NEW YORK – The tomahawk, between the legs, windmill and 360 are some of the most memorable dunks of all-time. Will we see an all-new dunk added to the mix as the four finalists in the second annual Sprite Slam Dunk Showdown compete for the title of North America’s best amateur dunker?

We’ll find out when the Sprite Slam Dunk Showdown will take place at NBA All-Star Jam Session presented by adidas at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Friday, Feb. 18 at 9:30 p.m. ET / 6:30 p.m. PT.  The event will be streamed live on NBA.com and a 30 minute recap program will air on NBA TV at 12:30 p.m ET./ 9:30 a.m. PT on Saturday, Feb.19.

An All-Star panel of judges will help determine the winner, including NBA All-Star LeBron James of the Miami Heat, NBA Legend Darryl Dawkins, and Sprite All-Stars Carlos “Los” Smothers and Myree “Reemix” Bowden.  The event will also feature a special performance from the Jerk All-Stars dance crew at NBA All-Star Jam Session during the event.

Each participant will perform two dunks in the first round.  The two contestants with the highest score from the judges will advance to the final round.  The two finalists will complete two dunks and fans will determine the winner via SMS text message.  The champion will receive a $10,000 grand prize and have the honor of presenting the trophy to the NBA player who wins the Sprite® Slam Dunk at STAPLES Center the following night.

The four finalists who will compete at the Sprite Slam Dunk Showdown at NBA All-Star 2011 are:

• Kenny Dobbs, 6’3” a.k.a. “K.Dobbs” – Dobbs, 25, hailing from Phoenix, Ariz. is a 10-year dunking veteran who won the semifinal competition in his hometown.

• Haneef Munir, 5’10” a.k.a. “Young Hollywood” – Los Angeles native Munir, 21, has been dunking for more than eight years and won the semifinal competition in his hometown and will be dunking in front of a hometown crowd at the Showdown.  He was also a finalist at last year’s inaugural Sprite Slam Dunk Showdown finals at NBA All-Star 2010 in Dallas.

• Terry Cournoyea, 5’9” a.k.a. “T-DUB” – Cournoyea, 24, of Saint Paul, Minn., brings eight years of dunking experience to the Showdown and is the winner from the semifinal competition in his hometown. 

• Justin Darlington, 6’4” a.k.a. “Jus Fly” – Darlington, 22, from Toronto, Canada, is the only finalist to clinch a spot in the Showdown through the online competition by uploading his dunk clip to NBA.com/dunk. He has been dunking since he was 18.

Inspired by the NBA Sprite Slam Dunk contest that takes place annually on NBA All-Star Saturday Night presented by State Farm, Sprite and the NBA launched the national search for the best amateur dunkers with competitions in eight cities throughout the summer of 2010.  James also led a panel of judges that picked two semifinalists from video entries.  Through online votes, fans narrowed the top 10 down to the four finalists who will compete in Los Angeles.

Fans can visit the online home of the Sprite Slam Dunk Showdown at NBA.com/dunk, where they can access highlights from all the local competitions, including the finalists. Sprite is the world’s leading lemon-lime soft drink and has been the official soft drink of the NBA since 1994.

About The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world’s largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands.  The Company’s portfolio includes 14 billion dollar brands, including Coca-Cola®, recognized as the world’s most valuable brand, as well as Diet Coke®, Fanta®, Sprite®, Coca-Cola Zero®, vitaminwater®, Powerade®, Minute Maid®, Simply® and Georgia®. Globally, we are the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages, juices and juice drinks and ready-to-drink teas and coffees. Through the world’s largest beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy the Company’s beverages at a rate of 1.7 billion servings a day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our Company is focused on initiatives that protect the environment, conserve resources and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. For more information about our Company, please visit our website at www.thecoca-colacompany.com.

About NBA All-Star 2011
NBA All-Star 2011 in Los Angeles will bring together some of the most talented and passionate players in the league’s history for a global celebration of the game.  The 60^th NBA All-Star Game, which will be held on Sunday, Feb. 20 at Staples Center, will reach fans in more than 200 countries and territories in more than 40 languages.  TNT will televise the All-Star Game for a ninth consecutive year, marking Turner Sports’ 27^th year of All-Star coverage.  NBA All-Star Saturday Night presented by State Farm will feature the Foot Locker Three-Point Contest, Haier Shooting Stars, Sprite Slam Dunk, and Taco Bell Skills Challenge.  Other events at NBA All-Star 2011 will include the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge & Youth Jam, BBVA NBA All-Star Celebrity Game, the NBA D-League All-Star Game presented by SonoSite, and NBA All-Star Jam Session presented by adidas.  This will be the fifth NBA All-Star held in Los Angeles, which previously hosted the event in 2004, 1983, 1972, and 1963.