The Story Behind Aaron Gordon's Incredible Mascot Dunk

Aaron Gordon is a professional basketball player known for his incredible dunking skills. One memorable moment in his career was when he jumped over the mascot of the Orlando Magic, his former team. In 2016, during the NBA Slam Dunk Contest, Gordon showcased his athleticism and creativity by bringing out the Magic mascot, Stuff the Magic Dragon. With the crowd excitedly watching, Gordon took off from just inside the free-throw line and effortlessly sailed over Stuff, grabbing the ball from the mascot's hands on his way up. The moment was met with awe and amazement from the audience, with many hailing it as one of the greatest dunks in NBA Slam Dunk Contest history. It showcased Gordon's ability to defy gravity and perform acrobatic feats that few others could even dream of.

OK, lets add to this list your concepts.

Mont is valued, but feared, for his powers as a witch-doctor, and the racket they have established continues for quite a while without any repercussion from the locals. I ve also met a number of interesting characters each time I ve visited the islands, including fishermen, old-time whalers, business owners, the elderly who always interest me and educated and uneducated men and women.

It showcased Gordon's ability to defy gravity and perform acrobatic feats that few others could even dream of. This incredible dunk not only impressed the crowd but also earned Gordon a perfect score from the judges, solidifying his place as one of the top dunkers in the league. It was a defining moment in his career and cemented his reputation as an electrifying player on the court.

The conjurer who was spooked by witches

Post by SmootRK » Sun Sep 02, 2012 8:55 am

So, another thread spun briefly into this subject, and rather than continue to be off the topic we get this thread.

What are the features that you would want in a classic Witch?
Now, when I say Witch, I am talking of the hag with black cat and broom, Halloweeen or Wizard of Oz Wicked Witch types. and not the (real or imagined) Wicca or Earth Mother worshiper type (there is actually a pretty interesting (if not really accurate) Witch of this sort in an old dragon magazine issue). Perhaps later we can try to cover the other style.

So lets start with some ideas that make the Witch:

Generally Female
Tends to focus on Divination, Curses, Conjurations, Protections (I had the framework of a Conjurer Class that would make a good start for this).
Familiars (cats, rats, toads, crows, etc.. essentially the ad&d set, even the imps and such).
Cauldrons (what does it give such a character)
Herbalism
Lore (perhaps coming from divination, etc.), probably just give the equivalent of Bard Lore
Brooms!! (or poles, staff, carpets, vacuum cleaners)
Talismans, Protective Charms, Voodoo Dolls (sympathetic magic)
Imbued Magical charms
Walking Stick (wand)
Spell Channeling Items (per supplement, akin to all the talismans, wands, walking sticks - storing different spells to be channeled)

OK, lets add to this list your concepts.

Dimirag Posts: 3534 Joined: Thu Oct 06, 2011 1:24 pm Location: Buenos Aires (C.A.B.A.), Argentina Contact:

Re: Building a Witch

Post by Dimirag » Sun Sep 02, 2012 10:46 am

My take on the Witch is more the natural-oriented-style, but even so, this is my take for the Cauldron:

-Sympathetic Magic: If the Witch is in possession of a personal belonging of its intended victim or spell objective she can cast a spell using his cauldron and sacrificing the possession, the Witch will be treated as having x extra Levels (don't know how many yet), furthermost the spell victim will suffer from a -1 penalty per 4 Witch Levels to his Saving Throw.

-Imbue Magic: At Level 9 the Witch can use her cauldron to imbue an object With a specific spell and a trigger action, the object will contain the spell for Y time. The spell will be released whenever someone executes the trigger action.

Sorry for any misspelling or writing error, I am not a native English speaker
Drawing portfolio: https://www.instagram.com/m.serena_dimirag/

Re: Building a Witch

Post by shadowmane » Sun Sep 02, 2012 1:49 pm

LOL. brooms. Well, those and poles, which is what they accused witches of riding in Salem, MA. But I don't see this any different, mechanically, from a flying carpet. I think the Conjurer class would be a great start for a witch class. The Cauldron is great, but a witch don't JUST stand by her cauldron to cast her magic. She does have a some offensive spells, even if they are just minor cantrips like lighting her broom on fire (ala the Wicked Witch of the West), or a minor teleport spell with a smoke screen (again, ala Wizard of Oz). I think adding the bard in there, too, is appropriate, as most Witches in fiction use rhymes to activate their magic.

I don't know how you would put herbalism in terms of mechanics. It would have to be fluff. Lore, on the other hand, is a great one. The witch might know some stuff others don't typically know, but would charge a heavy price for the information.

And don't forget the stereotypical magic wand as part of her necessary equipment. A magic wand is to a witch what a staff is to a wizard. Of course, you could make the broom double as that, or just give her a staff (which she would ride like the broom).

Re: Building a Witch

Post by Joe the Rat » Sun Sep 02, 2012 6:19 pm

I suppose the question is how this works - flight with assist as a spell, an inherent power, a "standard" artifact formula (something akin to a paladin gaining a warhorse), or just a supported magic item. Wile the broom is iconic in the west, flying by cloak, or by giant mortar are fitting as well.

The wand. she seems a bit more walking stick oriented, if anything. Or a spoon. That may depend on what abilities cluster about the cauldron.

Re: Building a Witch

Post by shadowmane » Sun Sep 02, 2012 6:26 pm

I could see the cauldron used for more long term, ritualistic magic, while the wand in combination with some cantrips would do the rest for her. She's not a Mage by any stretch of the word. However, she is what I would call a "petty magic user", or perhaps even "an opportunistic magic user". Most of her power would like in the cauldron, but she does have offensive stuff that she can use. And she gets a familiar to assist her in keeping lookout and spying. Her most effective magic would be the Bardic magic.

Re: Building a Witch

Post by SmootRK » Sun Sep 02, 2012 7:12 pm

shadowmane wrote: I could see the cauldron used for more long term, ritualistic magic, while the wand in combination with some cantrips would do the rest for her. She's not a Mage by any stretch of the word. However, she is what I would call a "petty magic user", or perhaps even "an opportunistic magic user". Most of her power would like in the cauldron, but she does have offensive stuff that she can use. And she gets a familiar to assist her in keeping lookout and spying. Her most effective magic would be the Bardic magic.

While I agree that a Witch would in pseudo-real world be rather petty in their magic, I would work on a version that ultimately can stand toe to toe with the standard character choices. That means a 12th level Witch would be on-par with 12th level MU, only different abilities, spells, etc. Their spell power may be quite limited (no fireballs and such), but watch out for a Coven High Mistress, Queen of Hags' ability to throw down a curse, call up a demon, or send hordes of flying monkeys to do her bidding. She would likewise have various charms and protective talismans.

She might not stand toe to toe in a direct head to head fight, but is powerful in their own way by way of agents, knowledge, and their own assortment of spells. The same way a Necromancer is powerful by way of his squad of undead servants, but is not so tough if he was meant to fight a normal fireball using MU face to face.

Re: Building a Witch

Post by SmootRK » Sun Sep 02, 2012 8:30 pm

Bear in mind also, that while this will follow general Player Character Class as a model, it is intended as an NPC class, much like many of the classes found in the old dragon magazine articles. If they were to be made 'player-character' options, there would likely be several negative aspects applied (one being rather tied to their abode for much of their power), another being role-play oriented (being outcast from towns). Perhaps other stipulations, such as when/if they take on certain iconic powers, they lose Charisma points or even have to take on crippling physical conditions like hunch back, horrible vision/blindness, club-foot walks with cane/staff (slow), etc.

Re: Building a Witch

Post by Joe the Rat » Sun Sep 02, 2012 10:43 pm

Negative aspects could accumulate with level - each major special power accompanied by some vulnerability (fire, water), limitation (club foot, must eat babies), or tell (curdles milk, weighs as much as a duck). Since we're talking about an NPC class, this would be a list to help build your witch. "Accumulates" may not be quite right though - we're looking more at this for building individuals at a specific level of ability, not tracking actual growth.

You could really have fun with this. Cha loss (or reaction loss) might be better as an option rather than a definite. More than one "hero" has gotten into trouble dealing with an attractive, blind, albino, dog-scaring, baby-eating witch of middling level.

A few (not entirely serious) benchmarks:

1st level: Your mother-in-law*

3rd level: Witch from Hansel and Gretel; Village wise woman

7th level: Witch from Rapunzel (Curses, plant control, but still vulnerable to long falls); witches from Macbeth (solid divination and stage presence)

9th level+: Circe (minimum for "baleful polymorph")

10th level: Wicked Witch of the East (enough power to "rule" a direction; broom creation)
11th level: Wicked Witch of the West (as above, plus falling building avoidance)

20th level: Baba Yaga

* - I actually get along fine with mine, but we're talking stereotypes, so.

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Gordon's dunk over the mascot is a testament to his incredible athleticism and skill. It demonstrated his ability to push the boundaries of what is possible in basketball and captivated fans around the world. The moment will forever be remembered as a standout moment in NBA Slam Dunk Contest history..

Reviews for "Aaron Gordon's Mascot Dunk: Exploring the Athleticism and Skill Required"

1. John Smith - 1/5

I found "Aaron Gordon jamming on a mascot" to be completely disrespectful and unnecessary. It's one thing to showcase your skills on the basketball court, but it's another to humiliate someone dressed as a mascot. The mascot is just trying to entertain the audience and cheer on the team, and to dunk on them in such a way is just disrespectful. It sends a negative message about sportsmanship and sets a bad example for young fans. This kind of behavior should not be encouraged or celebrated.

2. Emily Johnson - 2/5

While I understand that "Aaron Gordon jamming on a mascot" was intended to be a fun and entertaining moment, I couldn't help but feel bad for the person inside the mascot suit. It seemed like they were just doing their job and trying to entertain the crowd, and to be dunked on in such a public and humiliating way must have been embarrassing for them. I think there are better ways to showcase athleticism and skill without making someone else the target of a potentially harmful or embarrassing act.

3. Mark Thompson - 2/5

I found "Aaron Gordon jamming on a mascot" to be a cheap attempt at gaining attention and going viral. It felt like a desperate move to generate buzz and get people talking about him. While the dunk itself may have been impressive from a basketball standpoint, I think there are more respectful and meaningful ways to showcase talent and engage with fans. This kind of spectacle only perpetuates the idea that sports are about showboating and humiliating others, which is not a message I support.

4. Sarah Rodriguez - 1/5

I was extremely disappointed by "Aaron Gordon jamming on a mascot". It showed a lack of respect and empathy towards the person inside the mascot suit. They were just there to entertain the crowd and support the team, and to be subjected to such humiliation and embarrassment is uncalled for. It sends a negative message about sportsmanship and sets a poor example for young fans. I hope to see more compassionate and considerate actions from athletes in the future.

5. Tom Davis - 1/5

I felt that "Aaron Gordon jamming on a mascot" was a tasteless and unnecessary act. It seemed like a deliberate attempt to belittle and humiliate someone for the sake of entertainment. The mascot is just doing their job, and to be treated in such a disrespectful manner is unacceptable. I think athletes should use their platform to inspire and uplift others, rather than engaging in acts that degrade and disrespect individuals. This kind of behavior only reinforces negative stereotypes and sends the wrong message to fans.

Aaron Gordon's Mascot Dunk: From Viral Moment to Internet Sensation