Keshad Johnson is a new name in the 2026 NBA Slam Dunk Contest. The Miami Heat forward joins a string of newcomers taking part in the marquee competition this season.
Other players looking to out-dunk each other are veteran Jaxson Hayes (Los Angeles Lakers), Jase Richardson (Orlando Magic), and Carter Bryant (San Antonio Spurs).
2026 Slam Dunk Contest: Who Is Keshad Johnson?
Nicknamed ‘Showtime’ for his explosive dunking and athleticism, Keshad Johnson is one of the players who made headlines with his eye-popping dunks during pre-game warmups.
Johnson is the first Heat player since Jaime Jacquez Jr. to feature in the competition, with the latter taking part two years ago.
Keshad Johnson is ready to put on a show at the @att Slam Dunk! ⭐️✈️ @SFSkyforce
Take a BTS look at the @miamiheat forward at #NBAAllStar Content Day. pic.twitter.com/icTT5PskHP
— NBA G League (@nbagleague) February 13, 2026
Johnson has nine dunks this season while averaging 3.1 points per game in 37 appearances across his two seasons with Miami. Per Yahoo! Sports, the 6-foot-6 forward comes with a vertical leap of 42 inches.
The former Arizona star inked a two-way contract with the Heat after he went undrafted in the 2024 NBA Draft. He joined the team for the Summer League action that year and subsequently signed a standard contract with the franchise that December.
According to the Sun-Sentinel, Johnson teased what he had in store to wow audiences with at the Intuit Dome. “I got something nice, I got something nice,” he said. “I don’t want to speak it into existence yet. It’s going to happen, though.”
“It’s absolutely important, you know, just showing that you can do everything, showing that you’re an overall pro, you know,” he said of his overall game, a significant factor in light of this coming summer’s free agency. “But also getting a dunk contest under your sleeves, that’s also good, too.”
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The same outlet reported that head coach Erik Spoelstra added to the hype. “We see it after practices, some of these dunks he does,” Spoelstra said. “He can take off from right inside the free-throw line. He can do a lot of trick dunks. And he’s also really starting to figure out how to weaponize that athleticism, and show it more in the game of basketball, where it’s not just a dunk contest.”
Per FanDuel, Johnson is carries +320 odds to win the competition. Hayes is at +250, while Bryant and Richardson are at +180 and +350, respectively. Only time will tell if the Heat star can make history on the court.
The 2026 NBA Slam Dunk competition will be part of the All-Star Saturday slate. It is the third event after the 3-Point Contest and the Shooting Stars event.