Although the NBA Slam Dunk Contest isn’t what it used to be, it’s still fun to tune in and watch the players come up with creative ways to emphatically throw it down in front of judges, their fellow NBA stars and the crowd.
This year? We’ve got four participants that include last year’s winner — a reminder that it was a G League player! — and one of the bigger stars in the league, along with a pair of rookies.
Here’s a look at the entire list of participants, the judges, and the format and rules so you know how it’s all going to go down:
The players
- Jaylen Brown (Boston Celtics)
- Jaime Jaquez Jr. (Miami Heat)
- Mac McClung (G League’s Osceola Magic)
- Jacob Toppin (New York Knicks)
The judges
- Dominique Wilkins
- Fred Jones
- Gary Payton
- Mitch Richmond
- Darnell Hillman
The format and rules
In the first round, players will get two dunk attempts and the highest composite score wins. If there’s a tie, the judges will choose who moves on. The top two dunkers move on. Each player gets 1:30 to complete their two dunks, and three attempts only.
In the final round, there will be another two dunk attempts, with a tie turning into a one-dunk dunk-off.
