What time does the NBA Dunk Contest start today? TV channel, schedule, live streams, format for 2026 All-Star event
The NBA’s midseason festivities have descended upon Inglewood, and the anticipation for the league’s premier aerial showcase is at an all-time high. As the Intuit Dome hosts its inaugural All-Star Weekend, fans are preparing for a Saturday night schedule that looks drastically different from years past. With a new broadcast partner and an earlier start time, this year’s AT&T Slam Dunk Contest marks the beginning of a new era for the event.
For the first time since 2002, the All-Star Saturday Night festivities will not air on TNT. Instead, the action moves to NBC and Peacock as part of the league’s new media rights agreement. This shift brings a major change to the schedule: the event kicks off in the late afternoon on the West Coast, aiming for a primetime viewing window across the country. Coverage begins promptly at 5:00 p.m. ET (2:00 p.m. PT).
The night will open with the Starry 3-Point Contest, followed by the Skills Challenge (or Shooting Stars), with the Slam Dunk Contest serving as the grand finale. While the exact tip-off for the dunk contest depends on the length of the preceding events, fans should expect the first dunk to occur significantly earlier than the traditional late-night slot—likely around 6:30 p.m. ET to 7:00 p.m. ET.
The venue itself is a major storyline. The Clippers’ new home, the Intuit Dome, features the massive "Halo Board" and a steep "Wall" of fans, creating a unique acoustic environment for the dunkers. The format remains the standard two-round competition: participants will have two dunks in the first round to impress the five judges, with the two highest-scoring dunkers advancing to the final round.
With the league’s best leapers ready to test the rims in Inglewood, this year’s contest promises to leverage the arena’s cutting-edge technology to enhance every windmill and 360-degree jam. Viewers can stream the entire event live on Peacock or watch the national broadcast on NBC.
For the first time since 2002, the All-Star Saturday Night festivities will not air on TNT. Instead, the action moves to NBC and Peacock as part of the league’s new media rights agreement. This shift brings a major change to the schedule: the event kicks off in the late afternoon on the West Coast, aiming for a primetime viewing window across the country. Coverage begins promptly at 5:00 p.m. ET (2:00 p.m. PT).
The night will open with the Starry 3-Point Contest, followed by the Skills Challenge (or Shooting Stars), with the Slam Dunk Contest serving as the grand finale. While the exact tip-off for the dunk contest depends on the length of the preceding events, fans should expect the first dunk to occur significantly earlier than the traditional late-night slot—likely around 6:30 p.m. ET to 7:00 p.m. ET.
The venue itself is a major storyline. The Clippers’ new home, the Intuit Dome, features the massive "Halo Board" and a steep "Wall" of fans, creating a unique acoustic environment for the dunkers. The format remains the standard two-round competition: participants will have two dunks in the first round to impress the five judges, with the two highest-scoring dunkers advancing to the final round.
With the league’s best leapers ready to test the rims in Inglewood, this year’s contest promises to leverage the arena’s cutting-edge technology to enhance every windmill and 360-degree jam. Viewers can stream the entire event live on Peacock or watch the national broadcast on NBC.
