For decades, the Slam Dunk Contest was the pinnacle of showmanship in basketball, a stage where legends were made. From Julius Erving soaring from the free-throw line to Michael Jordan’s duel with Dominique Wilkins in the 1988 contest.

The 2000 dunk contest saw Vince Carter throw down dunks that remain fresh in memories. These moments of raw entertainment made the dunk contest one of the anticipated events of the All-Star weekend — maybe not anymore.

The dunk contest decline

The biggest paradox is that the dunk contest is becoming less and less relevant, even as players become bigger, faster, and more athletic. Wilkins, a two-time winner himself, has been vocal about the decline in participation.

“Guys, for one reason or another, just don’t want to get in anymore,” Wilkins said. “I mean, they feel like it’s a waste of their time, or whatever they want to call it. They just don’t want to do it anymore.”

The contest has struggled to maintain its star power. In the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s, superstars lined up to compete. Jordan, Wilkins, Carter, Kobe Bryant, and Dwight Howard all took center stage. Even lesser-known players could become household names overnight with the right dunk—just like Jason Richardson or Nate Robinson.

But today, the event struggles to attract top-tier talent. The last three-time winner, Mac McClung, is a prime example of the shift. He has played five total NBA games with zero starts despite being the first player to win three consecutive dunk contests.

His NBA career is almost non-existent, and that’s the current reality — dunking doesn’t necessarily translate to on-court dominance.

With big-name players staying away, the contest has leaned into gimmicks. Over the years, contestants have dunked over cars, donned superhero capes, and brought in celebrity assistants. There have been 12-foot rims, props, and even drone-assisted dunks. But while these elements add entertainment value, they often overshadow the fundamental skill of dunking itself.

There’s no guarantee that the biggest NBA stars would dominate the contest. The ability to dunk in-game and the ability to perform high-difficulty contest dunks are two different skills.

Superstars like LeBron James, who has notoriously dodged the contest, admitted to seeing no benefit in participating. Historically, some all-time greats like Karl Malone and Tim Duncan were never flashy dunkers despite their dominance.