Los Angeles Lakers center headlines field for 2026 NBA Slam Dunk Contest originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The NBA Slam Dunk Contest isn’t what it once was when stars like Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Vince Carter were regularly participating. No one would argue that.
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But, it’s still an entertaining event that allows players to show off some extreme athleticism. Just because the participants aren’t household names doesn’t mean they can’t throw down some dirty dunks.
Who is participating in the 2026 NBA Dunk Contest?
Given the lack of star power in the event in recent years, some fans might not know who is participating in the event in 2026. Fear not, we’re here to help.
As is usually the case, the ’26 Slam Dunk Contest will be made up of four participants, headlined by a Los Angeles Lakers center.
These are the four players participating in the contest this year:
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Jaxson Hayes, Los Angeles Lakers
Carter Bryant, San Antonio SpursÂ
Jase Richardson, Orlando MagicÂ
Keshad Johnson, Miami HeatÂ
Jaxson has 80 dunks on the season, which leads all participants, by far. The other three players have all been credited with less than 10 dunks on the season so far. Johnson and Bryant both have nine dunks, while Richardson has just four.
No matter who wins, we’ll have a new dunk champion this year. Mac McClung, who won the contest in each of the last three years, opted not to participate this year, which opens the door for a new champion.
As is the case every, the Slam Dunk Contest will be the final event of NBA All-Star Saturday night, following the 3-Point contest and Shooting Stars competition.