By the numbers, the NBA dunk contest is indeed getting worse
If you’re under the impression that NBA dunk contest fields are getting worse over time, you’re probably right – at least in terms of the on-court impact of the participants. (We’ll leave the debate about their dunking prowess for another day.)
A contest that has historically seen its fair share of All-Star power is now largely reduced to young rank-and-file players (at best). For example, the 2025 dunk contest this year features up-and-coming Spurs guard Stephon Castle along with defending champion Mac McClung (on a two-way contract with Orlando) and seldom-used rookies Matas Buzelis and Andre Jackson. Their average scoring output this season is 7.53 ppg, the fourth-worst mark for any dunk contest field in NBA history.
The worst part is that this isn’t really an aberration compared to other recent dunk contests. Many of the lowest-scoring fields have come in the last 15 years, with the 2021 contest ranking dead last in a year when the league seemingly could only convince three players (none of them big names) to participate.
For the all-time ranking, take a look below.
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Dunk contest participants: Clyde Drexler, Darrell Griffith, Dominique Wilkins, Julius Erving, Larry Nance, Michael Jordan, Orlando Woolridge, Terence Stansbury
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Dunk contest participants: Clyde Drexler, Dominique Wilkins, Greg Anderson, Jerome Kersey, Michael Jordan, Otis Smith, Spud Webb
Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images
Dunk contest participants: Clyde Drexler, Gerald Wilkins, Jerome Kersey, Johnny Dawkins, Michael Jordan, Ron Harper, Terence Stansbury, Tom Chambers
JOHN MABANGLO/AFP via Getty Images
Dunk contest participants: Jerry Stackhouse, Larry Hughes, Ricky Davis, Steve Francis, Tracy McGrady, Vince Carter
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Dunk contest participants: Dennis Smith, Donovan Mitchell, Larry Nance Jr, Victor Oladipo
Porter Binks-USA TODAY
Dunk contest participants: Clyde Drexler, Darrell Griffith, Dominique Wilkins, Edgar Jones, Julius Erving, Larry Nance, Michael Cooper, Orlando Woolridge, Ralph Sampson
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Dunk contest participants: Dwight Howard, JR Smith, Nate Robinson, Rudy Fernandez, Rudy Gay
Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Dunk contest participants: Jacob Toppin, Jaime Jaquez, Jaylen Brown, Mac McClung
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Dunk contest participants: Dwight Howard, Gerald Green, Jamario Moon, Rudy Gay
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Dunk contest participants: Ben McLemore, Damian Lillard, Harrison Barnes, John Wall, Paul George, Terrence Ross
ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images
Dunk contest participants: Blake Griffin, DeMar DeRozan, JaVale McGee, Serge Ibaka
Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images
Dunk contest participants: Amare Stoudemire, Desmond Mason, Jason Richardson, Richard Jefferson
Getty Images
Dunk contest participants: Cedric Ceballos, Doug West, John Starks, Larry Johnson (1969), Nick Anderson, Shawn Kemp, Stacey Augmon
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
Dunk contest participants: Amare Stoudemire, Chris Andersen, Josh Smith, JR Smith
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Dunk contest participants: Dominique Wilkins, Gerald Wilkins, Jerome Kersey, Paul Pressey, Roy Hinson, Spud Webb, Terence Stansbury, Terry Tyler
Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Dunk contest participants: Aaron Gordon, Andre Drummond, Will Barton, Zach LaVine
PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP via Getty Images
Dunk contest participants: Desmond Mason, Gerald Wallace, Jason Richardson, Steve Francis
SI.com
Dunk contest participants: Billy Thompson, Dominique Wilkins, Kenny Battle, Kenny Smith, Kenny Walker, Rex Chapman, Scottie Pippen, Shawn Kemp
Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images
Dunk contest participants: Cedric Ceballos, Clarence Weatherspoon, David Benoit, Harold Miner, Kenny Smith, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf, Tim Perry
Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images
Dunk contest participants: Chris Morris, Clyde Drexler, Jerome Kersey, Kenny Walker, Ron Harper, Shelton Jones, Spud Webb, Tim Perry
Elsa/Getty Images
Dunk contest participants: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Mason Plumlee, Victor Oladipo, Zach LaVine
JEFF HAYNES/AFP via Getty Images
Dunk contest participants: Brent Barry, Darrell Armstrong, Doug Christie, Greg Minor, Jerry Stackhouse, Michael Finley
Nathaniel S. Butler-NBAE via Getty Images
Dunk contest participants: Blue Edwards, Dee Brown (1968), Kendall Gill, Kenny Smith, Kenny Williams, Otis Smith, Rex Chapman, Shawn Kemp
Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Dunk contest participants: Cole Anthony, Jalen Green, Juan Toscano-Anderson, Obi Toppin
Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images
Dunk contest participants: DeMar DeRozan, Gerald Wallace, Nate Robinson, Shannon Brown
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Dunk contest participants: Allan Houston, Antonio Davis, Isaiah Rider, James Robinson, Robert Pack, Shawn Kemp
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Dunk contest participants: Jericho Sims, KJ Martin, Mac McClung, Trey Murphy
Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images
Dunk contest participants: Dwight Howard, Gerald Green, Nate Robinson, Tyrus Thomas
Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Dunk contest participants: Dennis Smith, Hamidou Diallo, John Collins, Miles Bridges
HECTOR MATA/AFP via Getty Images
Dunk contest participants: Chris Andersen, Fred Jones, Jason Richardson, Ricky Davis
Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Dunk contest participants: Aaron Gordon, DeAndre Jordan, Derrick Jones, Glenn Robinson III
Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images
Dunk contest participants: Bob Sura, Chris Carr, Darvin Ham, Kobe Bryant, Michael Finley, Ray Allen
Ronald Martinez/Getty Images
Dunk contest participants: Andre Iguodala, Hakim Warrick, Josh Smith, Nate Robinson
Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Dunk contest participants: Chase Budinger, Derrick Williams, Jeremy Evans, Paul George
Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
Dunk contest participants: Aaron Gordon, Derrick Jones, Dwight Howard, Pat Connaughton
Vince Bucci/Getty Images
Dunk contest participants: Antonio Harvey, Harold Miner, Isaiah Rider, Jamie Watson, Tim Perry, Tony Dumas
Dunk contest participants: Matas Buzelis, Mac McClung, Stephon Castle, Andre Jackson
Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images
Dunk contest participants: Baron Davis, Corey Maggette, DeShawn Stevenson, Desmond Mason, Jonathan Bender, Stromile Swift
Jeff Haynes/Reuters via USA TODAY Sports
Dunk contest participants: Eric Bledsoe, Gerald Green, Jeremy Evans, Terrence Ross
Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Dunk contest participants: Anfernee Simons, Cassius Stanley, Obi Toppin
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