Heat’s ‘Showtime’ Keshad Johnson wins dunk contest at NBA All-Star Weekend

Delivering the same energy to the All-Star Saturday dunk contest he has delivered the past two years on the practice court and during mop-up duty in games, second-year forward Keshad Johnson on Saturday became the third player in the Miami Heat’s 38 seasons to win the competition.

“I dreamed of every year I was watching the NBA Dunk Contest, I dreamed of being out there, putting on a show for everybody,” Johnson said. “I learned from all the people that came before me, paying homage to them.”

Joining former Heat champions in the event Harold Miner and Derrick Jones Jr., Johnson defeated San Antonio Spurs rookie forward Carter Bryant in the final round of the competition at the Intuit Dome, the Inglewood, Calif., home of the Los Angeles Clippers.

“Everybody’s journey is different,” said Johnson, “so all the kids out there, keep dreaming, have crazy, crazy faith.

“Once you’re in a dream, you control your dream, you can do anything in your dream. I felt like the fans were with me.”

Nicknamed Showtime for his relentless energy and enthusiasm, the forward who went undrafted out of Arizona in 2024 turned Sunday’s All-Star Game court into his personal Saturday stage.

“I just came out here and showed the people who Showtime was,” he said in accepting his winner’s trophy. “This is for the whole West Coast right here, baby.

“In the Bay, we do it a little different. We’ve got our own little swag. So I had to bring the legend.”

Opening the competition with a Karl Malone-style dunk while jumping over platinum-selling rapper and actor E-40 from his childhood neighborhood in Oakland, Calif., Johnson utilized that energy to win over the crowd and eventually a panel of judges that included dunking legends Julius Erving and Dominique Wilkins.

“E-40 was a part of the plan,” Johnson said. “My big bro Ethan, he made a call to E-40 and we got Unc on board and he was ready. He was ready. The love and respect that he gave me just to take time out of his day to be involved in this, I can’t ask for nothing better.”

Johnson and Bryant advanced to the final round, with Los Angeles Lakers center Jaxson Hayes and Orlando Magic guard Jase Richardson eliminated in the first-round in the four-player competition.

It was a whirlwind of a week for Johnson, who learned of his invitation to the competition just hours before being sent down to the G League by the Heat for two games of seasoning with the Sioux Falls Skyforce.

“My journey, coming from Oakland, being able to put on for the Bay, going through my upbringing and everything. I beat the odds. I beat the odds,” Johnson said moments after winning the competition. “And I’m here, I’m here. I dreamed of being here each and every day. So once I got that call, I committed to it.”

Keshad Johnson’s swag was on a MILLION as a he walked out and dunked on E-40 in his first @att Slam Dunk! @SFSkyforce | @MiamiHEAT pic.twitter.com/kHBjOXpn8b

— NBA G League (@nbagleague) February 15, 2026

And then worked through his game plan, even when it included having to change up one of his dunks during the final round.

“I really stuck to the plan,” he said of his choreography. “I just want to show the judges I could do this, I’m Showtime.”

Like Johnson, Bryant attended Arizona, so there was nothing but respect at the finish.

“Keshad did a great job,” Bryant said. “That’s an Arizona guy. If anybody else can take it home, got my guy there. Jase, Jaxson, they both did a great job. But that’s my brother. That’s an Arizona connection, so I’m happy for him. He did a hell of a job executing his dunks and he stuck to his plan.”

Earlier, in the All-Star Saturday 3-point contest won by sidelined Portland Trail Blazer Damian Lillard, Heat guard Norman Powell placed fifth overall, failing to advance to the knockout round, after totaling 23 points in his lone timed round of shooting shots valued at one, two or three points.

“I just ran a little bit short of time,” Powell said, improving from his last-place finish in the event a year ago. “I slowed myself down a little too much, because last year I was sped up and going through the course too fast, so kind of said I’m gonna calm down, relax. and take my time with my shots. But, in the end, I ran a little bit short of time.”

Still, the event brought Powell back to his previous home court, having played last season for the Clippers.

Powell said the crowd made him feel at home.

“For sure,” he said, “especially when they made the intros. Them chanting my name feels good. I know the fans still to this day message me and talk about how much they miss me putting on that Clipper uniform.”

HEAT family always there to support pic.twitter.com/Ys1k4Qa6rG

— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) February 15, 2026

Those two performances came after the teams of the Heat’s Kel’el Ware and Jahmir Young’s both were eliminated in the first round of the  Rising Stars competition that kicked off All-Star Weekend on Friday night.

Ware had seven points, three rebounds and one block in 10 minutes in the game played to 40. In his team’s games, Young, who is on a Heat two-way contract, closed with three points in six minutes while playing for a team of G League stars.

Powell will represent the Heat in Sunday’s NBA All-Star Game.