The 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend was widely regarded as a success, with the new game format bringing a level of intensity from players not seen in years. However, one of the weekend’s premier events, the Slam Dunk Contest, proved underwhelming compared with past iterations.
Stephen A. Smith has identified one culprit for the competition’s decline in prestige, though the prominent sports analyst faced pushback from another voice in the field.
Analyst Pushes Back on Stephen A. Smith’s Claim Linking LeBron James to the Slam Dunk Contest’s Decline
The NBA Slam Dunk Contest was once a marquee event that attracted the league’s biggest stars, who delivered some of their most iconic performances.
From the legendary battles between Michael Jordan and Dominique Wilkins to Vince Carter’s celebrated 2000 showcase, rising stars became cultural phenomena on these nights.
Over time, however, many top young players began opting out of the contest, citing concerns about injury and the risk to their reputations if they underperformed.
LeBron James is the most notable star to decline participation early in his career, and many have attributed his decision to setting a precedent for future superstars to avoid the event.
Stephen A. Smith is among those who hold this view, and on Monday, Smith said, “The person who is really the provocateur to ruin the slam dunk contest was him (LeBron James). Because he was a superstar who put on a dunk contest on every night in the lay-up line, particularly when he knew there was momentum swelling for him to participate, and he never did. He even teased that he was going to participate one year.
“When he didn’t participate, other people were like ‘eh’ in the years to follow. That is a fact… those cats felt compelled when Dominique and Jordan went up against one another, and a lot of people were looking forward to it. They couldn’t slip out.”
Smith’s remarks were challenged by Ashley Nicole Moss, who rejected the notion that precedent dictates participation rates in the dunk contest. The CBS Sports analyst posted on X in response to Smith’s comments:
“Need someone to explain to me the logic behind IF LeBron did the dunk contest 10/15 years ago — how the hell that would’ve changed the trajectory of it. how many times would he have been expected to do it & why would a player who came into the league a decade after him care?
“MJ and Kobe doing it didn’t make LeBron do it, so why the hell would LeBron doing it make (insert player) do it? It just doesn’t make any sense.”
MJ and Kobe doing it didn’t make LeBron do it — so why the hell would LeBron doing it make (insert player) do it? it just doesn’t make any sense
— Ashley Nicole Moss (@AshNicoleMoss) February 16, 2026
Moss’s rebuttal is a reasonable one, particularly since several All-Stars have defied this trend over the years.
Several NBA Stars Have Competed In the Dunk Contest Since James’ Absence
Although James’ decision not to participate has been cited as setting a negative precedent, numerous stars have taken part in the dunk contest over the past two decades.
Dwight Howard, Giannis Antetokounmpo, John Wall, Donovan Mitchell, Blake Griffin, and Jaylen Brown are among those who have competed despite James’ absence.
It is true that top rookies appear less inclined to enter the contest now than in previous eras, but the league has options to encourage greater participation.
Financial rewards combined with contractual bonuses, charity donations in a player’s name, and even cap-exempt team incentives could make participation feel meaningful rather than ceremonial.
Stars already earn substantial salaries, so the reward must carry symbolic and legacy-driven significance, not merely monetary value. Ultimately, this is a new era in the NBA, and attributing the decline of the dunk contest solely to James does not address the broader solution.
