Suns owner Mat Ishbia is ready to drop a million-dollar bag on the 2027 Slam Dunk Contest winner

Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images

PHOENIX – The NBA All-Star Game is coming to Phoenix in 2027, but Suns Owner Mat Ishbia appears to want the entire weekend to be remembered for more than the game itself. According to NBA reporter Evan Sidery, the Phoenix Suns owner has been in discussions with the league about significantly improving All-Star Weekend, including a potential prize of more than $1 million for the winner of the Slam Dunk Contest.

How can Suns Owner Mat Ishbia hype up the 2027 NBA All-Star weekend?

Suns owner Mat Ishbia has been in discussions with the NBA to significantly improve All-Star Weekend this season.

Ishbia is willing to pay $1+ million to the winner of the 2027 Slam Dunk Contest in Phoenix.

For years, the top players have avoided participating in the event. pic.twitter.com/XhfE87KrKf

— Evan Sidery (@esidery) October 1, 2026

If that becomes reality, Phoenix could do more than host All-Star Weekend; it could help change what the weekend represents. The Slam Dunk Contest has spent years searching for its old relevance. While the event remains one of the NBA’s most recognizable competitions, some of the league’s biggest stars have increasingly stayed away. For fans, that creates an obvious problem, as the competition can only be as compelling as the players willing to participate.

Money alone will not guarantee that changes. But a seven-figure prize would create a powerful incentive and potentially give players another reason to view the contest as something worth competing in; that’s where Phoenix becomes important. Ishbia has made the fan experience a major part of his ownership approach with the Suns. Bringing that philosophy to an NBA event could give Phoenix an opportunity to deliver something fans have wanted for years with a Slam Dunk Contest that feels like a must-watch event again.

If a $1 million-plus prize attracts major names and helps restore the contest’s prestige, fans could remember Phoenix as the place where the comeback began. The winner wouldn’t simply take home a trophy; they could become part of All-Star Weekend history. For Phoenix fans, that’s the real opportunity. Ishbia isn’t just preparing to host the NBA’s biggest weekend; he’s looking for ways to make people remember it.

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Reporter Benjamin Bliklen covers the Arizona Diamondbacks, Arizona Cardinals, and Phoenix Suns for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @BenBliklen