Dominique Wilkins, the Hall of Fame forward and two-time Slam Dunk Contest champion, is serving as a judge for the 2026 AT&T Slam Dunk Contest, scheduled for February 14th at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. His presence on the judging panel comes as the NBA continues to grapple with a perceived reluctance of current star players to participate in the high-profile event.
Wilkins joins fellow former Dunk Contest winners Dwight Howard, Nate Robinson, and Brent Barry as judges. Howard won the contest in 2008, while Robinson secured victories in 2006, 2009, and 2010. Barry took the title in 1996. The judging panel will be completed by a representative from NBA ID, chosen from Chris “Lethal Shooter” Matthews, actor and comedian Druski, or Tyler Toney of Dude Perfect, following a fan vote.
The 2026 contest will feature four participants: Carter Bryant of the San Antonio Spurs, Jaxson Hayes of the Los Angeles Lakers, Keshaun Johnson of the Miami Heat, and Jase Richardson of the Orlando Magic. Detroit Pistons All-Star Jalen Duren was initially slated to compete but withdrew due to knee soreness, according to reports.
The judging process will involve each judge assigning a score between 40 and 50 for each dunk. The average of these five scores – including the NBA ID Member Rep’s score – will determine each dunk’s final score. Fans with an NBA ID can also submit their votes through the NBA app, which will be aggregated into a single score contributing to the overall judging.
The AT&T Slam Dunk Contest is the final event of NBA All-Star Saturday Night, following the Skills Challenge and 3-Point Contest. The event is scheduled to begin at 5:00 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock.
