Dunk contests come down to two factors: A players athleticism, and their creativity. No one ever said that creativity could only come from a player’s physical performance.
RELATED: Francesca Belibi becomes first female to win POWERADE Jam Fest dunk title since Candace Parker | Khalil Whitney’s Chosen 25 Profile
During Monday’s Powerade Jam Fest, Francesca “Fran” Belibi won with arguably the most complete female dunking performance since, well, ever. Her final slam came with a leap above a seated teammate while wearing a giant black cape.
It was impressive, and the cape reinforced Belibi’s superhero mystique. But it wasn’t the first time someone used a cape during the 2019 Jam Fest. That honor went to Kahlil Whitney, who took an off-the-backboard assist and flushed home a dominant windmill.
If Belibi’s dunk repertoire was epic, Whitney’s caped crusader routine was just as impressive. He just isn’t a 6-foot-1 female player headed to Stanford.
Rather, Belibi is a 6-foot-6 Kentucky commit. And he’s a heck of a dunker in his own right, as he proved Monday night.
So, if capes were the ticket in 2019, does that mean we’ll see capes and masks in 2020? We’ll all have to tune in to find out.