Suns’ Mat Ishbia eyes $1M prize for dunk, 3-point contest winners

Suns owner Mat Ishbia wants more star players participating in All-Star Weekend events when Phoenix hosts the midseason showcase next year.

To help, Ishbia has offered to pay a $1 million prize to the winners of the 2027 slam dunk and 3-point contests, with another $1 million going to charity in each event.

“Let’s get the best guys in,” Ishbia said Wednesday on “The Pat McAfee Show,” where he unveiled the idea. “Let’s make it awesome.”

The concept, however, would run into some red tape.

Officials from the NBA league office and players’ union told ESPN such a prize would not conform with the existing bonus structure.

Ishbia did not consult the league office before making the offer, sources said. But he is motivated to find a way to get more stars into the events.

The last time a current All-Star won the dunk contest was Blake Griffin in 2011. The Miami Heat’s Keshad Johnson won this year’s event in Los Angeles. Damian Lillard, a nine-time All-Star, won his third 3-point contest in the past four years.