Fans can enjoy exciting entertainment before the main event at All-Star Saturday Night, which traditionally features the popular NBA Slam Dunk Contest.
No matter who the contestants are, the dunk contest remains one of the most eagerly awaited parts of NBA All-Star Weekend.
The spectacular dunks, inventive mid-air moves, and clever tricks—whether using props or not—leave a lasting impact.
When performed skillfully, it’s an event that creates unforgettable memories, with legendary moments by Vince Carter, Michael Jordan, Zach LaVine, and Aaron Gordon.
The Slam Dunk Contest wraps up Saturday night's activities, following the Skills Challenge and 3-point Contest.
The Sporting News provides a preview of the NBA Slam Dunk Contest and its participants.
**MORE:** NBA once made $1 million Dunk Contest offer to LeBron James
Who is in the NBA Dunk Contest?
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The 2026 NBA Slam Dunk Contest will feature four new participants debuting at the event.
**Player**
**Team**
Carter Bryant
SAS
Jaxson Hayes
LAL
Keshad Johnson
MIA
Jase Richardson
ORL
[Detroit Pistons](https://www.sportingnews.com/uk/nba/detroit-pistons) All-Star Jalen Duren was initially in the field but withdrew due to knee soreness.
NBA Dunk Contest rules, scoring, format
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Each player will perform two dunks in the first round. The top two players, based on their combined scores, will move on to the final round. In the final, they will each perform two more dunks. The player with the highest total score will be declared the winner.
A panel of four judges will score each dunk on a scale from 40 to 50. Fans with an NBA ID can submit their vote via the NBA app. All fan votes will be aggregated into a single score, which will serve as the fifth judge.
The average of the five judges’ scores will count as the contestant's individual dunk score.
Who are the NBA Dunk Contest judges?
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Here are the four judges for the NBA Slam Dunk Contest:
* Dominique Wilkins
* Dwight Howard
* Nate Robinson
* Brent Barry
The competition will be judged by former dunk champions Dominique Wilkins, Dwight Howard, Nate Robinson, and Brent Barry, in addition to a content creator selected through a fan voting process.
NBA All-Star Saturday Night schedule
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* **Date**: Saturday, Feb. 14
* **Time**: 5 p.m. ET | 2 p.m. PT
* **Location**: Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California
To commence the evening, the program will feature the State Farm 3-Point Contest, followed by the Kia Shooting Stars, and concluding with the AT&T Slam Dunk.
**MORE**: [Former NBA All-Star dunk contest winner to miss rest of 2025-26 season](https://www.sportingnews.com/uk/nba/sacramento-kings/news/nba-all-star-dunk-contest-winner-miss-2025-26-season-injury/f5782457b2642e4937be3c9a)