PHOENIX \u2013 Suns owner Mat Ishbia made an appearance on ESPN\u2019s \u201cThe Pat McAfee Show\u201d on Wednesday and shared several bold ideas aimed at revitalizing NBA All-Star Weekend, which will be hosted in Phoenix in 2027.\u00a0<\/p>\n
With criticism mounting over the competitiveness and entertainment value of recent All-Star festivities, Ishbia and McAfee proposed a total $4 million incentive to restore prestige to two of the league\u2019s most iconic events.<\/p>\n
The idea seemed to stem from McAfee.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s announce right now what we\u2019re doing for the slam dunk contest,\u201d McAfee said during the show. \u201cYou\u2019re going to put a million dollars up for the winner and a million-dollar donation to the charity of their choice.\u201d<\/p>\n
McAfee also added the same prize would apply for the winner of the 3-point contest, bringing the total commitment to $4 million.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ishbia did not hesitate.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDone,\u201d he responded immediately.<\/p>\n
\nhttps:\/\/www.espn.com\/video\/clip\/_\/id\/48036669\n<\/p>\n
While $4 million is no small pledge, even for an NBA owner and CEO of a major mortgage company, Ishbia expressed confidence that NBA commissioner Adam Silver would support the initiative. The proposal signals a willingness from NBA executives to directly address growing concerns that All-Star Weekend has lost its competitive edge.<\/p>\n
Only time will tell whether Ishbia and McAfee will follow through on the proposal, but the urgency behind it is clear: the All-Star dunk contest has drifted toward irrelevance in recent years.<\/p>\n
There was a time when the dunk contest defined All-Star Saturday night. Michael Jordan and Dominique Wilkins turned it into must-see television in the 1980s. Vince Carter\u2019s 2000 performance remains one of the most iconic moments in NBA history. Even in the 2010s, Zach Lavine and Aaron Gordon reignited excitement with an all-time show.<\/p>\n
Recently, however, most of the league\u2019s biggest names have opted out of the event, leaving the spotlight to lesser-known players and less viewership of the event. The absence of established stars has been a recurring criticism.\u00a0<\/p>\n
ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith put the blame on LeBron James\u2019 lack of participation in the 2026 contest, saying \u201cwe all know it was terrible because there was no star power,\u201d while Shaquille O\u2019Neal called this year\u2019s performance \u201cthe worst dunk contest in NBA history.\u201d<\/p>\n
The NBA has no shortage of athletic ability. Today\u2019s players are arguably more explosive than ever. Instead, the issue centers on participation. Established superstars often sit out of the contest for fear of injuries before the playoffs and a lack of financial incentive to compete.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ishbia is confident the new incentive will attract some more big names to compete in the contests next year.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s get the best guys in it,\u201d Ishbia said. \u201cLet\u2019s make it awesome.\u201d<\/p>\n
Beyond the contests, Ishbia is focused on elevating the overall fan experience as Phoenix prepares to host All-Star Weekend in 2027.<\/p>\n
The CEO of United Wholesale Mortgage joined the action this year, suiting up for the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game in Los Angeles. Next year, his presence will shift as a host rather than participant, helping shape the weekend\u2019s structure.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have a say in how to make it great \u2026 how do we get great players in it, how do we make it a great event, how to make the fan experience phenomenal,\u201d Ishbia said. \u201cWe\u2019re going to make it an amazing event.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
For the NBA, the stakes are significant. All-Star Weekend remains one of the league\u2019s premier global showcases. Television ratings, social media engagement and sponsorship activations all hinge on delivering compelling content. If more star-studded names appear in the festivities, the ripple effect could extend well beyond one weekend.<\/p>\n
Whether Ishbia and McAfee\u2019s bold pledge becomes reality is to be determined, but in a league driven by entertainment value, the Suns owner\u2019s willingness to invest directly in the initiative sends a clear message: If NBA All-Star Weekend is going to thrive in Phoenix, it will not be for lack of effort \u2013 or funding.<\/p>\n
This <a target=”_blank” href=”https:\/\/cronkitenews.azpbs.org\/2026\/02\/26\/mat-ishbia-pledge-millions-dunk-3-point\/”>article<\/a> first appeared on <a target=”_blank” href=”https:\/\/cronkitenews.azpbs.org”>Cronkite News<\/a> and is republished here under a <a target=”_blank” href=”https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nd\/4.0\/”>Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License<\/a>.<img src=”https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/cronkitenews.azpbs.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/favicon1.png?resize=85%2C85&ssl=1″ style=”width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;”><\/p>\n
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\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSuns owner Mat Ishbia looks to restore star power to NBA All-Star Weekend with $1 million prizes<\/p>\n
Jackson Shaw, Cronkite News
\nFebruary 26, 2026<\/p>\n
PHOENIX \u2013 Suns owner Mat Ishbia made an appearance on ESPN\u2019s \u201cThe Pat McAfee Show\u201d on Wednesday and shared several bold ideas aimed at revitalizing NBA All-Star Weekend, which will be hosted in Phoenix in 2027.\u00a0<\/p>\n
With criticism mounting over the competitiveness and entertainment value of recent All-Star festivities, Ishbia and McAfee proposed a total $4 million incentive to restore prestige to two of the league\u2019s most iconic events.<\/p>\n
The idea seemed to stem from McAfee.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s announce right now what we\u2019re doing for the slam dunk contest,\u201d McAfee said during the show. \u201cYou\u2019re going to put a million dollars up for the winner and a million-dollar donation to the charity of their choice.\u201d<\/p>\n
McAfee also added the same prize would apply for the winner of the 3-point contest, bringing the total commitment to $4 million.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ishbia did not hesitate.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDone,\u201d he responded immediately.<\/p>\n
While $4 million is no small pledge, even for an NBA owner and CEO of a major mortgage company, Ishbia expressed confidence that NBA commissioner Adam Silver would support the initiative. The proposal signals a willingness from NBA executives to directly address growing concerns that All-Star Weekend has lost its competitive edge.<\/p>\n
Only time will tell whether Ishbia and McAfee will follow through on the proposal, but the urgency behind it is clear: the All-Star dunk contest has drifted toward irrelevance in recent years.<\/p>\n
There was a time when the dunk contest defined All-Star Saturday night. Michael Jordan and Dominique Wilkins turned it into must-see television in the 1980s. Vince Carter\u2019s 2000 performance remains one of the most iconic moments in NBA history. Even in the 2010s, Zach Lavine and Aaron Gordon reignited excitement with an all-time show.<\/p>\n
Recently, however, most of the league\u2019s biggest names have opted out of the event, leaving the spotlight to lesser-known players and less viewership of the event. The absence of established stars has been a recurring criticism.\u00a0<\/p>\n
ESPN personality Stephen A. Smith put the blame on LeBron James\u2019 lack of participation in the 2026 contest, saying \u201cwe all know it was terrible because there was no star power,\u201d while Shaquille O\u2019Neal called this year\u2019s performance \u201cthe worst dunk contest in NBA history.\u201d<\/p>\n
The NBA has no shortage of athletic ability. Today\u2019s players are arguably more explosive than ever. Instead, the issue centers on participation. Established superstars often sit out of the contest for fear of injuries before the playoffs and a lack of financial incentive to compete.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Ishbia is confident the new incentive will attract some more big names to compete in the contests next year.<\/p>\n
\u201cLet\u2019s get the best guys in it,\u201d Ishbia said. \u201cLet\u2019s make it awesome.\u201d<\/p>\n
Beyond the contests, Ishbia is focused on elevating the overall fan experience as Phoenix prepares to host All-Star Weekend in 2027.<\/p>\n
The CEO of United Wholesale Mortgage joined the action this year, suiting up for the NBA All-Star Celebrity Game in Los Angeles. Next year, his presence will shift as a host rather than participant, helping shape the weekend\u2019s structure.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have a say in how to make it great \u2026 how do we get great players in it, how do we make it a great event, how to make the fan experience phenomenal,\u201d Ishbia said. \u201cWe\u2019re going to make it an amazing event.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
For the NBA, the stakes are significant. All-Star Weekend remains one of the league\u2019s premier global showcases. Television ratings, social media engagement and sponsorship activations all hinge on delivering compelling content. If more star-studded names appear in the festivities, the ripple effect could extend well beyond one weekend.<\/p>\n
Whether Ishbia and McAfee\u2019s bold pledge becomes reality is to be determined, but in a league driven by entertainment value, the Suns owner\u2019s willingness to invest directly in the initiative sends a clear message: If NBA All-Star Weekend is going to thrive in Phoenix, it will not be for lack of effort \u2013 or funding.<\/p>\n
This article first appeared on Cronkite News and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.<\/p>\n
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