The NBA has its first two participants for this year’s slam dunk contest in Spurs rookie Carter Bryant and Lakers big man Jaxson Hayes. Both great dunkers—Hayes threw down an Eastbay dunk during a recent game—but the league’s stars have avoided the signature event of All-Star Saturday for some time.
Somewhat of a renaissance hit the dunk contest with the three straight wins by elite dunker Mac McClung in recent years. He won’t participate this year, bringing a void to the juice the event saw from McClung’s back-to-back-to-back wins. Plus, McClung has only had a cup of coffee in the NBA, appearing in just nine games over four seasons as he’s spent most of his time in the G League. He signed a contract with the Pacers early this season, but was waived a week and half later which landed him back in the G League with the Windy City Bulls.
Not exactly the star the NBA hopes for, but McClung’s jaw-dropping dunks made fans look past that. Plenty of the league’s stars have openly avoided the contest over the years, cornering the NBA to look at up-and-coming rookies and end-of-the-bench rotation players who can jump out of the gym to fill the void.
That begs the question: What exactly is the league, and more importantly the fans, missing out on? In a league filled with high fliers, there are plenty of top-tier candidates that could lift the event back to a surefire hit if stars oblige. Just think back to the days of Michael Jordan, Dominique Wilkins and Vince Carter. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the best possible dunk contest options around the NBA in an ideal world.
For this exercise, we’ll limit our pool of candidates to those who have not already participated. So, no Jaylen Brown, Zach LaVine or Aaron Gordon. Even Giannis Antetokounmpo took part in 2015 in his second season with the Bucks.
Without further ado, let’s get into it:
Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves guard
If we’re dreaming here, Anthony Edwards is one of the best possible dunk contest candidates the NBA could have. The question is, would he ever oblige? That answer is likely no, but we can fantasize.
As one of the NBA’s best dunkers, athletes and personalities, it feels like Edwards was made for the dunk contest. If only the league’s stars agreed to partake. He happens to be one of the league’s best three-point shooters too, leading the NBA in threes last season, but he hasn’t even competed in the three-point contest yet. He declined an invite to the three-point contest last year and turned down a dunk contest invite during his rookie year.
It seems that the All-Star Saturday festivities aren’t Edwards’s speed—hopefully he has a change of heart eventually.
Amen Thompson, Rockets guard
Rockets’ do-it-all wing Amen Thompson has the third-most dunks in the NBA this season behind only Antetokounmpo and Rudy Gobert. That’s impressive in its own right, even more so when you consider he’s four inches shorter than Antetokounmpo and six inches shorter than the 7’1” Gobert. That’s mostly due to his elite athleticism alongside his length and incredible wingspan.
Thompson doesn’t have as many of the signature posters compared to some other players on this list. But, he’s a dream dunk contest pick as possibly the NBA’s best athlete, a trait he shares with his twin brother and Pistons wing Ausar Thompson. Amen has shined over his first three seasons with the Rockets, which included All-Defensive first team honors last season. Whether it’s Amen or Ausar, let’s get a Thompson twin in the dunk contest some day.
Zion Williamson, Pelicans forward
Zion Williamson’s NBA career has been mostly up and down due to injuries, but he’s had a solid season while on the floor for the Pelicans although they sit at the bottom of the Western Conference. Team context aside, the former No. 1 pick has remained one of the most exciting players to watch with the ball in the open floor.
He partly came onto the scene during high school when he won the jam fest at the 2018 McDonald’s All-American Game. Here’s just a bit of what he could bring to the table:
In ‘24, he said he’d participate in the dunk contest if he was selected as an All-Star. That didn’t work out as Williamson has made his two All-Star appearances thus far in ‘21 and ‘23, but let’s hope that offer still stands if he becomes an All-Star again.
Shaedon Sharpe, Trail Blazers guard
Shaedon Sharpe is quite possibly the NBA’s most electrifying dunker. He was slated to participate in the dunk contest during his rookie season in 2023, but withdrew from the event just before to focus on the rest of the Trail Blazers’ season. Hopefully that’s not the last chance fans have to see Sharpe dunk in front of judges.
Creativity certainly matters in a dunk contest setting, but Sharpe’s athleticism and leaping ability would put him in position to walk away with the trophy even if his creative juices aren’t flowing that night. Last season, he threw down one of the best poster dunks you’ll ever see when he came away with the steal and caught Wizards forward Justin Champagnie near the rim, levitating over him for a ferocious slam. That was in a game setting—who knows how he could wow us in the dunk contest.
Ja Morant, Grizzlies guard
Ja Morant and the Grizzlies have plenty to figure out without adding a dunk contest to the mix, including the star guard’s future with the franchise. All else aside, his high-flying ability would be a must watch during All-Star weekend.
Morant doesn’t dunk as much any more, but any time he’s on the court he’s capable of eliciting a crowd pop in an instant. He’s currently out nursing a UCL sprain amid a trying season in Memphis that has led to trade rumors, only playing in 20 games thus far through the season. The NBA may not want to put Morant front and center due to controversies and suspensions over the past couple years, but this couldn’t be a list of the best possible dunk contest participants without him.
Just imagine something like this on All-Star Saturday—an immediate 50. He’ll just need someone to dunk on.
Jalen Duren, Pistons center
Why not add debatably the most athletic young big man in the NBA into the conversation?
Jalen Duren has had a breakout year that has helped the Pistons sit atop the Eastern Conference. He’s one of five players across the league with over 100 dunks this season, which is mostly by design as Cade Cunningham’s pick-and-roll partner. That’s not to say Duren can’t steal the show with the ball in his hands and the bright lights on, however.
He’s bound to become an All-Star reserve while averaging a career-high 17.7 points alongside 10.6 rebounds per game for a true Finals contender. As the Robin to Cunningham’s Batman, that’s an honor well deserved. Although there’s an argument that massive dunks from guards are the more flashy accomplishment, big men have created some of the most legendary dunk contest moments in recent memory à la Dwight Howard and Blake Griffin. Duren is the best candidate to take that torch if he’s open to adding one more responsibility to his All-Star duties.
LeBron James, Lakers forward
All of these potential participants are wishful thinking, so let’s end with the biggest wish of them all.
LeBron James has not participated in the slam dunk contest over his illustrious 23-year career. It’s highly unlikely he’d decide to do so at this point, especially a month after his 41st birthday. What if he decides to cross one more item off his NBA bucket list, though? Probably not, but it’s a fun idea.
James is the NBA’s most prolific dunker, with his tomahawk slams still getting crowds on their feet even in the twilight of his career. He’s long refused to participate in the dunk contest, just like many other stars, but he did say he would compete in the 2010 dunk contest after Nate Robinson and Dwight Howard competed in ‘09, later reneging on that statement. It’s a shame NBA fans likely won’t get to see James participate in a dunk contest. But, man, it would sure be fun.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Seven Players We’d Love to See Participate in 2026 NBA Dunk Contest.
