The Nike reps didn't waste much time explaining things to Alex Mo. His role today was simple: get out there and throw down some dunks.
But it wasn't going to be just dunks.
Nike had set up a street-style slam dunk contest at Rucker Park, with four young talents—Tracy McGrady, Vince Carter, and two other high-level amateurs—battling for the crowd's roar. The event doubled as a promotion for Nike's IM1 sneakers, featuring a brand-new double-layer Zoom Air cushion system.
Carter and McGrady were both confident, but in truth, neither thought they could beat Alex in a pure dunk-off. Still, what if this was more than just a dunk contest?
The Nike staff even handed Alex a playful "UFO" nickname card for promotional shots.
"Mo, if you don't feel like doing it, that's fine," one of the staff said.
Alex smiled. "Of course I'm in. I'm free today anyway… Plus, this is my brand's event."
A slam dunk contest with Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady in 1997? In the NBA timeline, you wouldn't see this until the year 2000. Alex wasn't about to let the opportunity slip by.
"If there's no problem, we can start now," the Nike host announced.
From the crowd, Nike randomly picked five fans to act as judges. Each judge had scorecards from 6 to 10. In the preliminaries, every contestant would get two dunks, and the top two would advance to the finals—where Alex was already waiting. As the headline attraction, he didn't need to go through prelims.
Preliminary RoundThe first few dunks were a show between "cousins" McGrady and Carter. The other two participants were skilled, but up against future NBA stars, they never stood a chance.
When the dust settled, it was exactly what the crowd expected—Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady advancing to face Alex Mo.
Final Round Rules:Three players take turns dunking. Each gets two dunks, and the highest combined score wins.
McGrady went first. His opening dunk was a simple yet explosive two-handed finish off a lob—elevating high in the lane and throwing it down at head height. The crowd appreciated the bounce. Score: 40 points.
Next up—Vince Carter. Known from his McDonald's All-American days as a dunk king, Vince casually walked to the free-throw line and launched a two-handed dunk from there. The crowd erupted. The judges flashed 50 points.
Alex couldn't help but smirk. "They're giving that a perfect score? My grandma's dunk was cleaner than that."
Carter laughed. "Maybe you've got me in the game, Mo, but in a dunk contest… I might take you."
Alex shrugged. "Vince, I'm serious—that dunk wasn't worth 50. Watch closely."
Still in his warm-up jacket, Alex began a slow dribble, jogging into the lane. He exploded upward—rotating a full 360 degrees in midair—and finished with a massive windmill slam.
BOOM!
The rim rattled. The crowd gasped, then exploded in cheers.
"360 windmill!" someone screamed."Full rotation, perfect extension!" another yelled.
The judges didn't hesitate: 50 points.
Vince's jaw tightened. That was his finishing dunk. The one he'd been saving to seal the contest. Alex had just stolen it—and done it on his first try.
"What was it you were saying earlier?" Alex asked, grinning as he returned to the bench.
"It's not over," Carter shot back, though his confidence was shaken.
Second Dunk – McGradyMcGrady's second was a solid windmill jam—good enough for 45 points, but nowhere near the impact of Alex's or Vince's dunks.
The teenager was starting to realize the difference between dominating high school hoops and stepping onto a stage where even street contests had NBA-level talent.
Second Dunk – Vince CarterVince decided to stick to his original plan—he went for the same 360 windmill Alex had done earlier. It was strong but a touch off in timing, and the judges marked it at 48 points.
Alex now only needed 49 points to win. But "barely winning" wasn't his style.
He dribbled up from half court, accelerated to the free-throw line, and launched into the air. This time, he combined the distance of a free-throw line takeoff with a windmill motion, swinging the ball in a perfect arc before hammering it through the rim.
FREE-THROW LINE WINDMILL.
The crowd lost their minds. Fans poured onto the court, surrounding him.
From that moment, Rucker Park had a new legend—its undisputed Dunk King.
By the end of the day, the buzz wasn't just about Nike's IM1 sneakers. Sports pages across the country were running Alex's photo on their front covers—him soaring from the free-throw line, windmill in full extension.
Within hours, fans were flooding the NBA office with letters and calls:
"If Alex Mo isn't in the '97 All-Star Dunk Contest in Cleveland, I'm not watching!"
David Stern had planned for Alex to enter only the Three-Point Contest, marketing him as the tallest player (6'11") ever to compete in it. But the public's demand was overwhelming.
Finally, Stern made the call—why choose one when you can have both? Alex Mo would become the first player in NBA history to compete in the Rookie Game, the Three-Point Contest, the Slam Dunk Contest, and the All-Star Game all in the same year.
A true All-Star workhorse.