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Could Shaquille O’Neal’s new Dunkman League work with the NBA—and possibly revive the Association’s troubled dunk contest during All-Star Weekend?
That’s the question as Dunkman prepares for its second event on Tuesday night. So far, there have been no talks yet between the world’s first pro dunking league and the NBA. But O’Neal tells Front Office Sports his startup league could collaborate with the NBA down the road. Meanwhile, the Diesel is keeping his eye on the ball.
“We don’t see this as competing with the NBA, we see it as complementary. All ships rise,” O’Neal said in a statement to FOS. “Could we work with them down the line? Sure, but right now, the focus is building a successful dunking league, one that’s finally giving elite dunkers a real platform, something that’s never existed outside their own social media.
“Basketball is global, and we want to find the best dunkers in the world, not just the ones already in front of NBA cameras. Week One showed what that looks like, the excitement around those dunks proved this thing works. This is a league built to celebrate the sport of dunking, not a one-off event, and that’s the priority right now.”
The Hall of Fame center isn’t the only one who sees the possibilities of the new league co-founded by O’Neal, Authentic Brands Group, and TNT.
Stephen A. Smith interviewed O’Neal about his vision for Dunkman on his eponymous SiriusXM show Monday night. The ESPN superstar has long been outspoken in his criticism of the NBA Slam Dunk contest. From a must-see event featuring legends like Michael Jordan and Dominique Wilkins, it has since devolved into a shadow of its former self. Current stars like LeBron James have avoided the dunk contest like the plague. It’s been carried in recent years by G-Leaguers such as Mac McClung.
Smith asked the 54-year-old former MVP if the “creme de la creme” of Dunkman could eventually collaborate with NBA stars to turn around the struggling SlamDunk contest? Yes, answered O’Neal. If they were ever given the NBA All-Star weekend spotlight, Smith predicted the top five or ten contenders from Dunkman would “put on a show.” The four-time NBA champion agreed.
“I know they will. They’re not scared to compete,” said O’Neal. “And two, they would enjoy the moment. We’ve got guys making so much money now, they don’t want to compete, they don’t want to lose, they’re a little bit too cool. I just want to say thank you to Michael Jordan and Dominique. Two of the greatest players in the game who were never too cool to show up for the people.”
O’Neal, who’s wearing three hats as co-founder, co-owner and commissioner of Dunkman, also floated the possibility of boosting the current $500,000 grand prize to $1 million next year. The startup league is attracting a global roster of dunkers from countries such as Brazil, China, and England.
“Dunking has always been the most magnificent shot in the game,” O’Neal told Smith.
Here is the Big Aristotle’s business plan for Dunkman: Two dozen of the world’s best dunkers will compete across Group Stage events this summer. The events will be televised/streamed by TNT and HBO Max. The winner of each group stage event pockets $25,000—and the chance to compete for the title of Dunkman World Champion with a grand prize of $500,000.
Cam Hazzard, a finance major from Abilene Christian, won the first Group Stage event on July 21. He captured the maiden event, plus dunk of the night honors, with his “Hazzard 360” dunk. According to TNT, the debut averaged 232,000 viewers, peaking at 255,000 viewers in the final quarter hour.
Colin Smeeton, president of Authentic Studios, said Dunkman is tailor-made for younger, social media savvy fans looking for eye-popping highlights. The first event generated more than 150 million in total social media views by last Friday, he said.
As Smeeton told FOS: “We always felt this is a very viral, shareable, social, digitally native property and asset. This is not just a dunk contest. We want to make it into a league.”
It’s not just social media that has taken notice; Dunkman execs were pleased to see ESPN shows like Mike Greenberg’s Get Up showing highlights of competitors leaping over people and cars following last week’s debut.
Like O’Neal, Smeeton sees Dunkman as a complement, not a business competitor, to the NBA.
“We would love to talk to the NBA. We really would. We don’t necessarily think of this as competing products,” Smeeton said. “As Shaquille says, the best dunkers aren’t necessarily in the NBA. The best basketball players are in the NBA.
“There’s a talent pool out there right now of guys who are not going to be in the NBA. But they are incredibly athletic, incredibly talented and they’re creative. This is what they spend their day working on. They’re not working on how to beat the triangle offense. Their job is to become the best dunker out there. So we would love to find a way to work with the NBA.”
The NBA did not return a request for comment from FOS.
