KESHAD Johnson of the Miami Heat bagged the National Basketball Association (NBA) All-Star Slam Dunk crown after overcoming the perfect score of San Antonio Spurs rookie Carter Bryant on his first dunk in the final round on Sunday, Feb. 15, 2026 (PH time).
Johnson’s first dunk, a between-the-legs move, earned him an average 49.6 score from the judges, but Bryant responded with his own fire by bouncing the ball in front, catching it between his legs and dunking with his right hand, which garnered 50.0 marks from all five judges.
For his second dunk, the Heat’s guard started behind the judges’ table, took off from the free throw line and threw down a one-handed windmill jam for his second that earned 47.8 points.
Bryant’s last attempt had the potential to clinch the title for him, but he missed his first two tries and opted for a simpler dunk on his third and final attempt, scoring only 43.
Winning the contest served as a boost for Johnson, who was undrafted in 2024 and was recently recalled from the G-League. He has played 21 games for the Heat this season.
Meanwhile, veteran guard Damian Lillard returned to the court and won his third All-Star Three-Point contest, joining the likes of Larry Bird and Craig Hodges as the only other three-time winners of the event, which started in 1986.
Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers hasn’t played a game this year, as he is still recovering from an Achilles tear.
Lillard bagged the title with a final-round score of 29, beating Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker and Charlotte Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel.
The 35-year-old Lillard suffered a torn left Achilles when he played for the Milwaukee Bucks in the first-round series against the Indiana Pacers in April last year, and underwent surgery the next month.
Milwaukee waived Lillard via the stretch provision in July, and he signed a three-year, $42 million contract to return to the team that drafted him in 2012. / RSC