Auto makers are marketing their vehicles in all kinds of creative ways these days, but Kia’s appearance at the NBA All-Star slam dunk contest Saturday night was a win for both NBA superstar Blake Griffin and the auto manufacturer.

In a stunt that drew in a record number of viewers, Los Angeles Clippers' Blake Griffin leaped over a gleaming Kia Optima sedan at Los Angeles’ Staple Center, catching a basketball tossed from the sunroof by teammate Baron Davis and dunking it into the net (video below). An astounding 10.4 million viewers tuned in for Griffin’s winning shot. Were you one of them?

According to TNT, the audience of Saturday’s slam dunk contest was nearly twice as large as the audience of last year’s event, something the National Basketball Association and Kia has got to love. Citing Nielson data, TNT reported that the contest attracted 8.1 million total viewers, 5.1 million households, and a 4.4 rating, a 49% increase from last year.

It’s a good thing Blake Griffin is so skilled at executing slam dunks. According to a report in ESPN, the 21-year-old basketball star will donate $100 to the Dunking for Dollars campaign each time he dunks in a game this season. Dunking for Dollars fights childhood obesity.

"For me personally, fitness in general is big, and it was part of my major in college," Griffin said. "I've seen a huge growth in childhood obesity, and obviously it has become a problem."

Here's the amazing video of Griffin's winning shot.

Tags: blake griffin, all star slam dunk contest, kia optima, kia
Categories: Cool Videos | Sports