A dunk worth $1200 rewrote basketball history on January 27, 1976, when Julius Erving became the first Slam Dunk Contest winner during the ABA’s final season. Back then, the league was fighting to stay relevant, and the event helped reshape professional basketball overnight. Today, however, that once-iconic spectacle is struggling to hold its place, fighting to reclaim its magic at every All-Star Weekend.

TMZ Sports met with the legend in NYC earlier this weekend. With countless iconic dunks to his name, Dr. J rejected the notion of forcing participation, but still urged big-name stars to take the stage and compete.

He said, “No, you can’t make it mandatory. You know, because it’s something that they gotta volunteer to do. And it’d be nice if some of the stars would step up… Like have a conscience in terms of the history of the slam dunk contests. I was like, in the original one, way back in 1976. So for some of them, they weren’t even born. So they don’t know the total history.”

By the 1975-76 season, the ABA was on unstable ground in its ninth year, with franchises like the San Diego Sails and Utah Stars folding midseason despite elite talent such as George Gervin and David Thompson keeping the product alive. As teams like the Nets and Nuggets prepared for a potential NBA merger, the league leaned heavily on entertainment to survive. That led to a bold idea at McNichols Arena on January 27, 1976, where Denver faced the rest of the ABA in front of 17,798 fans, the largest crowd in league history.

To elevate the spectacle, halftime featured the first Slam Dunk Contest, created by Jim Bukata and backed by ABA officials. Five players competed for a $1,200 prize, with judges scoring creativity, rhythm, and crowd reaction across five attempts. Add in performances from Glen Campbell and Charlie Rich, and the night transformed from a struggling league showcase into a full entertainment event.

David Thompson set the tone early with powerful finishes, but Julius Erving completely took over the moment. From his iconic free-throw line takeoff to the windmill and the “Iron Cross,” he turned dunking into pure art. Although he lost a $1,500 side bet to Doug Moe, he won the contest and, more importantly, changed basketball culture forever. Even though only five TV markets aired the event, its impact turned the slam dunk into a global obsession.

Today, the dunk contest finds itself in a very different place. While the NBA continues to grow globally, the contest has lost its biggest draw, true superstar participation. Instead of marquee names, recent editions have leaned on role players and G League standouts, which has diluted the event’s appeal. Brief flashes from Zach LaVine, Aaron Gordon in 2016, and Mac McClung have brought excitement back in short bursts, but those moments have not been enough to restore long-term credibility.

The contrast becomes even sharper when compared to past eras. Legends like Michael Jordan, Vince Carter, Kobe Bryant, and Blake Griffin once made the contest must-watch television. Today, originality is harder to achieve, and the increasing reliance on props and staged setups has made the event feel less authentic, further distancing it from its roots.

Looking at the 2026 Slam Dunk Contest, Julius Erving’s concern feels more relevant than ever

The 2026 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, held on February 14 at Intuit Dome during All-Star Saturday, showed the exact concern Julius Erving once warned about. The field featured Carter Bryant (Spurs), Jaxson Hayes (Lakers), Keshad Johnson (Heat), and Jase Richardson (Magic), while Jalen Duren withdrew due to knee discomfort. Even before the action began, fans labeled it one of the weakest lineups in years, proving how far star involvement has dropped. Therefore, the absence of elite names immediately weakened its pull.

Moreover, the format could not save it. The two-round system pushed consistency, and Keshad Johnson won by steady execution, while Carter Bryant grabbed a 50 on a highlight dunk but fell short overall. Despite former dunk champions on the judging panel and a $105,000 prize, the modern version lacked gravity. Meanwhile, the contest still rode alongside an All-Star Saturday that drew 10 million U.S. viewers, up 54% from 2025, per reports.

That gap told the full story. While the overall event thrived, the dunk contest faced heavy criticism online, with fans calling it underwhelming and forgettable. Although Keshad Johnson earned praise for the win, the bigger takeaway stayed the same, the absence of true superstar presence. Without names like LeBron James or even repeat high-level competitors like Aaron Gordon, the contest continues to lose its cultural edge.

Erving’s message is not just nostalgia, it is a direct challenge to today’s stars. He helped build the dunk contest into a cultural phenomenon, and his warning is simple. If the league’s biggest names do not step in, the event risks becoming a relic instead of a showcase. The blueprint is already there, but it now depends on whether this generation is willing to carry it forward.