Zach LaVine

As the NBA’s calendar flips to mid-February, one can be assured of two things, among many others, becoming must-discuss topics: the annual trade deadline, and the breathtaking slam dunk displays under the bright lights. Well-versed in how to navigate through both in Year 11, Zach LaVine found that upon arriving to a city known for lit beams, February 6, 2025’s game presented everything required for a moment in the late-game spotlight. Eight-point deficits in the final 20 seconds might’ve made victory hopes unreachable, but full-court paths to the rim certainly weren’t, as LaVine — with the long-limbed Toumani Camara matching him step-for-step — put his play-until-the-buzzer approach to the test. Paint-bound, and thus enough to officially turn the Moda Center into a brief Slam Dunk Contest-like exhibit, LaVine soars high, flushing through a fierce one-handed jam through traffic. Effective, even in defeat during his second-ever game in the Sacramento Kings’ colors, LaVine offered a 22-point, four-rebound, one-assist, one-block, three-triple deposit during a competitive battle against the Portland Trail Blazers.