Who won the 2010 NBA Slam Dunk Contest?

Who won the 2010 NBA Slam Dunk Contest? Nate Robinson won it for the New York Knicks.

The contest took place on February 13, 2010, in Arlington, Texas, during NBA All-Star Weekend. Robinson defeated Toronto Raptors rookie DeMar DeRozan in the final round through a fan vote, receiving 51% of the vote. His victory made him the first three-time champion in Slam Dunk Contest history.

Robinson had previously won in 2006 and 2009. His 2010 performance included creative dunks involving the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders, helping him edge DeRozan in a closely watched competition. Robinson’s 5-foot-9 height also made his repeated victories especially memorable, since he regularly competed against much taller players.

A common mix-up is confusing this event with the 2010 NBA Dunk-In, a separate preliminary competition held during the Rookie Challenge. DeRozan won that event, but Robinson won the official Sprite Slam Dunk Contest. The following year, Blake Griffin won the 2011 contest.