Milwaukee Bucks forward Andre Jackson Jr. has committed to the slam dunk contest at NBA All-Star Weekend, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania on Thursday.
Jackson, a 2023 NCAA champion at UConn, has emerged as a Bucks starter in his second season. He joins Chicago Bulls rookie forward Matas Buzelis and San Antonio Spurs rookie guard Stephon Castle so far in the dunk contest.
Jackson made highlight reels last season for his leaping ability on putback dunk attempts. He had his teammates jumping off the bench following a dunk in December against the Nets and then his head went above the rim on a missed putback opportunity last March against the Kings.
Milwaukee is 23-16 when Jackson plays and 20-11 since he joined the starting lineup, adding youthful energy to a veteran team. Per ESPN Research, Jackson has held opponents to 42% as the contesting defender, which ranks in the top 50 leaguewide (minimum 200 contests).
