Suns’ Mat Ishbia eyes $1M prize for dunk, 3-point contest winners
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Brian Windhorst
Several authors
Suns owner Mat Ishbia wants more star players to participate in All-Star Weekend events when Phoenix hosts the midseason showcase next year.
To help, Ishbia has offered to pay a $1 million prize to the winners of the 2027 slam dunk and 3-point contests, with an additional $1 million going to charity for each event.
“Let’s bring in the best,” Ishbia said Wednesday on “The Pat McAfee Show,” where he revealed his idea. “Let’s make it awesome.”
The concept would, however, come up against administrative formalities.
Officials from the NBA league office and players’ union told ESPN that such a price would not be consistent with the existing bonus structure.
Ishbia did not consult the league office before making the offer, sources said. But he’s motivated to find a way to attract more stars to events.
The last time a current All-Star won the dunk contest was Blake Griffin in 2011. Keshad Johnson of the Miami Heat won this year’s event in Los Angeles. Nine-time All-Star Damian Lillard made his third 3-point contest in the last four years.
