Keshad Johnson Wins 2026 AT&T Slam Dunk Contest
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Miami Heat forward Keshad Johnson was crowned the 2026 AT&T Slam Dunk champion on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2026 (ET), edging San Antonio rookie Carter Bryant after a dramatic final round. Johnson’s steady, crowd-pleasing sequence of dunks overcame Bryant’s single perfect 50 and secured the trophy for the undrafted rising talent.
Final showdown: consistency beats a perfect mark
The championship round boiled down to a duel between Johnson and Bryant. Bryant opened with the contest’s lone perfect 50, bouncing the ball in front of him, snatching it between his legs and finishing with a clean one-handed jam — a sequence that drew maximum marks from the judges and sent the crowd into a roar.
Johnson, nicknamed “Showtime” for his pregame dunk flourish, answered with two dependable and athletic attempts. His opening final dunk earned strong scores, and his decisive second dunk — a behind-the-judges-table launch that began from the free-throw line and finished with a one-handed windmill — pushed his combined championship round total past Bryant’s. Bryant faltered on a high-difficulty second attempt, missing twice before settling for a safer finish on his final try; it wasn’t enough to reclaim the lead.
The result underscored a key lesson from the evening: one spectacular moment can electrify a crowd, but a pair of excellent, well-executed dunks can win a contest judged on cumulative performance.
Key moments and contestants
Johnson’s second-round consistency carried him through the field. In Round 1 he produced a viral moment by leaping over rapper E-40, clearing the bowed head and finishing with a one-handed slam while keeping his non-dunking hand behind his head — a throwback to classic contest theatrics. That sequence set the tone for Johnson’s night: high-risk visuals married to reliable finishes.
Carter Bryant, a 6-foot-6 forward and first-round pick, showed the flash that made him an early favorite. His perfect dunk remains the highest-scoring moment of the evening and a highlight-reel staple from All-Star Saturday. Jase Richardson and Jaxson Hayes were the other participants; Richardson suffered a scary fall after a miss in the second round but returned to complete a third attempt, while Hayes, the most established NBA name of the quartet, was eliminated in an earlier round.
Judges on the panel included former high-flying players and contemporary analysts, and the stage at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood provided a sold-out backdrop for the return of the dunk contest’s signature theatrics.
What the victory means for Johnson
The win is a significant visibility boost for Johnson. Undrafted in 2024, he has split time between the G League and the Heat roster and had been recently recalled before All-Star weekend. The contest victory gives Johnson a national platform and a moment that will be replayed throughout the season, raising his profile among fans and within the league.
After accepting the trophy, Johnson offered an inspirational note to young hoopers in his post-win remarks, encouraging kids to keep dreaming and work toward their goals. For a player who has carved a path through hard work and opportunity, the title is more than a trophy — it’s a marker of arrival on basketball’s biggest stage.
The AT&T Slam Dunk remains a showcase of creativity and athleticism, and this year’s edition will be remembered for a perfect 50, a high-flying windmill from the free-throw line and the emergence of a new champion with plenty of momentum heading into the second half of the season.
