Inglewood, Calif. (AP) — Keshad Johnson of the Miami Heat dazzled fans and judges alike to clinch the Slam Dunk contest at NBA All-Star Saturday. He triumphed over San Antonio’s rookie sensation, Carter Bryant, who had secured perfect scores with his initial dunk in the final round.
Johnson’s show-stopping final dunk began from behind the judges’ table. He launched himself from the free-throw line, executing a breathtaking one-handed windmill slam. Earlier, his opening dunk, featuring a between-the-legs move, garnered an even higher score.
Carter Bryant set the bar high with his first dunk in the finals, achieving the contest’s top score. He artfully bounced the ball ahead of him, caught it between his legs, and executed a right-handed slam, receiving unanimous perfect 50.0 scores from all five judges.
However, Bryant encountered difficulties with his second attempt. After missing his first two tries, he paused to seek advice from Vince Carter. His attempt to bounce the ball off the glass and execute a reverse dunk ended with the ball rolling off the rim. On his third and final attempt, he opted for a simpler, yet successful, dunk.
Ultimately, Bryant’s efforts fell short, and Johnson emerged victorious as the new NBA slam dunk champion. He accepted the trophy from the legendary Julius Erving, after exchanging handshakes with the judges.
“To all the kids dreaming out there, everything is possible,” Johnson remarked. “I came here to show that dreams can become reality.”
If there’d been a dance contest, Johnson would have won that, too. He came dancing onto the court, smiling all the way, and danced after claiming the title.
Three-time dunk winner Mac McClung — currently on a two-way contract with the Chicago Bulls — didn’t participate. He was the only competitor in history to have a perfect contest, scoring 50s from every judge on all of his dunks last year in San Francisco.
It was a four-man field for the fifth consecutive year, with Jaxson Hayes of the Lakers and Jase Richardson of Orlando joining Johnson and Bryant. But Hayes and Richardson didn’t advance to the final.
In the first round, Johnson brought out rapper E-40. After missing on his first try, he leapt over E-40’s bowed head and slammed the ball down while keeping his left hand behind his head.
Judging the contest were Erving, fellow Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins, Dwight Howard, Corey Maggette and Brent Barry.
3-POINT CONTEST
Damian Lillard isn’t playing this season. He still scored big anyway, winning the 3-point contest over Devin Booker.
Lillard tied Larry Bird and Craig Hodges with his third title, most in the contest’s history. Defending champion Tyler Herro of the Miami Heat didn’t compete.
Lillard scored 30 points in the final round, edging Booker, who got hot early but tailed off and finished with 27. Booker of the Phoenix Suns was the champion in 2018.
“I was praying for his downfall,” Lillard said.
Charlotte Hornets standout rookie Kon Knueppel finished third with 17 points, wrinkling his nose at the result.
Lillard won his first title in 2023 while playing for the Portland Trail Blazers. He won it again the following year with Milwaukee. He’s not playing for the Blazers while rehabbing from a torn left Achilles tendon. Still, he told the NBA he’d suit up for the contest if he needed.
“That’s all I do it for, keep adding to my legacy,” he said.
Booker was the top scorer after the first round with 30 points. Knueppel and Lillard were tied for second with 27.
Lillard fired away in the final, with the The Wall section of fans at the Los Angeles Clippers’ Intuit Dome holding up red umbrellas in a sign he was making it rain.
“You just got to let the ball fly, trust your instincts as a shooter, and you can’t get ruffled when someone else gets hot,” Lillard said.
Eliminated after the first round were Donovan Mitchell, Tyrese Maxey, Norman Powell, Jamal Murray and Bobby Portis Jr.
Among the celebs on hand were Spike Lee, Magic Johnson, Queen Latifah, James Worthy, comics Keegan-Michael Key and Chris Tucker and singer Joey Fatone. Ludacris performed “All I Do Is Win” and other hits in a flame- and firecracker-filled show before the dunk contest.
SHOOTING STARS
Team Knicks, comprised of Karl-Anthony Towns, Allan Houston and Jalen Brunson, won the Shooting Stars trophy with 47 points. Lee, wearing his New York bucket hat, grinned from courtside.
They rallied in the final seconds to beat Team Cameron’s Knueppel, Jalen Johnson and Maggette, who finished with 38 points in the contest’s return for the first time since 2015.
Brunson’s father, Rick, a current Knicks assistant, served as the winning team’s “celebrity” passer.
Team Cameron, a nod to the trio’s alma mater of Duke, took its passes from actor-comedian Anthony Anderson.
Ron Harper Jr., Dylan Harper and Ron Harper of Team Harper, along with Team All-Star’s Richard Hamilton, Chet Holmgren and Scottie Barnes were eliminated after the first round.
Teams had 70 seconds to score points while rotating through seven designated shooting locations around the court, with all three players on a team shooting at each spot in a set order.
