Nets' Plumlee Hopes To Put On A Show In Front Of Home Fans At Slam Dunk Contest

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The NBA has a hard time getting its most spectacular players to compete in the Slam Dunk Contest.

Mason Plumlee doesn't care. He's just looking forward to bringing the people to their feet.

The Nets' second-year center will put his highlight-reel abilities on display when he takes part in the annual throw-down fest on Saturday night at Barclays Center, as part of the All-Star Weekend festivities in both Brooklyn and at Madison Square Garden.

"I forget how big the slam dunk contest is," Plumlee told the Daily News on Friday. "Everybody is going to tune in. Everybody is going to see what you're going to do. So there's a lot of pressure."

The 6-foot-10 behemoth out of Duke is enjoying a solid season with the Nets, averaging 10.3 points and seven rebounds, while shooting 59 percent from the floor.

Plumlee will be competing against Minnesota's Zach LaVine, Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo and Orlando's Victor Oladipo. Plumlee is currently the longest shot to win the event, installed as a 7-to-1 underdog by Bovada.

But that's not due to a lack of practice. According to ESPN, Plumlee has 88 dunks this season, the most of any of the contest's participants by a comfortable margin. And he said while he doesn't necessarily know what he'll try to do, he hopes to make the most of his opportunities on Saturday night in front of his home fans.

"Now that it's been public, everybody is asking, 'What are you going to do?' They have a bunch of suggestions for what you should do," Plumlee said. "And honestly, I don't have a four-dunk plan of what I'm going to do, but I'll come up with something. … I don't want to get crazy with the props. I'm not going to drive out a car. I'm not going to bring in a choir."

Last year's slam-dunk champion was Washington point guard John Wall.