Suns' Mat Ishbia Offers Prize Money for NBA Dunk, 3-Point Contest Winners to Encourage Participation

The 2027 NBA All-Star Weekend will be in the home of the Phoenix Suns next season, and the team's governor has an idea to entice more of the league's stars to participate in the events.

Mat Ishbia appeared on Wednesday's The Pat McAfee Show and said he would pay $1 million in prize money to the winners of the Slam Dunk and Three-Point Contests (h/t ESPN's Brian Windhorst).

"Let's get the best guys in," he said, while also revealing he would give another $1 million to charity in each event. "Let's make it awesome."

Yet there may be a major obstacle in Ishbia's way.

Windhorst reported he did not consult with the NBA prior to suggesting such a prize, which is notable since officials from both the league and the players' union said a $1 million prize for the two contests would not work with the NBA's existing bonus structure.

It should be noted getting stars in the Three-Point Contest has not been a problem of late.

Damian Lillard has won three of the last four events after this year's win, while players such as Stephen Curry and Karl-Anthony Towns won in the years prior to Lillard's run. Donovan Mitchell, Tyrese Maxey, Jamal Murray and Devin Booker also participated in this year's event.

Booker won the event previously, while Curry is a two-time champion.

Yet the Dunk Contest has not featured nearly as much star power of late.

While players such as Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Vince Carter and Dwight Howard, among others, won in the past, Windhorst noted the last time a current All-Star won the event was when Blake Griffin did so in 2011.

Keshad Johnson won this year's event by defeating Carter Bryant, Jase Richardson and Jaxson Hayes in a field that was lacking headline names. Mac McClung, who has spent much of his career in the G League, won the previous three events.

Prior to McClung's run, players such as Hamidou Diallo, Derrick Jones Jr., Anfernee Simons and Obi Toppin won the dunk contest, which isn't exactly a long list of NBA superstars.

Ishbia is hoping there will be more star power in the Phoenix event and is looking for ways to make that happen.