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Donovan Mitchell dunk: Viral video of Cavaliers star causes internet to debate if it's real or fake

Brendan OSullivan

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Donovan Mitchell dunk: Viral video of Cavaliers star causes internet to debate if it's real or fake image

Donovan Mitchell has unreal hops.

The Cavaliers star has proven that in games, and he even has a Slam Dunk Contest trophy for further justification. Watching the 6-3 shooting guard fly is a treat.

Six years after winning the Slam Dunk Contest, Mitchell threw down perhaps his most impressive jam yet. But was it even the Cavaliers star performing this dunk?

Adidas featured Mitchell alongside Cam Wilder and Ian Jackson in a video teasing the shooting guard's new shoes. They're expected to be released on July 5.

While Mitchell is clearly in the video at the start, many are skeptical that he wasn't actually the athlete throwing down the reverse 360, behind-the-back, through-the-legs dunk.

The dunk is reminiscent of Stephen Curry's full-court shots from two years ago. This time, however, fans seem to have caught on to the possibility of artificial intelligence or a stunt double.

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Is the Donovan Mitchell dunk real?

While there isn't an official statement on whether it's real or fake, it's safe to assume that it is not Mitchell dunking in the Adidas teaser.

Mitchell is an incredible dunker, but the 6-3 shooting guard has never shown he can do a reverse 360, behind-the-back, through-the-legs slam. He recreated Vince Carter's reverse 360 in the 2018 dunk contest and was nowhere near as high as the person in the Adidas teaser.

Between the increased usage of artificial intelligence and Curry's full-court shots video from a couple of years ago, fans were ready to debunk this as soon as it came out.

Not to mention, Wilder said "and we got it on HD" immediately after the slam. It wasn't the most believable, though who knows if that was the whole point. It could've been intentional to be this obvious.

Still, there are some who may think Mitchell really did dunk it.

In the off chance that it's real, maybe NBA fans will get to see Mitchell back in the dunk contest with this highlight reel slam.

Brendan OSullivan

Brendan OSullivan Photo

Brendan O'Sullivan is an editorial intern for Sporting News, joining in 2024. He previously worked at Newsday on Long Island, New York after graduating from Quinnipiac University.