2026 NBA Dunk Contest: Jaxson Hayes vs Keshad Johnson

Merlin sees the 2026 Dunk Contest field and smiles with a shrug. The event lost an All Star when Jalen Duren withdrew with a knee injury, leaving Jaxson Hayes, Jase Richardson, Carter Bryant and Keshad Johnson to carry All-Star Saturday’s signature show. Fame may be thin on the backs of these jerseys, but raw dunking chops are not. As the piece notes, star power and dunk prowess are different things. Merlin notes the matchups: Hayes brings the most resume as a bouncy seven footer, Richardson carries a legacy from his father, Bryant is a 20-year-old toolshed with length, and Johnson lives at the rim with 16 career dunks out of 42 field goals. Home-state vibes and creative finishes could decide it. Expect misses to matter; one clean run can crown a surprise hero.