Jalen Johnson made a bold declaration at All-Star Weekend this year: he “will be in the dunk contest one day.” This is quite refreshing to hear.
“I will be in the dunk contest one day.” ud83dudc40
—Atlanta Hawks star Jalen Johnson on his future Slam Dunk Contest plans. pic.twitter.com/Lf4MlyyXMu— ESPN (@espn) February 14, 2026After Saturday night’s event, fans across the NBA have lamented the dunk contest’s fall from grace. The days of MVP-caliber entrants to the contest, such as Julius Erving, Michael Jordan, and Dominique Wilkins, are long gone.
This year, the list of participants included two rookies, one sophomore, and Jaxon Hayes.