Keshad Johnson Soars to Slam Dunk Glory, Outduels Fellow Wildcat Carter Bryant
The 2026 NBA Slam Dunk Contest delivered the fireworks fans hoped for, and it came down to a showdown between two former Arizona Wildcats-Keshad Johnson of the Miami Heat and Carter Bryant of the San Antonio Spurs. When the dust settled, it was Johnson who flew highest, becoming the first Arizona alum to win the contest after several close calls by Wildcats before him.
From the opening round, it was clear the two former teammates were on a collision course. Johnson opened with a 47.4 on his first dunk-clean, explosive, and packed with hang time. Bryant answered with a 45.6, slightly trailing but still very much in the mix.
Bryant turned heads in the second round with a 49.2, earning the first spot in the championship round. Johnson followed with a 45.4, enough to punch his ticket to the final and set up an all-Wildcat finale.
In the championship round, Johnson came out swinging. His first dunk earned a 49.6, a near-perfect score that had the crowd buzzing.
But Bryant wasn’t fazed. He responded with a perfect 50, raising the stakes and putting Johnson right back under pressure.
That’s when Johnson showed his poise. On his second dunk, he brought the house down with a 47.8-another high-flying, high-difficulty effort that left little margin for error for Bryant.
Needing something spectacular to clinch it, Bryant attempted a complex dunk that he couldn’t quite complete. Forced to settle for a more basic finish, he came up short.
Johnson’s final score of 97.4 edged out Bryant and secured his place in dunk contest history. He topped a talented field that also included Orlando Magic guard Jase Richardson and Los Angeles Lakers forward Jaxson Hayes.
While Bryant didn’t walk away with the trophy, he didn’t leave All-Star Weekend empty-handed. He was a key contributor to Team Vince in the Rising Stars Challenge, helping lead the squad-coached by dunk legend and Hall of Famer Vince Carter-to a championship. Bryant chipped in nine points across the two games, showing flashes of the two-way potential that has Spurs fans excited about his future.
With Johnson’s win, he becomes the sixth former Wildcat to compete in the dunk contest and the first to take home the title. The list of Arizona alumni who’ve graced the event is impressive: Richard Jefferson kicked things off in 2003, followed by Andre Iguodala in 2006, Chase Budinger in 2012, and Aaron Gordon, who made three appearances (2016, 2017, and 2020) and finished second twice.
Gordon, Iguodala, and Budinger all came heartbreakingly close to the crown, but Johnson finally broke through, delivering a win that’s been a long time coming for Arizona basketball fans.
As for Bryant and Johnson, their performances suggest this might not be a one-and-done appearance. If the league is looking for showstoppers in 2027, don’t be surprised if these two get the call again. They brought the energy, the creativity, and the competition-and that’s exactly what the dunk contest needs.