Inside The Nuggets

Nuggets' Cam Johnson Shares Harsh Reality of NBA Dunk Contest

Denver Nuggets forward Cam Johnson recently spoke about why the dunk contest is declining.
Logan Struck|
Oct 25, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Cameron Johnson (23) talks with head coach David Adelman during the first half against the Phoenix Suns at Ball Arena.
Oct 25, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets forward Cameron Johnson (23) talks with head coach David Adelman during the first half against the Phoenix Suns at Ball Arena. | Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

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Denver Nuggets

The 2026 NBA All-Star weekend could be seen as a success to many, with an electric Three-Point Contest and a competitive All-Star Game, but once again, the Slam Dunk Contest was a letdown.

Denver Nuggets forward Cam Johnson recently spoke about why the dunk contest is failing in an episode of The Old Man And The Three.

"There's not much left to do," Johnson said about the dunk contest. "It's very hard to reinvent new dunks. ... There's just not much room left for growth in that space. ... It just positions the dunk contest as a competition and kind of just a perpetually losing battle. We get so nostalgic about the past, and for good reason, we've had some amazing dunk contests over the years. Then, when you talk bad about the more recent ones, it just doesn’t give guys any incentive to go out there and do it."

Did Aaron Gordon ruin the dunk contest?

Whenever a new dunk contest is approaching or whenever it comes and goes, leaving fans disappointed, everyone always looks back on what happened in 2016.

Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon, who was on the Orlando Magic for all three of his dunk contest appearances, put together one of the most memorable dunk contests in NBA history in 2016 alongside Zach LaVine. This has become the consensus greatest dunk contest of all time, and while it was great when it happened, every dunk contest after it feels like a major downgrade.

The dunk contest has steadily declined since this 2016 contest, and while some guys have come in and put together impressive performances, like Mac McClung in his three-peat run, most fans do not want to watch G League players in the dunk contest.

Even if Gordon were to compete in the contest again, although he has sworn against it after losing all three of his appearances, it would not have the same feeling. Many fans argue that the dunk contest is missing star representation, and while it would be great to see some bigger names compete, fans would still be harping on about what happened in 2016.

Gordon put together one of the most memorable and creative dunk contest performances ever, and even though he lost, it feels like nobody will ever be able to top it.

The dunk contest is coming to an end

As unfortunate as it is, because the dunk contest has had some very memorable moments over the years, its time is likely coming to an end. This year's event was certainly one of the final straws, leaving fans in shock about how bad it was.

At this point, fans are begging the league to replace the dunk contest with a one-on-one tournament in the hope of some of the league's biggest stars competing. Of course, one of the most significant issues would be actually getting the stars to compete and risk embarrassment on the biggest stage, but with a large enough prize pot, it would turn out well.

It will be interesting to see where the dunk contest goes from here, but as Johnson said, it has become a losing battle.

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Logan Struck
LOGAN STRUCK

Logan Struck is a writer covering the NBA for Sports Illustrated's On SI since 2023

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