The NBA Slam Dunk Contest is an event held annually during the NBA All Star Weekend. The event dates back to 1976, when it was first introduced on a pro level and the event was won by Julius Erving. The Dunk contest has been the main event of NBA All Star Weekend since its creation. Other events during NBA All Star Weekend are the Celebrity Game, the Rookie Challenge, and the Three-Point Shootout. The Dunk Contest puts four of the league’s top dunkers in a single competition. The judges give a score to each and every dunk to determine the top dunker in the contest. There are five judges, and each can give a score from 0-10, which means the highest possible score is 50.

The 2010 Dunk Contest is highlighted by two-time champion, Nate Robinson of the New York Knicks. Competing against Robinson is Gerald Wallace from the Charlotte Bobcats, Shannon Brown from the Los Angeles Lakers, and for the first time ever, the fourth dunker will be determined by a dunk-off. The two participants for the final spot are DeMar DeRozan from the Toronto Raptors, and Eric Gordon for the Los Angeles Clippers. Controversy has begun since the announcement of the competitors because LeBron James, who promised during last year’s Slam Dunk Contest that he will participate in next year’s competition, was not announced as a competitor.

Nate Robinson defeated DeMar DeRozan in the final round of the 2010 NBA Slam Dunk Contest. He won the fan vote with a 51% voting in his favor. This is the third time Robinson has won the Dunk Contest, and his second title in a row. The Video above is Robinson's 4th dunk and most would agree the best dunk of the entire competition.

On February 12, 2010, the NBA held its first ever "dunk-off". The contest featured DeMar DeRozan and Eric Gordon. Each player had two chances to perform their desired dunks. Gordon struggled on his first attempt, while DeRozan suceeded at the end. The fans voted in favor of DeRozan with a 61% fan voting. DeRozan competed in the 2010 NBA Slam Dunk Contest and reached the final with Nate Robinson on the strength of his 2nd dunk (above,) unfortunately he could not deliver in the final and finished 2nd.

The initial reaction to the contest was somewhat lackluster. What wasn't lackluster however was Charles Barkley's commentary throughout the contest. His most entertaining comment was before a Nat Robinson dunk where Charles noted, "Do you ever notice that Gatorade doesn't work on players who suck."

Meet the Competitors for this year's Slam Dunk

• Nate Robinson: The defending Slam Dunk champion has won the event twice, and is currently averaging 12.3 points with 3.2 assists per game. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=2782

• Gerald Wallace: He competed in the 2002 Slam Dunk Contest, and finished second behind Jason Richardson. He is averaging 18.3 points per game with 11.5 rebounds per game. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=1026

• Shannon Brown: He is a newcomer to the Slam Dunk Contest, and is averaging 7.3 points per game. He does have a Championship ring, something that none of the other competitors have. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=2992

• DeMar DeRozan: He was the ninth overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft out of USC. He is averaging 8 points per game in his rookie season. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3978

• Eric Gordon: The second year man is averaging 17.4 points per game and 2.8 points per game for the Los Angeles Clippers. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?playerId=3431 Gordon lost the "Dunk-off" to DeMar DeRozan and did not compete in the final four.