Shaquille O’Neal has announced the launch of DUNKMAN, a new professional league dedicated exclusively to slam dunks. The project was officially unveiled in Indianapolis ahead of the NCAA men’s championship game, taking advantage of one of basketball’s most high-profile moments.
The league is set to debut this summer with an inaugural season consisting of five live events. A total of 24 athletes will compete across multiple rounds for a combined prize pool of $500,000. The competition will feature four qualifying rounds leading to a final championship event, where a winner will be crowned based on performances judged by a panel of experts.
O’Neal will serve as both founder and commissioner of the league, positioning himself at the center of the project’s development and growth. DUNKMAN has also secured strategic partnerships with TNT Sports, Authentic Brands Group, and Eli Lilly and Company, signaling strong commercial backing from major global organizations.
The events will be broadcast across TNT platforms, including HBO Max, providing broad visibility for the new competition in the U.S. market.
DUNKMAN enters the scene at a time when the NBA’s Slam Dunk Contest during All-Star Weekend has seen declining viewership and engagement in recent years. O’Neal’s initiative aims to reimagine dunking as a standalone competitive product, with a dedicated format designed to elevate the spectacle and create a new entertainment property within basketball.