Festivities get underway Friday in Los Angeles as part of the buildup for the NBA's 75th annual All-Star Game on Sunday.
When it comes to the weekend's two biggest events outside of the game itself, the Slam Dunk Contest and the 3-Point Shootout, former California high school basketball players have emerged as the winner nine times – more than any other state.
Last year,
Mac McClung of
Gate City (Va.) became the first player to three-peat as dunk contest champion. McClung will also participate in the Rising Stars game Friday.
Donovan Mitchell aims to become the first player in NBA history to win both events. Mitchell, who attended
Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.), won the dunk contest in 2018 and is vying for the 3-point title for the third time in his career.
Knueppel will also participate in Friday's Rising Stars Game, which features the league's top first- and second-year players. Dallas Mavericks rookie
Cooper Flagg will also be in action. Flagg attended
Nokomis (Newport, Maine) before leading
Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.) to a 34-0 season in 2023–24 and eventually becoming the top pick in last year's NBA Draft.
Dunk contest
2026 participantsCarter Bryant,
Centennial (Corona, Calif.)Jaxson Hayes,
Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati, Ohio)Keshad Johnson,
San Leandro (Calif.)Jase Richardson,
Columbus (Miami, Fla.)Past winners1984 – Larry Nance, McDuffie (Anderson, S.C.)
1990 – Dominique Wilkins
1995 – Harold Miner
2003 – Jason Richardson
2009 – Nate Robinson
2010 – Nate Robinson
2024 – Mac McClung
2025 – Mac McClung
3-point shootout
2026 participantsDevin Booker,
Moss Point (Miss.)Kon Knueppel,
Wisconsin Lutheran (Milwaukee, Wis.)Damian Lillard,
Oakland (Calif.)Tyrese Maxey,
South Garland (Garland, Texas)Donovan Mitchell, Brewster Academy
Jamal Murray, International
Bobby Portis Jr.,
Hall (Little Rock, Ark.)Norman Powell,
Lincoln (San Diego, Calif.)Past winners1986 – Larry Bird,
Springs Valley (French Lick, Ind.)1987 – Larry Bird
1988 – Larry Bird
2002 – Peja Stojakovic, International
2003 – Peja Stojakovic
2004 – Voshon Lenard, Southwestern (Detroit, Mich.)
2006 – Dirk Nowitzki, International
2008 – Jason Kapono
2014 – Marco Belinelli, International
2018 – Devin Booker, Moss Point
2023 – Damian Lillard
2024 – Damian Lillard
Rising Stars participantsMatas Buzelis, Sunrise Christian Academy
Stephon Castle,
Newton (Covington, Ga.)Donovan Clingan,
Bristol Central (Bristol, Conn.)Cedric Coward,
Central East (Fresno, Calif.)Egor Demin, International
Sean East II,
New Albany (Ind.)VJ Edgecombe,
Long Island Lutheran (Brookville, N.Y.)Jeremiah Fears,
AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.)Cooper Flagg,
Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)Kyshawn George, International
Yang Hansen, International
Dylan Harper,
Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.)Ron Harper Jr., Don Bosco Prep
Tre Johnson,
Link Academy (Branson, Mo.)David Jones Garcia,
Teays Valley Christian (Scott Depot, W. Va.)Yanic Konan Niederhauser, International
Kon Knueppel, Wisconsin Lutheran
Alijah Martin,
North Pike (Summit, Miss.)Mac McClung, Gate City
Ajay Mitchell, International
Collin Murray-Boyles,
Wasatch Academy (Mt. Pleasant, Utah)Tristen Newton,
Burges (El Paso, Texas)Derik Queen, Montverde Academy
Zaccharie Risacher, International
Alex Sarr, Overtime Elite
Reed Sheppard,
North Laurel (London, Ky.)Cam Spencer,
Boys Latin (Baltimore, Md.)Jaylon Tyson,
John Paul II (Plano, Texas)Kel'el Ware,
North Little Rock (Ark.)Jaylen Wells,
Folsom (Calif.)