Atlanta Hawks Jalen Johnson Gives Hint About Future Dunk Contest Plans

NBA fans have something to look forward to in the NBA Dunk Contest soon.

Jan 23, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) celebrates after a victory over the Phoenix Suns at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

This weekend, the Atlanta Hawks won't be in action as a team, but they do have some players who are participating in the NBA All-Star Weekend. Tonight, the Hawks had Zaccharie Risacher play in the NBA Rising Stars game, and Sunday, they will feature Jalen Johnson in the All-Star game.

However, during the celebrity game, ESPN basketball analyst Monica McNutt interviewed Johnson. During that interview, ESPN's Mark Jones asked Johnson whether he would volunteer for the slam dunk contest, where he gave a no-brainer answer.

Johnson: "I will be in the dunk contest one day."

“I will be in the dunk contest one day.” 👀

—Atlanta Hawks star Jalen Johnson on his future Slam Dunk Contest plans. pic.twitter.com/Lf4MlyyXMu

— ESPN (@espn) February 14, 2026

Johnson's response led to a range of reactions in the comments, including a trolling response from a former NBA Champion. First, let's take a look at some of the fan reactions to Johnson.

We’ve all heard this before from star players

— Mckifen (@Mckifen_) February 14, 2026

Former NBA Champion Richard Jefferson jokingly told Johnson the following:

"I don't think he has enough bounce to be in the dunk contest."

Johnson jokingly responded:

"It sounds great. We'll see when the time comes."

When could this happen and my thoughts

Nov 25, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (1) dunks against the Dallas Mavericks in the first half at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Johnson has been one of the NBA's rising stars this past season, and one could make the argument that he was on his way last season before the injury. As far as the dunk contest goes, this would not only be great for Atlanta but also for the NBA, as there has been a shortage of stars competing in the contest for over a decade.

Adding Johnson to the mix would definitely bring much-needed hype back to the contest, as he has begun to go viral for some of the in-game dunks that he has pulled off. Some of his poster dunks consist of players Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein, Jamal Murray, and Austin Reaves. If Johnson were to enter the contest, it would be interesting to see what he could pull off and what props he might use.

As far as the fans go, I understand both sides. We've seen stars in the past say they would do the dunk contest and then not do it, but this generation of players doesn't seem shy about saying they don't want to do it. It's honestly leaked into the rest of the weekend, with effort subpar, and some players are sitting out certain events.

In the end, when Johnson would actually join the dunk contest remains uncertain, but I guess that it could be sometime between next year and the next few years. Whenever that is, hopefully, Johnson can bring some entertaining dunks and motivate other star players to join him, making the competition better. In the meantime, we shall see how Johnson does his first All-Star game this Sunday.