{"id":592558,"date":"2026-02-09T13:53:22","date_gmt":"2026-02-09T13:53:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/592558\/"},"modified":"2026-02-09T13:53:22","modified_gmt":"2026-02-09T13:53:22","slug":"nba-2026-slam-dunk-contest-participants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/592558\/","title":{"rendered":"NBA 2026 Slam Dunk contest participants"},"content":{"rendered":"

The 2026 NBA Slam Dunk Contest is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing showcases of athleticism during NBA All-Star Saturday Night<\/a>, set for Saturday, February 14 at 5 p.m. ET at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. This event, part of the league\u2019s midseason celebration that runs Feb. 13\u201315, brings together an exciting mix of explosive young talent and dynamic leapers eager to light up the stage. With broadcast coverage on NBC and Peacock, fans across the country will tune in to see who can deliver the most jaw-dropping jams and claim Dunk Contest glory.<\/p>\n

Carter Bryant \u2013 San Antonio Spurs\"Carter<\/p>\n

San Antonio Spurs forward Carter Bryant (11) looks up in the first half against the Dallas Mavericks at Frost Bank Center. Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Carter Bryant is one of the youthful faces in this year\u2019s dunk lineup, drafted 14th overall in 2025. While his regular-season numbers might not jump off the page yet, his athleticism and collegiate dunk highlights have made him an intriguing pick for the contest. Fans will be watching to see if he can bring creativity and flair that transcends his box score.<\/p>\n

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Jaxson Hayes \u2013 Los Angeles Lakers\"Jaxson<\/p>\n

Los Angeles Lakers center Jaxson Hayes (11) reacts towards the Denver Nuggets bench in the fourth quarter at Ball Arena. Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Standing 7-feet tall, Jaxson Hayes brings rare length and in-game dunking experience to the competition. Known for explosive alley-oop finishes and surprisingly nimble hang time for his size, Hayes could turn those live-game jams into contest magic. His veteran status and highlight reel pedigree make him one of the more recognizable names in the field.<\/p>\n

Keshad Johnson \u2013 Miami Heat\"Keshad<\/p>\n

Miami Heat forward Keshad Johnson (16) drives to the basket against Toronto Raptors guard Ja\u2019Kobe Walter (14) during the second quarter at Kaseya Center. Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Keshad Johnson, a second-year forward with the Heat, earned his spot with flashes of athleticism and dunking prowess in limited minutes. Though not a star yet, he represents the high-effort underdog archetype that fans often root for in dunk competitions. If his workouts translate on the All-Star stage, Johnson could surprise a lot of viewers.<\/p>\n

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Jase Richardson \u2013 Orlando Magic\"Jase<\/p>\n

Orlando Magic guard Jase Richardson (11) controls the ball against the Charlotte Hornets in the second quarter at Kia Center. Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Jase Richardson brings an interesting storyline as the son of two-time Slam Dunk champion Jason Richardson. Selected 25th overall in 2025, his inclusion adds both legacy and excitement to this year\u2019s event. His agility and fearless approach belie his 6-1 frame \u2014 and he\u2019ll be looking to carve out his own Slam Dunk legacy.<\/p>\n

Conclusion\"Conclusion\"<\/p>\n

San Antonio Spurs forward Carter Bryant (11) dunks in front of Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. (34) in the second half at Frost Bank Center. Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

As the buzzer sounds on All-Star Saturday Night, the 2026 Slam Dunk Contest will cap off a night packed with elite skills, sharpshooting, and high-flying moments that define this unique celebration of basketball flair. Whether it\u2019s the rookies looking to make a statement or the veterans showcasing their wingspan in creative ways, this year\u2019s field promises memorable highlights and storylines. Be sure to mark your calendar for 5 p.m. ET on February 14, when the dunks take center stage and the next champion is crowned.<\/p>\n

The post NBA 2026 Slam Dunk contest participants<\/a> appeared first on The Big Lead<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The 2026 NBA Slam Dunk Contest is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing showcases of…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":592559,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3797],"tags":[7,978,473,149,30797,187,3203,7779,960,956,32,1248,150,189,6,76,969,474,4075,4074,20343,9672,534,476,454],"class_list":["post-592558","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-san-antonio-spurs","tag-basketball","tag-carter-bryant","tag-charlotte-hornets","tag-dallas-mavericks","tag-daniel-dunn-imagn","tag-denver-nuggets","tag-dunk-contest","tag-frost-bank-center","tag-jase-richardson","tag-jason-richardson","tag-jaxson-hayes","tag-keshad-johnson","tag-los-angeles-lakers","tag-miami-heat","tag-nba","tag-orlando-magic","tag-san-antonio","tag-san-antonio-spurs","tag-sanantonio","tag-sanantoniospurs","tag-slam-dunk","tag-slam-dunk-contest","tag-spurs","tag-toronto-raptors","tag-wendell-carter-jr"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nba\/116041011266559462","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/592558","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=592558"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/592558\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/592559"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=592558"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=592558"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=592558"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}