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

The proprietor of the Suns, Mat Ishbia, expressed a desire for a greater presence of top-tier athletes at the All-Star Weekend spectacles when Phoenix serves as the venue for the annual exhibition the following year.

As an incentive, Ishbia proposed a payment of a $1 million reward for the victors of both the 2027 slam dunk and 3-point competitions, additionally pledging a separate $1 million donation to a charitable cause for each competition.

“We should attract the premier talents,” Ishbia stated on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Wednesday, as he introduced his proposal. He added, “Let’s ensure it’s spectacular.”

Nevertheless, this particular proposition would encounter various bureaucratic hurdles.

Representatives from the NBA’s main office and the collective bargaining unit for players informed ESPN that such an award would be inconsistent with the current framework for incentive payments.

Sources indicated that Ishbia had not conferred with the league’s administrative body prior to extending this offer. Despite this, he is driven to devise a method for increasing the participation of prominent players in these showcases.

The most recent occasion a then-active All-Star secured victory in the dunk competition was Blake Griffin back in 2011. Keshad Johnson of the Miami Heat emerged triumphant in the current year’s contest held in Los Angeles. Damian Lillard, who has earned All-Star honors on nine occasions, claimed his third 3-point competition title within the last four years.