The NBA All-Star weekend in Los Angeles got off to an exciting start on Friday. Both the Rising Stars challenge and the Celebrity All-Star game offered a ton for the fans to sink their teeth into. However, things reached a whole new level with the Saturday slate that included most of the competitions.
A stellar 3-point contest saw a returning Damian Lillard, out for the season with a torn Achilles tendon, tie Larry Bird and Craig Hodges for the most wins with three. Then, a fan favorite competition returned in the Shooting Stars, where Team Knicks won thanks to an ice-cold shot from Jalen Brunson. Finally, though, the focus of the attending crowd in LA turned to the main event, as the Slam Dunk contest took center stage.
The NBA All-Star Slam Dunk Contest
While not carrying the same hype in recent years as it did in the past, the Slam Dunk contest remains a favorite among fans hoping to see unexpected brilliance.
In recent years, G-League superstar Mac McClung has made his mark at the competition. But the showing from regular NBA stars has been underwhelming, to say the least. This year, though, Los Angeles was hoping to buck the trend.
With super athletes vying for a shot to crown a new Slam Dunk champion, the field was spread between Jaxson Hayes, Keshad Johnson, Carter Bryant, and Jase Richardson. On the judges’ panel, some fan favorites like Julius Erving, Dominique Wilkins, Dwight Howard, Corey Maggette, and Brent Barry were ready to rank the players.
The show got started with San Antonio Spurs rookie Carter Bryant, beginning with a baseline 360, which earned him 45.6 points.
He was immediately followed by another rookie and second-generation star in Jase Richardson, who went reverse pump for a vicious jam, earning a shade under the mark set by Bryant with 45.4.
Jase brings the Richardson family back to the @ATT Slam Dunk stage!
Tap to watch: https://t.co/BpnjnxQGla pic.twitter.com/KNGJ3I9cAo
— NBA (@NBA) February 15, 2026
Next in line was Keshad Johnson from the Miami Heat, who’d already shown some jaw-dropping athleticism during the games. But “Flight 305” could not complete the dunk on its first attempt. Tying to dunk over E-40, he failed the first time before making it the second time around, combined with a mailman pose to boot.
The judges, despite the hiccup, were understandably impressed, finishing with a score of 47.4. Finally, the loudest cheers of the night came for a hometown star in Jaxson Hayes, who’s become a steady contributor for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Unfortunately, the dunk itself was underwhelming to say the least. Without any real creativity behind it, Hayes just went straight up for a simple throwdown, leading to a disappointing score of 44.6.
For the second round of dunks, it was Hayes who began the round, trying for a between-the-leg. He took two attempts, though, but the judges were still impressed, giving him a 47.2.
Jaxson Hayes taps it to himself & goes between the legs for his second slam in @ATT Slam Dunk 😤
Tap to watch: https://t.co/BpnjnxQ8vC pic.twitter.com/pBALENoNJ0
— NBA (@NBA) February 15, 2026
Next on the list was Richardson, who used to throw the ball off the side of the backboard. But he missed his first few attempts before slipping and falling hard on the ground. Thinking on the fly, he instead changed his routine to a 360 slam, giving him a 43.4.
Bryant went at it alone, catching the ball in midair for a picture-perfect windmill dunk with the full extension, adding an extra oomph to the attempt. The judges were left impressed, too, giving him the highest score of the evening with 49.2.
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
Going down the baseline, Johnson needed just 44.4 to get the win. However, he tried to go a step further, attempting a between-the-leg windmill. But when he missed twice, he instead went for a pump reverse dunk to earn a 45.4.
In the end, the final tally read, Bryant in the lead with 94.8, followed by Johnson, who stood at 92.8. Hayes was the first man eliminated at 91.8, while Richardson finished with the worst score of the four at 88.8.
The Second Round of the Slam Dunk Contest
With two rookies in Johnson and Bryant set to square off in the second round, the hope had to be that they had saved their best for last. With no unanimous 50s on the night, fans in Los Angeles tried to amp up the intensity with some loud cheers as Johnson readied himself.
Going back for the dunk he missed in the first round, he went for a between-the-legs dunk from the baseline, as the announcers went bonkers for his attempt. The judges, too, were wildly impressed, giving him a 49.6.
His attempt, though, was met with an immediate reply from Bryant, who went for a between-the-legs dunk of his own. However, he tapped it to himself right down the center of the court, earning the first unanimous 50 of the night and a flabbergasted reaction from Giannis Antetokounmpo.
CARTER BRYANT WITH A BETWEEN THE LEG DUNK OFF THE BOUNCE! 😳
Bryant got all 50s! pic.twitter.com/JFL9bSOzM7
— Courtside Buzz (@CourtsideBuzzX) February 15, 2026
For his final attempt, Johnson took a long run-up from the other side of the court, flying through the air for a full arm windmill and finishing with a Statue of Liberty to cap off his attempt, earning a respectable 47.8 for his attempt.
Needing a 47.4 to tie, Bryant unfortunately stumbled on his final attempt. Failing to convert on his first two attempts, he had to pivot to a standard dunk to record a completion. That proved to be his undoing, as he could only manage 43 points.
As a result, Keshad Johnson of the Miami Heat walked away as the winner of the 2026 NBA All-Star Slam Dunk contest.
