"For his final dunk, Johnson started behind the judges' table, took off from the free throw line and threw down a one-handed windmill jam. His first dunk earned a slightly higher score for a between-the-legs move. Bryant earned the contest's highest score for his first dunk in the final. He bounced the ball in front of him, caught it between his legs and dunked with his right hand, earning perfect 50.0 marks from all five judges."
"But Bryant struggled on his second dunk. He missed his first two tries, pausing to talk to Vince Carter in between. He attempted bouncing the ball off the glass and throwing down a reverse but it rolled around the rim and out. He settled for a less flashy but successful dunk on his third and final attempt. It wasn't enough, giving the NBA a new slam dunk champion in Johnson."
"INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA FEBRUARY 14: Keshad Johnson #16 of the Miami Heat dunks during the AT&T Slam Dunk Contest during 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend at Intuit Dome on February 14, 2026 in Inglewood, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the GettyImages License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)"
Keshad Johnson of the Miami Heat won the Slam Dunk contest at NBA All-Star Saturday in Inglewood, defeating San Antonio rookie Carter Bryant. Johnson produced a between-the-legs dunk and finished with a one-handed windmill launched from behind the judges' table and the free-throw line. Carter Bryant earned perfect scores on his first final dunk but missed his first two attempts on the second, then completed a safer third try that fell short. Johnson accepted the trophy from Hall of Famer Julius Erving, celebrated by dancing on the court, and encouraged young fans to keep dreaming.
Read at www.mercurynews.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]