They’re letting Pat Connaughton dunk
The Milwaukee Bucks have been campaigning for reserve guard Pat Connaughton to get a spot in the NBA’s annual Dunk Contest during All-Star Weekend.
Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium is reporting that #LetPatDunk has been successful and the fifth-year player out of Notre Dame has received and accepted an invite to compete on Feb. 15 in Chicago.
Connaughton will be the first Milwaukee Bucks’ player to take part in the competition since Giannis Antetokounmpo in 2015.
Milwaukee’s Pat Connaughton has committed to invite to the NBA Slam Dunk contest at All-Star weekend in Chicago, sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium. Aaron Gordon, Dwight Howard, Derrick Jones Jr., Connaughton so far set.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 3, 2020
On a national level, Connaughton may be more of an after thought. But, his contributions to the Bucks this season have been important en route to their league best 42-7 record. Despite just averaging 4.9 points and 4.4 rebounds per game, he’s a solid wing defender and has put his flat out athleticism on display at any given opportunity.
Pat Connaughton SOARS for the putback & the @Bucks bench approves! #FearTheDeer pic.twitter.com/3sXo6tgQ7j
— NBA (@NBA) November 27, 2018
At the NBA combine in 2015, he posted a 44-inch vertical, one of the highest in league history.
ND's Pat Connaughton has 2nd highest ever vertical leap – 44 Inches #WhiteMenCanJump https://t.co/OvFTudu2Hz
— The Cauldron (@TheCauldron) May 14, 2015
Enjoy the sampling of Connaughton highlight dunks, because who doesn’t love a great NBA mixtape…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yztFG1sLIY
And, of course, the time he tried to posterize Antetokounmpo.