Chester’s Derrick Jones Jr. won the NBA slam dunk contest Saturday night at the United Center, writes Keth Pompey for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

It was a nice birthday present for the now 23-year-old Miami Heat reserve swingman.

“Being able to get an achievement like this on a day like this is special for me,” said Jones, a Chester native and former Archbishop Carroll High School star. “This is a day that I am going to tell my kids” about.

Jones converted a windmill dunk while leaping from just inside the foul line on his final attempt. That should have given him a 50, a perfect score, but he was only awarded 48.

It was a shot he developed in high school.

The other finalist, Aaron Gordon leaped over Boston Celtics’ center Tacko Fall. The Orlando Magic forward scored 47 giving Jones the win.

Some disagreed with Gordon’s 47 score, including Gordon.

“Jumping over somebody 7-5 and dunking is no easy feat,” Gordon said. “What did I get, like a 47? Come on, man. What are we doing?”

Jones intends to defend his title.

“I’m not going to shy away from nobody.”

Read more about Chester native Derrick Jones Jr.’s birthday slam dunk here.

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