Topic / Subject

Suns owner Mat Ishbia is offering a $2 million incentive for the 2027 Dunk Contest, with $1 million to the winner and $1 million to the winner’s charity, plus a similar idea for the three-point contest.

TL;DR

Ishbia is trying to put real money behind All-Star Saturday to boost star participation. The open question is how the NBA and NBPA would structure it.

Key Details

• Per ESPN, Ishbia offered to pay $1 million to the 2027 Slam Dunk Contest winner and another $1 million to a charity chosen by the winner.

• Per ESPN, he floated a similar incentive for the three-point contest.

• Phoenix is scheduled to host the 2027 NBA All-Star Weekend.

• How the NBA and NBPA would formally integrate the payout is not settled in the reporting.

Breakdown

This is a straight incentives play. If All-Star Saturday has become too low-stakes for stars, Ishbia is betting money changes the vibe.

It also creates a new conversation: if an owner is paying, how does the league structure it so it is clean, fair, and union-friendly? Charity adds a positive angle, but it still has to fit NBA rules.

The best-case outcome is obvious. Stars show up, the contest gets real again, and the league gets a win. The risk is also obvious. If nobody bites, it becomes a meme. If players bite, the NBA has to ensure the payout is handled properly.

What to Watch Next

• Any NBPA reaction or league statement about how this would be structured.

• Whether other owners copy the idea and escalate the prize pool arms race.

• Whether the incentive actually pulls bigger names into the 2027 field.

Sources

ESPN — Suns’ Mat Ishbia eyes $1M prize for dunk, 3-point contest winners

Bright Side of the Sun — Mat Ishbia wants to put “real incentive” back into All-Star Saturday Night

Pat McAfee Show — report (headline not provided)

Comment

If you were an NBA star, would $1 million actually make you do the Dunk Contest, or is the risk to your brand still not worth it?