April 7, 2008
Albuquerque Journal
Giddens Dunking, Dancing
Journal Staff ReportsJ.R. Giddens can throw down a mean slam dunk.
He celebrated his best dunk with his version of the Carlton Banks Dance made famous on the sitcom "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," complete with a red warm-up tied around his neck.
He does a mean Carlton Banks, too.
Giddens, who wrapped up his Lobo men's basketball career last month with a spectacular senior season, made the semifinals of Thursday night's College Slam Dunk Contest in San Antonio, Texas.
"I came up with that about 15 minutes before the contest," Giddens told the Journal. "I normally forget things, little stuff. This time it was my shoes and shirt. I set them half way across the court, ran over, grabbed them and just tossed the shirt around my neck.
"Then the idea hit me, and I asked a couple of the guys if they would join in for the dance. I was just winging it."
To see Giddens' dunk— and the Carlton— click on the image to the right.
Giddens missed his first dunk before slamming home a one-hander. After another make in the second round, the former Lobo mistimed an attempt, then misfired on a 360 in the semis.
Arkansas' Sonny Weems won the competition.
"It was the last piece of college basketball for me, and it was a blast," Giddens said.