Shaquille O’Neal, Authentic Brands Group and tnt-sports Warner’s TNT Sports will launch Dunkman in summer 2026. The project began as a six-episode competition late last year. Shaquille O’Neal will serve as commissioner, and shaq said, "We are calling all dunkers."
Dunkman Structure and Prize
The inaugural Dunkman season will feature 24 skilled dunkers competing live across four events and will culminate with finalists competing for a world championship title and a grand prize of $500,000. Craig Barry, executive vice president and chief content officer of Warner’s TNT Sports, framed the move as an organizational step for participants when he said, "We’ve kind of come to the conclusion that these guys are professional athletes that need to be organized" and added, "We believe there’s an opportunity to bring a league to the fans," in an interview.
Warner’s TNT Sports Distribution
Warner’s TNT Sports will air live league events across TNT, TBS, truTV and HBO Max, and additional content will stream across Dunkman social channels, Bleacher Report, House of Highlights and YouTube. Lee White, head of sports content at WME, said, "Shaq has been outspoken about the state of the dunk contest and how it’s lost relevance in recent years," and added, "The star power isn’t there, but more importantly, the innovation and creativity has fallen off," in comments to Variety.
Shaquille O’Neal as Commissioner
Shaquille O’Neal cast Dunkman explicitly as an alternative to existing exhibitions when he told Variety on Monday, "The NBA’s dunking contest over the last ten to fifteen years has been terrible." O’Neal went on to say, "We want the best dunkers around the world, and we know there are a lot of great dunkers out there." He also insisted on the league format, saying, "This is a new professional league, not a dunking contest." Eli Lilly & Co. will work as a partner with the league, joining Authentic Brands Group and Warner’s TNT Sports in building the property.
Dunkman’s launch carries an internal contrast: the NBA’s dunk contest, criticized by O’Neal for the past ten to fifteen years, versus a league model that promises organized competition, a six-episode origin late last year and broad platform reach through Warner distribution and social partners. Lee White summarized the approach, saying, "But rather than just complaining about a problem and waiting for someone else to fix it, Shaq and the team have built something entirely new with ‘Dunkman.’" He added, "We feel this is truly a groundbreaking competition that brings together the best viral dunk artists from around the world and appeals to an audience that is underserved."
Shaquille O’Neal will act as commissioner and has repeatedly invited competitors and audiences alike, closing the announcement with the call: "We are calling all dunkers." That call now carries the weight of a planned summer 2026 launch, 24 roster spots, four live events, multi-network broadcast and a $500,000 grand prize—details that set the stakes for dunkers, partners and broadcasters as they prepare for the league’s first season.
