The contest will be aired this Thursday night (March 31) on ESPN from 6-8 p.m. PST, and will be replayed on April 2 (Noon on ESPN), April 3 (9:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. on ESPN2) and April 7 (11 a.m. on ESPN). Pugh was the first player selected to the dunk contest and is the first Sacramento State player to make an appearance in the 17-year existence of the contest.

The dunk competition, which will be held at Washington University in St. Louis, will consist of eight participants. The field currently includes Pugh, Ed McCants (Wisconsin-Milwaukee), Chuck Hayes (Kentucky), Joey Graham (Oklahoma State), Mindaugas Katelynas (Tennessee-Chattanooga), Rawle Marshall (Oakland University), Wesley Duke (Mercer) and Daniel McGaffeny (West Virginia Tech). The five judges for the dunk contest are former NBA player and slam dunk competition winner Spud Webb, former Olympian Jackie Joyner-Kersee, and St. Louis Rams players Isaac Bruce, Torry Holt and Steven Jackson.

Q: How excited are you to have the opportunity to participate in ESPN’s slam dunk contest on a national stage?

A: I’m very excited. It’s my first opportunity to perform on national television in three years (when he played at UMass). I like to showcase my abilities and what I’m capable of doing, and hopefully gain exposure for myself, the program and the University.

Q: I’ve heard that when you go up for a dunk, you decide in midair what to do before throwing it down. Does this still hold true?

A: My dunks usually have different variations that I come up with in midair. Sometimes, I realize I’m a little higher in the air than I expected, and I just improvise.

Q: Do you have anything up your sleeve that you plan on attempting for the first time at the dunk contest?

A: I do have something in mind I’ve been thinking about breaking out for the first time. I also have some other stuff that will be exciting as well.

Q: Do you want to let us in on any of the dunks you’ll be attempting?

A: No, you’ll have to tune in to ESPN and find out. The only people that have any idea of what I’m going to do are my teammates.

Q: Speaking of your teammates, I’ve heard that some will be in attendance at the contest. Who will be there?

A: DaShawn Freeman, Chris Lange, Zane Beekman, James Payne and Schuyler McKay will all be there to support me. My mother, who has always been my biggest supporter, will be in attendance. My sisters from Chicago will be there, as well as other members of my family. I’ll definitely have a nice support group out there and I look forward to showing off the Hornet Green and Gold on ESPN.

Q: You were named the World’s Best Dunker in 2000 and the 33rd-best dunker of all-time by Slam Magazine. Do you look at Thursday as an opportunity to establish that reputation even further?

A: I’m a very competitive individual and this is just another opportunity to establish myself as a premier dunker.

Q: Do you feel any pressure to do well at the dunk contest?

A: The only thing I’m worried about is my body not being healthy enough to complete the dunks I want to perform. Other than that, I’m totally confident in the ability with which God has blessed me.

Q: Let’s talk about the injury. You’ve been nursing a back injury since the final two weeks of the regular season. How is that injury coming along and will it affect your performance?

A: I’ve been going through extensive physical therapy to prepare myself. At this point, it’s mind over matter. Once the lights go on and the crowd is jumping, the adrenaline that rushes through my body will have me ready.

Q: How important do you feel your appearance at the dunk contest is for Sacramento State and the national exposure it brings to the program?

A: (Sacramento State) has been gaining respect the past few years and Coach (Jerome) Jenkins has done a tremendous job of changing the losing mentality you saw in this program prior to his arrival. I think my appearance in the dunk contest is just another reason for the community to believe that many good things are happening and will continue to happen here at Sacramento State. We’re gaining momentum in the right direction.

Q: Sacramento State won nine of its final 14 games of the season this year with a team that featured seven newcomers. Although the season ended on a disappointing note, are you still happy with the way the team played?

A: Never in my career have I had more fun and been closer with my teammates. Every player on this team gave everything he had during the season and left nothing on the floor. As a senior watching the younger guys perform this year, I couldn’t have been happier with the effort and commitment each gave to the program.

Q: You’ve seen firsthand the growth the men’s basketball program has made under the guidance of head coach Jerome Jenkins. What do you think the future holds for Sacramento State basketball?

A: The future of this program is very positive. Coach Jenkins will continue to elevate this program to bigger and better things, and I look forward to watching the Hornets in the NCAA Tournament in years to come.

Q: You were named first team all-Big Sky Conference and averaged 15.0 points per game this past year. Now that your college playing days are coming to a close, what is next for Jameel Pugh?

A: This is a very exciting time for me and I’ll be graduating in May. I’m looking forward to playing basketball somewhere professionally and I’m thrilled about the opportunity to continue playing the sport I love. Basketball has been a big part of my life and I’m excited to see what the sport has in store for me next.