NBA to hold first Slam Dunk-In during All-Star Weekend

"NEW YORK, Jan. 13, 2010 -- For the first time the NBA will hold a nationally televised slam dunk competition - the NBA All-Star Slam Dunk-In - to determine one of the participants in the Sprite Slam Dunk, the NBA announced today.

This one-round slam dunk-in competition will be held during halftime of the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam on Friday, Feb. 12, and fans will determine the winner by voting via SMS text message and at NBA.com.
The NBA All-Star Slam Dunk-In will air live on TNT, which will televise the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam (9 p.m. ET) from American Airlines Center in Dallas.
TNT will announce the participants in the NBA All-Star Slam Dunk-In on-air during NBA Tip-Off presented by AutoTrader.com on Thurs., Jan 14, at 8 p.m. ET.
TNT's coverage of All-Star Weekend will continue Saturday from American Airlines Center in Dallas with All-Star Saturday Night (8 p.m. ET), including the Sprite Slam Dunk, and will conclude Sunday from Cowboys Stadium with the 59th NBA All-Star Game (8 p.m. ET).
The participants will have two dunks each, with a two-minute time limit to complete each dunk.
Fans will determine the winner of the NBA All-Star Slam Dunk-In by voting via SMS Text message or on NBA.com during the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam. Voting polls will open at the beginning of the event and close two minutes after the final dunk. The player with a higher percentage of overall votes will advance to participate in the Sprite Slam Dunk contest on All-Star Saturday Night. The other three contestants in the Sprite Slam Dunk will be announced on Monday, Jan. 18.
The Sprite Slam Dunk and T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam are part of NBA All-Star 2010, which also includes the Foot Locker Three-Point Shootout; Taco Bell Skills Challenge; Haier Shooting Stars; NBA All-Star Jam Session presented by adidas; and the 59th NBA All-Star Game."