I just dunk.” – Cassius Stanley"

Tonight, Cassius Stanley has the chance he has always been waiting for to forge his name in NBA lore for the rest of time. Cassius Stanley, go out and obliterate that rim.

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