DALLAS — Three-time Slam Dunk Contest champion Nate Robinson invited last night his four new Cowboys cheerleader friends to AmericanAirlines Arena for his next appearance when the Knicks are in town to face the Mavericks on March 13, according to a source.
The Knicks will need a lot of help, because they haven’t won in Dallas since 1999.
The Cowboys cheerleaders’ appearance was the highlight of Saturday night as “Nate The Great” saved the hotly anticipated dunkathon from being a complete bore. Robinson had the four Cowboy cheerleaders on the court, by his side before Robinson strode in for the winning, reverse dunk after retrieving it off the backboard. He took their pompoms and waved them around to the crowd, ala Terrell Owens, after beating rookie DeMar DeRozan.
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A record three Slam-Dunk titles is enough trophies for Robinson, whose already campaigning to have Nets rookie and buddy Terrence Williams fill his void next season.
Robinson is so close to Williams, he calls him “brother.”
“If he were in the dunk contest I know he probably would have won this one,” Robinson said before the East’s 141-139 victory in last night’s All-Star game. “He’s at home probably wondering why they didn’t let [him] be in it. You’re going to see a lot more of that kid.”
The Cowboys cheerleaders attended Robinson’s press conference and were with him on the TNT set, raising Robinson’s profile some more with the trading deadline arriving Thursday because he’s not a lock to stay a Knick. The Knicks are searching for a prototypical point guard, which they no longer consider Robinson.
Certainly, Robinson has made a bigger impact nationally for his creative dunks than with the Knicks as a backup guard. NBA insiders marvel at his popularity. He’s probably a bigger and more recognizable name than more than half the All-Star participants.
Nevertheless, there still were cynics who felt Robinson should have involved the cheerleaders in the final dunk. But in order for the Cowboys cheerleaders to participate, they would have needed NBA approval, and the league wanted to know specifically what the women would do before giving the OK.
When the league found out the girls were not assisting in the actual dunk, it gave quick approval.
During the 2007 All-Star weekend in Las Vegas, the NBA rejected Robinson’s plan to hop over a blackjack table.