Top 5 Worst NBA Dunk Competitions Ever

The NBA Dunk Contest used to be must-see television. Jordan and Wilkins in 1988. Vince Carter in 2000. Zach LaVine versus Aaron Gordon in 2016. Now? It’s basically background noise while you scroll through your phone. The 2026 edition in Los Angeles might've just set a new low bar, joining an unfortunate hall of shame that's been building for decades. Is this the end of the Dunk Contest as we know it?

5. Denver 2005

Chris Andersen almost single-handedly killed the dunk contest in Denver. He needed nine attempts on his first dunk, then six more on his second, taking over five minutes of airtime while his NBA peers and an arena full of fans literally laughed at him from the sideline. Kenny Smith captured the moment perfectly, stating, “He’s on TV more than Friends.” LeBron James and Gilbert Arenas giggled behind a camera as Andersen kept missing, kept trying, kept missing. Despite Amar’e Stoudemire throwing down one of the most innovative dunks in history, teaming up with Steve Nash for a header lob off the backboard, Andersen's fifteen-attempt disaster is all anyone remembers.

4. San Antonio 1996

Brent Barry made history as the first white winner with a free-throw line dunk that mimicked Julius Erving and Michael Jordan, but the San Antonio event was at best mediocre. The contest featured names nobody remembers, with Darrell Armstrong literally doing a layup during his attempts, Greg Minor and Doug Christie doing nothing memorable, and even elite players like Jerry Stackhouse and Michael Finley unable to provide excitement. Barry himself later admitted he didn't even want to participate and only agreed because the Clippers pressured him. The NBA rejected his plan to perform while dressed as LL Cool J to "I'm Bad," forcing him into a very bland performance that he didn’t even bother taking his warm-up jacket off to do. Barry used essentially the same dunk twice in the event and still won easily, showing how little effort this contest inspired.

3. Cleveland 1997

Despite having a field that included a player who once shattered a backboard with a dunk (Darvin Ham), and high flyers in Ray Allen and Michael Finley, it was eighteen-year-old rookie Kobe Bryant who took the title in a competition that had little to no life. With multiple contestants missing dunks, the crowd became restless and bored. Allen, Finley, and others were so bad that judge George Gervin openly complained on air: "We're seeing a lot of the same things...you get tired of looking at it." The whole event felt lifeless, uninspired, and amateurish despite featuring future stars. The performance was so uninspiring that the NBA actually canceled the contest the following year, replacing it with "2Ball," another event that absolutely nobody remembers or cares about.

2. Cleveland 2022

Maybe players just aren’t inspired to spend All-Star Weekend in Cleveland. Jalen Green and Cole Anthony missed multiple attempts in the first round alone. Green, the pre-competition favorite, failed on his off-the-backboard dunk twice and had to settle for a basic windmill that received the lowest score of any completed dunk. Anthony wore Timberlands for New York flair and wound up injuring himself on his second dunk. Not a single 50-point dunk was awarded all night. Obi Toppin won because he was the only contestant who could reliably complete dunks. Juan Toscano-Anderson scored just 39 on his first finals attempt, then failed completely on his second. Stephen A. Smith’s response to this event came four years too soon, claiming, “This is the worst slam dunk contest in the history of basketball at any level,” a statement that would fit the next entry perfectly. 

1. Los Angeles 2026

With 450 players in the league, Carter Bryant, Keshad Johnson, Jaxson Hayes, and Jase Richardson took the floor in Inglewood. The participants were introduced to Hollywood action movie trailers, which were the most exciting part of the whole event (sarcasm, but not really). Richardson fell on his back attempting a 360, and Hayes struggled all night, throwing down a dunk that most guys at LA Fitness could do (thanks, Reggie Miller). Johnson, who spent the whole night dancing, won after Bryant missed a reverse dunk off the glass. Vince Carter, serving as a TV analyst and contestant motivator, tried his best to inject energy and encourage the dunkers, but even his legendary enthusiasm couldn't save this trainwreck. Thankfully, Mac McClung, the three-time champion who wasn't invited back, posted videos of what he would've done had he received the call, all of which would have won him a fourth straight title.