With four electrifying dunks, Minnesota Timberwolves rookie Zach LaVine wowed the crowd in the 2015 NBA Sprite Slam Dunk Contest to bag the trophy.
LaVine won the contest in convincing fashion, as the rookie single-handedly brought new life to the once-heralded event that has recently been losing its luster.
"I just wanted to come out with a bang," said LaVine after the contest. "I tried to get 50 on every dunk [...] I wanted to show everybody what I got."
LaVine came close to that goal, earning a total of 194 points out of a possible 200 points. LaVine's first two dunks each scored a perfect 50, with his last two dunks scoring 45 points and 49 points.
LaVine bested a young field of high flyers, namely Brooklyn Nets center Mason Plumlee, Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and Orlando Magic guard Victor Oladipo.
At only 19 years old, LaVine became the second-youngest player to win the annual event. The youngest player to ever win the contest is Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant, who won it back in 1997 when he was only 18 years old and a rookie similar to LaVine.
LaVine's entrance into the court was followed by the Quad City DJs, performing the original theme song to the movie Space Jam. LaVine then took off his warmers to reveal a Space Jam jersey underneath, that of Michael Jordan and his number 23.
LaVine did not disappoint, as he went up for a between-the-legs, one-handed reverse dunk that scored a perfect 50.
For LaVine's second dunk, the rookie lobbed the ball into the air, catching it while in mid-air and twirling it around him behind his back before completing the dunk. LaVine scored another 50, putting him in a championship round battle against Oladipo.
However, it was evident from the beginning that it was LaVine's contest to lose. With Oladipo struggling to complete his first dunk of the championship round, LaVine's name seemed to be already etched on the trophy.
LaVine was helped by fellow Timberwolves rookie Andrew Wiggins for his third dunk of the night. Wiggins held the ball in his outstretched arms, and LaVine grabbed the ball while in mid-air to once again go between his legs and finish with a left-handed reverse dunk.
For his last dunk, LaVine received a pass from teammate Shabazz Muhammad, who tossed the ball to the side of the stanchion. LaVine caught the ball in mid-air and went between his legs to complete the dunk.
With his electrifying performance, Zach LaVine was crowned as the 2015 NBA Sprite Slam Dunk Contest champion.
Earlier, Wiggins said to interviewers that a dunk that LaVine was practicing almost made him faint.
"I never seen a dunk like that. I've never witnessed it live before in my life."
Which one among the four dunks that LaVine did was Wiggins referring to? Amazingly, it was not one of them.
"That's the funny thing," LaVine said. "I didn't do that one. I got some tricks in the bag still."
