Shaq: LeBron Will Enter Dunk Contest When Kobe And Vince Do

Sports News - January 20th, 2010 - Written By John

To the fans who have cried foul over LeBron James' absence from this year's All-Star dunk contest, Shaquille O'Neal has just one thing to say.

Get Kobe Bryant. Get Vince Carter. Then we talk.

Already in a light mood after a 108-100 win over the Toronto Raptors in which he crossed 28,000 career points, the star center acknowledged fans pleas to get his teammate, James, in the dunk show. James pledged almost a year ago that he would be a participant, but was curiously left off the slate to make way for several lesser-knows. Shaq said the only way he would let his "client" compete is if he were able to show off his wares against the top dunkers in the league.

"As his manager, I will only allow 'Bron to do the dunk contest if Vince Carter comes back out," O'Neal said. "If Kobe comes back out and if another big name comes back out. If we could get a big prize and have half of the money go to the people of Haiti and the other half to the winner."

It's a relatively simple formula that just might pull on the heartstrings of Bryant and Carter, although it is unlikely those NBA Basketball stars would be allowed to risk their health for an exhibition. The Shaq tried to calm the waves a little bit by insisting he was not disrespecting the current dunkers (Nate Robinson, Gerald Wallace and Shannon Brown), but would only let the highest-profile player in the league compete against others in his class.

"The guys that are in it," Shaq continued. "No disrespect to them, but they really wouldn't be any competition for LeBron."

The Big Shaqtus will have his chance to hand deliver that message to Bryant this weekend because the Cavs play the Lakers this Thursday. But for now, it's up to the viral army of fans to blow his message up on social networking sites.

"Vince, we're calling you out," he said. "Kobe, we're calling you out. Tweet it, facebook it, get it out there."