PHOENIX – Suns owner Mat Ishbia appeared on ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show” Wednesday and shared several bold ideas aimed at reviving the NBA All-Star Weekend in Phoenix in 2027.
With criticism growing over the competitiveness and entertainment value of recent All-Star festivities, Ishbia and McAfee are proposing incentives totaling $4 million to restore the prestige of two of the league’s most iconic events.
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The idea seems to have originated from McAfee.
“Let’s announce now what we’re doing for the dunk contest,” McAfee said on the show. “You will donate one million dollars to the winner and one million dollars to the charity of their choice.”
McAfee also added that the winner of the three-point contest will also receive the same bonus, bringing the total commitment to $4 million.
Ishbia did not hesitate.
“Done,” he responded immediately.
While $4 million is a substantial commitment, even for an NBA owner and the CEO of a major mortgage company, Ishbia expressed confidence that NBA Commissioner Adam Silver would support the move. The proposal signals a willingness among NBA executives to directly address growing concerns about the loss of a competitive edge during the All-Star weekend.
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Only time will tell whether Ishbia and McAfee will implement the proposal, but the urgency behind it is clear: The All-Star Slam Dunk Contest has become irrelevant in recent years.
There was a time when the dunk contest defined All-Star Saturday nights. Michael Jordan and Dominique Wilkins turned it into must-see television in the 1980s. Vince Carter’s performance in 2000 remains one of the most iconic moments in NBA history. Even in the 2010s, Zach Lavine and Aaron Gordon reignited excitement with an unprecedented performance.
Recently, however, most of the league’s biggest stars have opted out of the event, leaving the spotlight on lesser-known players and the event’s ratings. The absence of big-name stars has been a recurring criticism.
ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith put the blame on LeBron James’ absence from the 2026 Slam Dunk Contest, saying “we all know it sucks because there’s no star power,” while Shaquille O’Neal called this year’s performance “the worst Slam Dunk Contest in NBA history.”
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There is no shortage of athleticism in the NBA. Today’s players are arguably more explosive than ever before. Instead, the issue centers on participation. Established superstars often withdraw from games due to concerns about injury before the playoffs and a lack of financial incentive to compete.
Ishbia believes the new incentives will attract more big names to next year’s competition.
“Let’s recruit the best players,” Ishbia said. “Let’s make it better.”
In addition to games, Ishbia is working to enhance the overall fan experience as Phoenix prepares to host All-Star Weekend in 2027.
The CEO of United Wholesale Mortgage is getting in on the action this year as he prepares for the NBA All-Star Game in Los Angeles. Next year, he will transition to being a host rather than a participant, helping shape the structure of the weekend.
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“I have a say in how we make it great…how we get great players involved, how we make it a great event, how we make it a great experience for the fans,” Ishbia said. “We’re going to make it an amazing event.”
For the NBA, the stakes are huge. All-Star Weekend remains one of the league’s most important global showcase events. TV ratings, social media engagement and sponsored campaigns all depend on delivering compelling content. If more star-studded names appear at the festivities, the ripple effects could extend far beyond just one weekend.
Whether Ishbia and McAfee’s bold promises come to fruition remains to be determined, but in a league driven by entertainment value, the Suns owner’s willingness to directly invest in the program sends a clear message: If NBA All-Star Weekend is going to thrive in Phoenix, it won’t be for a lack of effort or funding.
This article first appeared on Cronkite News and is republished under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
