Once upon a time, the NBA’s biggest stars competed in the dunk contest. Julius Erving, even at 34, joined the NBA’s first dunk contest in the 1984 All-Star weekend in Denver. Michael Jordan and Dominique Wilkins elevated it into a premier showcase. Scottie Pippen, Shawn Kemp, Kobe Bryant, and Vince Carter all stamped their mark in it.
Lately, though, the dunk contest has been grossly lacking in star power. To be fair, Derrick Jones Jr., Aaron Gordon, and Mac McClung all have been amazing in carrying the rich tradition of the dunk contest. McClung, in particular, was at it again on Sunday, winning the contest a third straight time with four perfect 50s—including a dunk where he jumped over a car.
It was a show all right. But let’s face it, fans want to watch the stars take to the sky and put on a show. You know, the way Jordan and ‘Nique and Kobe and VC all did.
Now, if Ja Morant is really serious about his dunk contest-related tweet, then there’s a chance fans will get to see a household name joining next year’s competition in Los Angeles.
“Mac might make me decide to dunk,” Morant wrote on X. He then posted a reply to it where he seemingly called out Zach Lavine and Aaron Gordon: “Zach & AG wassup.”
Lavine and Gordon, of course, are two dunk contest veterans and memorably waged a spectacular dunk showdown in the 2016 NBA All-Star Weekend.
Watch every one of McClung’s dunks here:
Ja Morant Isn’t the First to Tease Fans About the Dunk Contest
Then again, fans probably know better and are taking Morant’s tweet with a grain of salt. After all, it’s not the first time a superstar has teased joining the dunk contest. Exhibit A is LeBron James, who has done the same thing a couple of times in the past—the last time being in 2013 when he tweeted “Dunk contest?” a week before the 2013 NBA All-Star Weekend.
Zion Williamson, a household name due to his elite athleticism and vicious dunks, has also teased joining the All-Star slamma jamma. The oft-injured former Duke Blue Devil told reporters last season he’d compete in the annual showcase if he makes the All-Star team—something he already did in 2021.
Even Lavine, who has twice won the contest twice, teased a comeback after this year’s dunkers were announced:
Two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, for his part, appeared to “offer” to join Morant, quoting the Memphis Grizzlies high-flyer on X and writing:”If you do it. I’ll do it with you.”
But the former champ, as always, had a joke:
Kidding aside, all these teasers are likely just that—teasers. Meaning, fans probably won’t get to see Morant in next year’s dunk contest. That being said, the 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend will be held in Los Angeles, the city of bright lights and big stars. And it would be the perfect venue to host the NBA’s most high-profile highwire acts in a dunkathon.
Fans can dream, can’t they?
