Believe it or not, Charles Barkley was originally slated to appear in the 1985 NBA Slam Dunk Contest alongside Michael Jordan, Dominique Wilkins, Clyde Drexler, and Julius Erving. Ultimately, Barkley bowed out due to injury concern and was replaced by Terence Stansbury, the latter of whom performed admirably while introducing the world to the Statue of Liberty 360.
A year later, Barkley finally found himself on the floor for that elusive dunk contest appearance, this time as a part of Magic Johnson's Midsummer Night's Dream charity night at Pauley Pavilion on the campus of UCLA.
Barkley's single dunk wasn't particularly life-altering but it does likely provide a glimpse into what his arsenal may have looked like had he participated in '85.
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