NBA ALL-STAR SLAM DUNK

February 19, 2022

Juan Toscano-Anderson

Press Conference

Q. What were your overall thoughts?

JUAN TOSCANO-ANDERSON: It's exciting to be a part of. It's a big deal. Something I've been watching since I picked up a basketball. Obviously, we talked about my journey and how far-fetched I thought the NBA was, but to be part of the All-Star Weekend is something very special, and this is something I'll never forget. Just being in front of my peers competing. It's the upper echelon of the NBA, man.

It's a special moment for me, so it's something I'll never forget.

Q. Are there any what-ifs about that last dunk? Is there anything you think you maybe could have done a little differently?

JUAN TOSCANO-ANDERSON: Yeah, I think I got a little too overzealous just because the first one didn't go my way. A few of my dunks got -- they were done in the first round, so I had to audible, so the first dunk I should have did something else, but it's whatever. Hindsight is 20/20, right? I'm just happy to be a part of this and be out there competing. Second place isn't bad. It's not first place, but it's not bad.

Q. You obviously looked a little frustrated after that first dunk. What did you want to do?

JUAN TOSCANO-ANDERSON: I was trying to windmill honey dip, but I didn't get enough lift. I should have stuck to the trick dunks.

Q. How did it feel to get to the final round, to get that far?

JUAN TOSCANO-ANDERSON: It was cool. I came here to win. Obviously, I'm always going to compete to win, but, I mean, there is some athletic guys in this league, and so just to be there in the final stage, final round, I mean, it's going to be on YouTube forever. It will be somewhere where I can show my kids, my grandkids. I'm just here to have fun and compete and enjoy the moment, and I enjoyed it. I'm still having fun. I enjoyed it.

Q. How important is it for you to rep Mexico?

JUAN TOSCANO-ANDERSON: It's always important to me because that's half of who I am and that's where my career started. That league gave me a chance. I wouldn't be here if I didn't play in that league. That's my way of saying thank you to that league and to the people that helped me there. And also just putting my heritage on a platform. It's the biggest platform in sports, I think, after the Super Bowl and the NBA Finals.

Q. Was it a no-brainer that you were going to rep J. Rich [Jason Richardson]?

JUAN TOSCANO-ANDERSON: You got to, man. I think that's the last Warrior player to be in the Dunk Contest. Obviously, I feel a little bummed because I didn't convert the dunk, but, you know, whatever. Came here to have fun, and that's what I did.

Q. Got any more plans for All-Star Weekend? Are you going to go on a vacation? Enjoy yourself a little bit?

JUAN TOSCANO-ANDERSON: Yeah. I'm going to go relax on the beach and go to Mexico, obviously, for a few days before we head up to Portland.

Q. How nice was it to have Steph there encouraging you for the Dunk Contest?

JUAN TOSCANO-ANDERSON: It's really cool, man. Steph is in the top tier of players of everyone that touched a basketball. People are going to talk about the Mikes, Kobes, LeBrons. Just him being there and being enthusiastic and cheering me on, that's something I'll remember forever. Shout out to Wiggs [Andrew Wiggins], man, for being so willing to help me.

Q. What did he do?

JUAN TOSCANO-ANDERSON: My first dunk, I jumped over him. Just being a part of it. That takes a lot. I mean, I'm asking him for a favor. It was a no-brainer, and he was all for it.

Q. There's a lot of anticipation. What was it like being out there, spotlight on you in front of the judges? What was the whole experience like for you?

JUAN TOSCANO-ANDERSON: It's nerve-racking. You play in front of your peers, all the best players in the NBA are here this weekend. There are celebrities here. There's some of my favorite rappers, 2 Chainz, stuff like that. It's pretty cool just to consider them my peers now and be here in the same building, same moment with all those guys. It's cool.

Q. Were you feeling pretty nostalgic earlier today or just the past couple of days thinking about being a kid, dunking, and dunking on the milk crates and all that kind of stuff?

JUAN TOSCANO-ANDERSON: Of course. Everybody is like, how much did you practice? How much did you practice? I practiced a little bit. At the end of the day you just got to go out there and dunk the basketball and convert the dunk. So, I just have been having visual imagery in my head over and over and over and just thinking about what I used to do on the rims in my driveway and stuff like that. Just reliving those moments, because I really used to think that I was in the Slam Dunk Contest when I was in my driveway.

So I just hope I'll get some nice pictures to frame, and every time I look at that picture, I'll always remember where my dream started, and that's in the driveway on 95th.

Q. Obviously, it takes a lot of nerve to go out and do what you just did. Are you feeling proud of yourself right now just for putting yourself out there like that, getting to the finals?

JUAN TOSCANO-ANDERSON: I'm happy you asked that question because that's probably the part that I'm most proud of. I think some guys are -- I don't want to use the word "afraid," but reluctant to step out of their comfort zone. Me going and doing a Dunk Contest is kind of outside my comfort zone just because I got -- we all know that I'm not in the top tier of athletic guys in the NBA. There are some guys who are extremely athletic, but I think it takes a lot to step outside and challenge yourself.

So I like to do stuff like that. I feel like I perform better under pressure always, and I grew internally. I just feel like I'm on top -- I'm on cloud nine right now just because it was a cool moment. I went out there and converted my first dunk, and then it was like the floodgates opened up. The nerves went away. I didn't feel any more pressure. It's like, I'm here.

I'm proud of myself for doing that, to come out here to compete in the best in the NBA. Shout-out to Obi Toppin. Hell of a dunker. Hell of an athlete. Great guy. Great group of guys. Cole, Obi, Jalen Green. I made some new friends today, so, I mean, it's all fun and it's all a good time.

Q. J. Rich said he thinks the Dunk Contest is harder than when he did it because there's professional dunkers out there, a lot of the dunks have already been done. Did you feel some of those challenges just knowing those things?

JUAN TOSCANO-ANDERSON: Yeah, I think it is harder now. I also think players are more athletic nowadays, and there's YouTube and stuff. You can go and watch and watch and watch so many different dunks and get creative and stuff. Not to say that those guys weren't creative. Also, when J. Rich competed in the dunk contest, that was 19 years ago. So 19 years have gone by where dunks have been completed. It's hard to find new stuff and new dunks to do.

So I do think it's a little harder, but I don't really disrespect the greats, but I'm in this time now and maybe I'm a little biased. I do think it's harder, though.

Q. When you said you grew from this, I'm just curious like how did you grow?

JUAN TOSCANO-ANDERSON: I just grew internally and gaining confidence and stepping outside of my comfort zone. Every time I accomplish a task, I'm proud of myself. Just another challenge, another bar that I stepped over, and so that's what life is about is just progressing and growing. That's what I want to do every day is just progress and grow as a person and as an athlete as well.

Q. When you knew it was your last attempt for the competition, did that encourage you to change to a safer dunk to secure a 40?

JUAN TOSCANO-ANDERSON: Once I missed my first dunk, I knew I had to go all out, and I had already planned for this to be my final dunk, if I made it to the final round. So I think I could have gave myself a better chance had I planned a little bit better, but, like I said, some of the dunks that I wanted to do were done in the first round. So I had to audible, but whatever. Neither here nor there. I'm not upset about anything. I'm happy. I'm here, and I'm happy that I competed, and I had a chance to win, so sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.