Winning Spirit Magazine March-April 2018 | Page 14

CALIFORNIA UTAH Donovan Dominates A New Champion Rises J azz rookie Donovan Mitchell won the 2018 Verizon Slam Dunk Contest at the 2018 NBA All-Star Weekend in Los Angeles, becoming the second Jazzman to win the competition, joining Jeremy Evans who captured the crown in 2012. Via his uniform selection, Mitchell paid tribute to the Jazz City Edition uniforms, Jazz alumnus Darrell Griffi th known as Dr. Dunkenstein, and NBA All-Star Vince Carter. In the two-round event, the participants performed a maximum of three attempts to complete each dunk in both the fi rst round and the fi nal round. Five judges scored every dunk on a scale of six to 10, resulting in a high score of 50 and a low score of 30. Mitchell scored a 48 on his fi rst dunk, 50 on his second, 50 on his third, and beat out Cleveland’s Larry Nance Jr. with a 48 on his fourth and last slam in the fi nal round. When the trophy arrived in Salt Lake City, Larry H. Miller Sports & Entertainment employees had the opportunity to take photos with the hardware in the offi ces. Th e Jazz also invited Griffi th, a two-time NBA Slam Dunk Contest participant whose #35 jersey is retired, to come from Louisville for an on-court presentation. Finally, fans had the chance to take photos with the trophy at Vivint Smart Home Arena prior to a Jazz game. ◆ UTAH Continuing the Tradition NAACP Scholarship Awarded I n a tradition set in motion by Larry H. Miller more than 20 years ago, a youth scholarship was awarded at the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day memorial luncheon in Salt Lake City. Kamaria Smith received a $3,000 scholarship and an engraved silver bowl from LHM Group of Companies owner Gail Miller, Utah Jazz broadcaster and 12-year NBA veteran Th url Bailey, and the president of the NAACP Salt Lake Branch Jeanetta Williams. Smith, a senior from Salt Lake Center for Science Education, plans to attend Salt Lake Community College and major in culinary arts. Funding for the college scholarship was provided by Larry H. Miller Charities. ◆ 12 LHM Winning Spirit Mar/Apr 2018