O’Neal promised to talk James in to taking part in the event over All-Star Weekend in Dallas next month if a couple more high-profile stars will join him.
“As his manager, I will only allow LeBron to do the dunk contest if Vince Carter comes back out, if Kobe [Bryant] comes back out and if another big name comes back out,” O’Neal said. “And if we can get a big prize and half of the money go to the people of Haiti and the other half to the winner.”
James said last year he’d do the contest but hedged in recent months. He didn’t commit last week and Monday the NBA announced the Lakers’ Shannon Brown, the Bobcats’ Gerald Wallace and the Knicks’ Nate Robinson would take part. The last spot is to be determined by a dunk off between Raptors rookie DeMar DeRozan and the Clippers’ Eric Gordon at halftime of the Rookie Challenge game.
“The guys that are in it, no disrespect to them, but they wouldn’t really be any competition for LeBron,” O’Neal said.
On Tuesday, James said he enjoys watching All-Star Saturday night but that he doesn’t feel like taking part. He said he has no regrets for going back on his statement from a year ago.
“I’m not a regretful guy,” James said. “I don’t know, I’m just not high on [the contest].”
TNT, which will televise the Slam Dunk Contest, continues to apply pressure for James to take part. On their air last year, James said he would and analysts in their "Inside the NBA" show continue to pound away on that statement.
"LeBron said he would be in and he should be in it," Charles Barkley said. "I think there are certain things that guys should do just for the good of the game. Michael Jordan and Dominique Wilkins didn't have to be in the Slam Dunk Contest but they understood they were trying to push the game."
Stern rejects Hawks' appeal: The Cavaliers will keep their win over the Atlanta Hawks.
On Tuesday, NBA Commissioner David Stern officially denied the Hawks' protest of the Cavs' 106-101 victory on Dec. 30 at The Q. The Hawks argued, and paid $10,000 for the right to do so, that the shot clock operator's failure to reset the shot clock with 1:57 left warranted a replay of the game from that point forward.
Mo Williams air-balled a jump shot and the Hawks got the rebound but only had about 14 seconds to shoot. With about five seconds on the faulty clock, the Hawks' Josh Smith was stripped by James on a drive to the basket. It did not appear the Hawks, who were running a play and were up by a point at the time, were aware the clock had not been reset.
Stern ruled that shot clock error "did not have a clear impact on the game's outcome and therefore did not justify the extraordinary remedy of granting the protest and overturning the game's result."
It was the second time this month that Stern denied a protest. He rejected the Dallas Mavericks' complaint following a loss to the Houston Rockets in December.
Moon working out: After following doctor's orders to stay off his feet for two weeks as he allowed an abdominal strain to heal, Jamario Moon began activity for the first time Tuesday. He's going to miss Thursday's game with the Lakers, the team that he had his best game of the season against last month, but said that the he's targeting Monday's game in Miami for his return.
"I had to just chill and play a lot of PlayStation, it was hard to be away because you always want to be with the circus," Moon said. "I feel like I'll be back on the 25th. This week will tell."
During the time off while the Cavs were on the West Coast, Moon said he proudly raised his online ranking in NCAA Football 2011 to about 1,000 using Alabama.
James donates for Haiti: James was one of several dozen NFL and NBA players who joined in to collect more than $800,000 for the Athletes Relief Fund for Haiti. James announced that he gave $100,000 to the effort. Browns players Josh Cribbs and Donte Stallworth also contributed.
"I feel fortunate to be in such a position to provide support and my heart and prayers continue to be with the people of Haiti," James said in a statement.
Kaun on TV: NBA TV will air a Euroleague game on Saturday between CSKA Moscow and Spanish team Caja Laboral at 1 p.m. Kansas product Sasha Kaun, who was acquired by the Cavs on draft night in 2008, plays for CSKA. The 6-11 center is enjoying a breakout season, averaging 8.3 points and 4.1 rebounds in Euroleague play.
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