The NBA announced that Orlando Magic rookie Jase Richardson and Miami Heat forward Keshad Johnson, both Bay Area natives, will compete in the 2026 Slam Dunk Contest alongside Jaxson Hayes and Carter Bryant. The event, part of All-Star Weekend, takes place on February 14 in Inglewood, California. This marks a new champion after three-time winner Mac McClung opts out.
The NBA revealed the participants for the 2026 Slam Dunk Contest on Saturday, highlighting two Bay Area products: Jase Richardson of the Orlando Magic and Keshad Johnson of the Miami Heat. They will join Los Angeles Lakers center Jaxson Hayes and San Antonio Spurs rookie Carter Bryant in the competition at the Clippers' arena in Inglewood during All-Star Weekend.
Richardson, selected 25th overall in the 2025 NBA Draft, is the son of two-time Slam Dunk Contest winner Jason Richardson, who claimed victories in 2002 and 2003. The younger Richardson, a former Michigan State Spartan, averages 5.1 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game in 36 appearances this season, shooting 35.5% from three-point range. He notched a career-high 20 points on January 6 against the Washington Wizards. Jason Richardson reflected on his son's journey, telling the Bay Area News Group in July, “It still doesn’t feel real. It’s still surreal seeing him out there.” On Instagram, Jase reposted the announcement with, “Let’s do it, I guess,” followed by laughing emojis.
Johnson, an Oakland native from San Leandro High, earned All-Bay Area honors in his senior year, averaging 14.4 points, 8.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 2.3 blocks, and 1.9 steals. He played in San Diego State's 2023 NCAA championship run and joined the Heat as an undrafted free agent in 2024 after a year at Arizona. In his second NBA season, he averages 3.1 points in 21 games. Johnson has focused on skill development, stating, “I’ve been working on my jumper a lot. And for other skills, how to screen and how to get off of screens faster, and passing and making the right reads.”
The contest features a two-round format: participants attempt two dunks in the first round, with the top two advancing based on combined scores. Finalists then perform two more dunks to determine the winner. Neither Richardson nor Johnson has showcased many dunks this season—Richardson with four and Johnson with nine—setting the stage for potential surprises. Three-time champion Mac McClung, now on a two-way deal with the Chicago Bulls, will instead play in the Rising Stars game, replacing injured San Antonio guard David Jones Garcia.
Hayes, in his seventh NBA season and third with the Lakers, brings experience as a 7-foot center recently suspended for pushing a Wizards mascot. Bryant, a Spurs rookie, rounds out the field of newcomers, ensuring a fresh champion.
