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With no Orlando Magic players at All-Star Weekend… let’s just watch Aaron Gordon dunk

By Philip Rossman-Reich

TORONTO, CANADA - FEBRUARY 13: Aaron Gordon #00 of the Orlando Magic goes up for the dunk during the Verizon Slam Dunk Contest as part of the 2016 NBA All Star Weekend on February 13, 2016 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
TORONTO, CANADA - FEBRUARY 13: Aaron Gordon #00 of the Orlando Magic goes up for the dunk during the Verizon Slam Dunk Contest as part of the 2016 NBA All Star Weekend on February 13, 2016 at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2016 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The Orlando Magic are the only team without an active participant at this weekend’s All-Star festivities. Let’s just watch Aaron Gordon dunk in protest.

The Orlando Magic have . . . no one at All-Star Weekend.

For the first time since 2000, the Magic will be noticeably absent from the All-Star festivities. That is an 18-year legacy that includes Tracy McGrady, Grant Hill, Mike Miller, Pat Garrity, Dwight Howard, Jameer Nelson, Rashard Lewis, Stan Van Gundy (and his staff), Ryan Anderson, Dennis Scott, Andrew Nicholson, Nikola Vucevic, Victor Oladipo, Arron Afflalo, Elfrid Payton, Anfernee Hardaway, Mario Hezonja and Aaron Gordon.

There are a lot of events thoughout All-Star Weekend. As you can see from that varied list above, it seems like it would be hard not to have at least one player doing something.

Of course, Orlando was supposed to have one participant this year. Gordon had to withdraw from the dunk contest thanks to his strained hip flexor.

If you want to check out from basketball this weekend, for Magic fans it is understandable. Orlando is the only team in the league without an active participant at All-Star Weekend this year.

If you still want to see some form of Magic basketball, there is one thing we can all do.

Let’s just watch Aaron Gordon dunk — and be outraged at the robbery known as the 2016 Verizon Slam Dunk Contest:

Oh things were so nice and fun then. Gordon had limitless potential — it still feels like he does — and he could pull off coordinated and complicated dunks on his first try.

There were no drones or anything fancy. Although last year Gordon was nursing a minor injury heading into the contest.

This is still a dunk contest everyone talks about. Some even try to claim the 2016 Dunk Contest was the best of all time. I am not willing to go that far, but we can put it in the grouping with the 1988 Dunk Contest and the 2000 Dunk Contest.

It was definitely one of the great duels.

The Ringer got some of their writers together and had a good time rewatching the contest:

They have a point. Where was Gordon’s posse to sell his dunks from the bench? Maybe that is the conspiracy theory we should all focus on.

Next year, the Magic will hope to have some actual representation at All-Star Weekend. They should at least have one player in the Rising Stars Game. And Gordon may seek redemption for this year — although, it seems more likely he will retire his Slam Dunk Contest shoes.

There are plenty more All-Star Weekend moments to enjoy. Head over to the Orlando Magic Video Vault to check out other great performances from Magic All-Star history.

Next: Orlando Magic enter All-Star Break fighting

At least we will always have this moment until the next Magic All-Star participant.