In years past, the Slam Dunk contest was the main attraction of All-Star weekend. From guys like Vince Carter and Michael Jordan to Blake Griffin and Dwight Howard, many stars have contributed to elevating this simple competition to an iconic fan experience.
Over the years, however, the dunk contest has gotten increasing levels of scrutiny for what critics claim is a major downgrade in quality. While several factors are at play here, everyone has their own theories to explain the decline of a once-beloved event. To their credit, the NBA has tried to spice things up over the years, but nothing has really made a significant difference to the experience.
This year, the league didn’t do much to alter the formula, but there was optimism that the circumstances would arise to create an improved event. But between the participants, the dunk quality, and the creativity involved with each attempt, it’s fair to say that the NBA dropped the ball once again in a year that showed a lot of promise.
Participants: C-
A good mark of a successful show is the people involved. In years past, what made the dunk competition so fun was watching the best NBA stars compete in a setting outside the typical regular-season game. Back then, it was normal for legends like Michael Jordan, Vince Carter, Dominique Wilkins, and Julius Erving to participate. Recently, however, it’s been increasingly rare to see those top-tier names anywhere near the event.
CARTER BRYANT WITH A 49.2.
Highest score of Round 1 🔥 he’s onto the final round on @ATT Slam Dunk! pic.twitter.com/dGlQfHqr5a
— NBA (@NBA) February 15, 2026
While there were no G-Leaguers involved this year, there also weren’t any stars either. Carter Bryant (Spurs), Jaxson Hayes (Lakers), Keshad Johnson (Heat), and rookie Jase Richardson (Magic) were a fine mix of role players and youngsters, but it’s not the kind of lineup fans wanted to see. You have to credit the players for trying their best, but an average player just doesn’t have the same appeal or draw as those bona fide superstars. Without them, the event was lacking and felt almost out of place in a weekend dedicated to showcasing the best of the best.
Dunk Quality: C+
The NBA was already at a disadvantage with the underwhelming list of participants, but high-quality dunks would have made up for that. What fans want from the dunk contest is a barrage of perfectly timed and well-executed slams. In this respect, the players did a respectable job of completing the dunks in fewer attempts and putting some flair on it to try to get the crowd going.
OMG THE DUNK CONTEST IS OFFICIALLY DEAD 😭😭😭
JAXSON HAYES WTF WAS THAT 💀
— LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) February 15, 2026
The problem was the degree of difficulty with these slams. While it’s beyond what many players could pull off, the moves were pretty basic in the end, and there wasn’t really a moment that stood out. Even after it was over, it left the fans feeling robbed, like the effort was minimal from everyone involved. In truth, while the dunk success rate was higher this year, none of them were good enough to stand out in this forgettable Saturday night.
Creativity: F
The dunk contest was so great because it gave us special and unique moments that still hold up today. Over the years, we’ve seen Blake Griffin jumping over a car, Dwight Howard dunking on a 12-foot basket, and Vince Carter sticking his entire arm in the rim. Those dunks were the epitome of creativity and originality, giving fans something they’d never seen before. This year, there was absolutely none of that, making it the biggest failure of the event.
CARTER BRYANT WITH A 49.2.
Highest score of Round 1 🔥 he’s onto the final round on @ATT Slam Dunk! pic.twitter.com/dGlQfHqr5a
— NBA (@NBA) February 15, 2026
Props were not used for most of the attempts, and even when they were involved, it wasn’t in a creative way. From tap-ins to windmills to 360-degree turnarounds, everything we saw was just your typical dunker’s move. There appeared to be very little planning from the players, and it showed with an uninspired performance on all fronts.
Overall: D
Keshad Johnson was crowned the contest champion with an impressive final turn to impress the judges. Really, however, there were no winners tonight in a dunk competition that some are calling the worst in NBA history. While it would be wrong to say there were no redeeming qualities, it was a failure on multiple fronts, and the fans expressed that after it was all said and done.
The players gave us plenty to look at, but the lack of any creativity or star power killed any chance it might have had to earn a positive review. There’s also the issue with the scoring. Multiple 50-point scores were given out today, despite the clear lack of excitement and buzz in the building. If the NBA wants to improve this going forward, the judges need to be harsher and only give out those high scores for dunks that are worth it.
