— At the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, NBA All-Star Saturday produced a string of headline moments: Miami forward Keshad Johnson captured the Slam Dunk Contest, Damian Lillard claimed his third 3-point crown, and Team Knicks won the revived Shooting Stars event. Johnson, who has appeared in just 37 NBA games across the last two seasons, edged San Antonio rookie Carter Bryant in a close dunk final. Lillard — sidelined for Portland this season as he rehabs a torn Achilles — delivered the night’s opening highlight by taking the 3-point crown for a third time, tying an all-time mark.
- Keshad Johnson (Miami Heat) won the Slam Dunk Contest with a final tally of 97.4 to Carter Bryant’s 93.0, after two final-round dunks each.
- Carter Bryant (San Antonio Spurs) posted a perfect 50 on his opening final dunk but scored 43 on his second attempt, finishing second overall.
- Damian Lillard won the 3-point Contest for the third time, scoring 30 in the final round to outpace Devin Booker (27) and Kon Knueppel (17).
- Team Knicks — Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns and Allan Houston — won Shooting Stars with 47 points; Team Cameron scored 38 in the final.
- In the Slam Dunk first round, Bryant led with 94.8 and Johnson advanced with 92.8; Jaxson Hayes posted 91.8 and Jase Richardson 88.8.
- Damian Lillard’s victory marks his third 3-point crown (previous wins in 2023 and 2024), tying Larry Bird and Craig Hodges for most all-time.
- Rising Stars opened the weekend on Friday, with VJ Edgecombe earning MVP honors as Team Vince beat Team Melo.
Background
NBA All-Star Saturday is the midweek showcase of skill competitions that accompany the All-Star Game weekend, designed to spotlight specialists and rising personalities. For 2026 the slate included the 3-point Contest, a revived Shooting Stars challenge (last held in 2015) replacing the Skills event, and the Slam Dunk Contest. The Intuit Dome — the Clippers’ new arena — hosted the festivities on Feb. 14, bringing a dense schedule of timed rounds and head-to-head finals.
Many participants arrived with distinct storylines. Damian Lillard entered as a high-profile, injured star: recovering from a torn Achilles suffered in last year’s playoffs and not on Portland’s active roster this season, he nonetheless aimed to defend his range-based reputation. Keshad Johnson arrived as a relative unknown in the dunk field, having only 37 NBA games on his résumé, while Carter Bryant represented a high-flying rookie ascending quickly through the Spurs’ prospect ranks.
The Shooting Stars revival invited mixed-career teams that paired current players with retired specialists; Team Knicks combined two current All-Stars with Allan Houston, a longtime marksman for the franchise. Betting lines and expert picks ahead of the night reflected public interest — DraftKings listed favorites and long shots for the 3-point contest — and previews emphasized both narrative arcs and technique-based matchups.
Main Event
The 3-point Contest kicked off the evening. In the opening round Devin Booker led the field with 30 to advance, while Kon Knueppel and Damian Lillard each posted 27 to join him in the final. Lillard’s first-round performance included critical late Moneyball racks that secured his advancement and set up the final showdown.
In the final round Lillard elevated his output, finishing with 30 points to claim the title. Devin Booker followed with 27 in the final, and Kon Knueppel registered 17. Lillard’s victory was clean and decisive enough to underline that, despite not playing regular-season minutes this year, his shooting mechanics and competitive temperament remain elite.
The Slam Dunk Contest produced tighter margins. In round one Carter Bryant posted a combined 94.8 (45.6 + 49.2) to lead; Keshad Johnson advanced with 92.8, Jaxson Hayes posted 91.8 and Jase Richardson 88.8. Johnson and Bryant moved into the two-man final where each had two dunks to be judged.
In the final, Bryant opened with a perfect 50 on his first attempt, matching the highest single-dunk score of the night, but he was unable to replicate that success on his second attempt and scored 43. Johnson produced two measured, high-scoring attempts (49.6 and 47.8) for a 97.4 total, clinching the contest and leaving Bryant at 93.0.
The revived Shooting Stars contest concluded with Team Knicks posting the top mark, 47 points in the final, outpacing Team Cameron’s 38. Team Knicks had also led the first round, registering 31 to advance, while Team Cameron advanced with 24; two other teams were eliminated earlier in the sequence.
Analysis & Implications
Keshad Johnson’s victory is notable both for his relative lack of NBA minutes and for the visibility the prize provides. Winning the Dunk Contest often increases a young player’s national profile and can translate into marketing opportunities and a boost in fan recognition. For a player with 37 career appearances, the title is an outsized moment that may accelerate media attention and influence team evaluations of his highlight-marketability.
Damian Lillard’s third 3-point title raises questions about how All-Star competitions reflect, but do not replace, regular-season readiness. Lillard’s range and shot rhythm remain intact in a controlled contest setting, but on-court team impact depends on his health and minutes availability. Still, the psychological and reputational benefits of a high-profile win during rehab can be meaningful for a star’s standing and locker-room leadership.
The Shooting Stars revival suggests the league and event organizers are experimenting with nostalgic and mixed-format showcases to broaden appeal. Pairing retired specialists with current All-Stars targets both older fans and new viewers, while offering players a lighter format to remain visible. If viewership and social engagement metrics are strong, the league may keep the event in future All-Star lineups.
From a betting and business perspective, the outcomes reaffirm that marquee names remain market movers. DraftKings odds ahead of the night showed a range of favorites and long shots; Lillard’s win will likely affect future futures and prop pricing. For teams and sponsors, the night’s individual moments — a perfect 50 dunk, a third 3-point trophy for an injured star — create short-term commercial value and content opportunities for social channels.
| Event | Top Final Scores |
|---|---|
| Slam Dunk Contest (final) | Keshad Johnson 97.4 — Carter Bryant 93.0 |
| Slam Dunk Contest (first round totals) | Carter Bryant 94.8, Keshad Johnson 92.8, Jaxson Hayes 91.8, Jase Richardson 88.8 |
| 3-Point Contest (final) | Damian Lillard 30, Devin Booker 27, Kon Knueppel 17 |
| Shooting Stars (final) | Team Knicks 47 — Team Cameron 38 |
The table above condenses the contest outcomes so readers can quickly compare winners and margins. The slam and shooting competitions were decided by narrow differentials, while the 3-point final showed a small but clear separation between Lillard and Booker. Those differences affect narrative framing: a narrow dunk victory emphasizes judges’ scoring and execution, while a multi-point lead in a shooting final signals consistency across racks.
Reactions & Quotes
Officials, competitors and fans offered quick takes after the events. Below are representative quotes with context.
Context: Keshad Johnson reflected on the significance of winning as a young player with limited regular-season minutes.
“This is something I’ll never forget — I came here to perform and I left with a moment I can build on.”
Keshad Johnson
Context: After the 3-point Contest, Damian Lillard touched on his approach while rehabbing and competing in skill formats.
“I treat these moments like work: focus on the shot, then let the results come.”
Damian Lillard
Context: A league representative explained the rationale for bringing back Shooting Stars and how it fits All-Star Weekend programming.
“Reviving Shooting Stars gives us a format that honors legacy players while creating family-friendly, fast-moving competition.”
NBA Events Official (league statement)
Unconfirmed
- Some social accounts suggested Carter Bryant’s first dunk was an unprecedented stylistic variation; while judges scored it a 50, broader historical ranking of single-dunk difficulty requires further corroboration.
- There are early, unconfirmed social reports that organizers plan more frequent Shooting Stars-style events; the NBA has not announced a formal scheduling change beyond 2026.
Bottom Line
NBA All-Star Saturday at the Intuit Dome delivered a mix of expected names and breakout moments. Damian Lillard’s third 3-point title reinforced his place among the event’s elite despite limited regular-season action, while Keshad Johnson’s dunk title offered a dramatic career highlight for a player with minimal NBA minutes. The revived Shooting Stars added variety and connected contemporary All-Stars with franchise history.
For teams, sponsors and fans, the night combines immediate entertainment value with longer-term branding and perception effects. Expect media follow-ups, social clips, and team communications to amplify the standout moments in the coming days — and watch for the NBA to assess the Shooting Stars experiment when planning future All-Star programming.