This year’s NBA All-Star weekend will be held in Los Angeles at the Intuit Dome, home of the Clippers. With interest declining in the game itself over the last decade the NBA is trying something new this year in the form of a USA vs. World round-robin format featuring three teams of eight All-Stars apiece. However, the other events of the weekend remain largely untouched— including the slam dunk contest.
As was the case last year the slam dunk contest will feature four players. The contest itself will consist of two rounds, and each dunker will get two dunks in the first round. The two contestants with the highest score after all the dunks will advance to the final round, where they again get two dunks each. The judges will reward the best dunks with the slam dunk contest title.
Like the ASG, the dunk contest has been criticized by fans over the years for a steep decline in quality and particularly the lack of star players willing to participate. This year, however, will feature at least one current NBA All-Star. What’s more, this dunk contest promises to have a new winner for the first time since 2022 with three-time defending champ Mac McClung opting out of this year’s event.
Who will be competing in the 2026 NBA slam dunk contest? Let’s break it down.
Who is in the 2026 NBA slam dunk contest?
| DUNK CONTEST PARTICIPANT | TEAM | ALL-STAR SELECTIONS |
|---|---|---|
| Jalen Duren | Detroit Pistons | 1 |
| Jaxson Hayes | Los Angeles Lakers | 0 |
| Carter Bryant | San Antonio Spurs | 0 |
As of February 3, three players are confirmed as participants in this year’s slam dunk contest in Los Angeles.
Lakers center Jaxson Hayes and Spurs rookie Carter Bryant were the first two to sign up for the dunk contest this year. Neither individual is an All-Star, and Bryant was passed over for the Rising Stars challenge. Both players are pretty bouncy and Hayes has been in the league long enough to boast a fairly impressive highlight reel of slams for a 7-footer. Bryant is new to the NBA but clocked in with a 39.5-inch vertical at the 2025 NBA draft combine before getting picked 14th by San Antonio.
On Tuesday Pistons star Jalen Duren was confirmed as a participant, and it’s a big get for the NBA. Duren earned his first All-Star selection as a reserve this year, averaging 18.0 points and 10.7 rebounds per game for Detroit, currently the top seed in the East. Since 2018 the NBA has only seen two current All-Stars participate in the dunk contest— Jaylen Brown in 2024 and now Duren in 2026.
Who are the the 2026 slam dunk contest participants?
As has been the case with the dunk contest for a while now, casual fans may not be familiar with every name participating. So who, exactly, are these dunk contest participants?
Jalen Duren
The 22-year-old Duren earned his first All-Star nod this year, his fourth in the NBA. He was the 13th pick in the 2022 NBA draft by Detroit and his outrageous athleticism was his calling card coming out of Memphis. He is a tremendous athlete for his size, standing at 6’11” with a 7’5” wingspan and capable of jumping through the roof. The potential has always been there for Duren given his physical gifts, but this year he really put it all together on both ends of the court. His first All-Star selection is well-earned. Duren seems entirely capable of putting on a great show at this year’s dunk contest if he can match his creativity with his athleticism.
Jaxson Hayes
Hayes is a rotational center for the Lakers and has been since 2023. He was drafted by the Pelicans in 2019 and spent a few years there before signing with L.A. as a free agent. This year Hayes has earned a spot in JJ Redick’s rotation, averaging 19.5 minutes per game as Deandre Ayton’s backup. His skillset as a bouncy center is an ideal match with Luka Dončić and should make for a good fit for the slam dunk contest.
Carter Bryant
In recent years the NBA has fallen into the habit of tapping the rookie class to participate in the dunk contest. Last year, for example, featured two first-year players in Stephon Castle and Matas Buzelis. Bryant, then, is the representative of the 2025 rookie class at this year’s contest. The 20-year-old forward out of Arizona boasts a great vertical, as noted above, and so far has carved out a solid role in the Spurs’ rotation; Bryant is playing slightly over 19 minutes per game for Mitch Johnson in San Antonio while averaging 6.5 points per contest.
His selection is a bit funny because Bryant has developed a reputation for missing dunks among his teammates over the course of his rookie year. In fact, De’Aaron Fox put out an ultimatum for the rookie after he declined to shave his head with Victor Wembanyama and Keldon Johnson: if Bryant misses three more dunks, the hair is coming off. He has the perfect shot at both redemption and getting back at his teammates by signing up for the dunk contest.
The dunk contest still needs a fourth participant. This space will be updated once the NBA reveals the full lineup for the 2026 dunk contest.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as 2026 NBA Slam Dunk Contest Lineup: Every Confirmed Participant So Far .
