Shaquille O’Neal turned his dunk-contest frustration into a new league. DUNKMAN, a professional dunking circuit, launched earlier this summer born out of frustration by O’Neal in a new interview with Boardroom.
What We Know: O’Neal, Authentic Brands Group and TNT Sports launched DUNKMAN earlier this summer, following last year’s DUNKMAN TV series. O’Neal serves as commissioner, and 24 top dunkers worldwide have been slated to compete. Four group-stage events determine finalists, who then battle for a $500,000 grand prize at the World Championship. In an interview with Boardroom, O’Neal revealed his frustrations with the NBA Slam Dunk contest as the root cause for the idea itself.
What They Said: (All quotes via Boardroom)
Shaquille O’Neal on why he created Dunkman league: “I got absolutely sick and tired of being involved as a player and as a fan watching the NBA dunk contest. My favorite dunk contest was in high school, Dominique [Wilkins] versus Jordan. Guys made every dunk, gave the fans a show. In the last 15 years, we haven’t had a real top guy—we’ll call him out: Zion Williamson — participate in a dunk contest.”
Shaquille O’Neal says there’s talent everywhere for new Dunkman league: “If you look online, there are kids that are not good enough to be in the NBA but they’re unbelievable dunkers. They got a lot of views. We got 24 amazing dunkers — England, China, international players. I’ve seen kids dunking better than NBA players. The winner gets $500,000. If I see something impressive, I may call Jamie [Slater]: “Can we put it up to a million?” That’s what makes this sport great. When I went to the NBA All-Star Game, I wanted to see the three-point shootout and the dunk contest.”
What Remains Unclear: The immediate future of the DUNKMAN league is uncertain. It’s unknown if the league will continue following the current season.
What It Means: DUNKMAN reflects a bet that dunking can stand alone as a sport, not just an All-Star sideshow. O’Neal is betting his star power and TNT’s platform can build new fan bases beyond the NBA. Even if the network no longer has the rights to the NBA. If it succeeds, expect more crossover leagues chasing niche, highlight-driven audiences. For now, we will see if the attraction and commentary may fuel fire for an improved NBA product in February.
Barrett Media produces daily content on the music, news, and sports media industries. Sign up for our newsletters to stay updated and get the latest information right in your inbox.
John Mamola is Barrett Media’s sports editor and daily sports columnist. He brings over two decades of experience (Chicago, Tampa/St Petersburg) in the broadcast industry with expertise in brand management, sales, promotions, producing, imaging, hosting, talent coaching, talent development, web development, social media strategy and design, video production, creative writing, partnership building, communication/networking with a long track record of growth and success. He is a five-time recognized top 20 program director in a major market via Barrett Medi’s Top 20 series and has been honored internally multiple times as station/brand of the year (Tampa, FL) and employee of the month (Tampa, FL) by iHeartMedia. Connect with John by email at John@BarrettMedia.com.