ATLANTA, GEORGIA - SEPTEMBER 22: Chris Sale #51 of the Atlanta Braves pitches in the first inning against the Washington Nationals at Truist Park on September 22, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
What once appeared to be a settled fifth starter spot for the Atlanta Braves has quickly turned into one of the more intriguing storylines of camp. With Spencer Schwellenbach’s elbow inflammation muddying the picture, Atlanta now has a legitimate spring competition on its hands.
Joey Wentz, Bryce Elder, Hurston Waldrep and José Suarez are all in the mix, giving the Braves options and turning what felt like a formality into some competition as Opening Day nears.
More Braves News:
Alex Anthopoulos spoke to the media about the starting rotation, Ha-Seong Kim, and more.
In the final year of his contract, Chris Sale spoke with the media about his future in Atlanta.
MLB News:
The Arizona Diamondbacks signed starting pitcher Zac Gallen on a one-year, $22.05M deal. The deal is worth the same qualifying offer that he earlier rejected.
Nate Lavender // | Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images
This post is part of a series of daily questions that we’ll ask the community here at Amazin’ Avenue throughout the month of February. We hope you find the questions engaging and that our prompts can spark some fun conversations in the comments. We’ll see you there and plan to have staff chiming in, too.
Which non-roster invitee are you most excited to see in major league spring training games?
Team Canada took on Switzerland in the second game of the preliminary round of the Olympic tournament on Friday. While Montreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki started the game on a line with Nathan MacKinnon and Brandon Hagel, that’s not where he finished it.
Canada took a 2-0 lead by the halfway point of the first period, with Connor McDavid finding the back of the net on the power play and defenseman Thomas Harley doubling the lead just over five minutes later. The Swiss were still putting on a fight, though, and when Bo Horvat was assessed a minor penalty for high-sticking, they pounced to cut the lead in half, though Pius Sutter. Interestingly, Suzuki was used on that penalty kill, which shows that he does have John Cooper’s confidence. Even though he was on the ice for the goal, after the game the coach called Suzuki a Swiss Army knife and even joked that he’d play goalie if the team needed him to. After 20 minutes, shots were 13-10 Canada, and Logan Thompson, who was in the net with Jordan Binnington having the night off, had to be solid.
With a tiny one-goal lead after the first frame, Cooper decided to mix things up a bit and put MacKinnon, McDavid, and Macklin Celebrini on the same line. As a result, Suzuki was moved back to the center, between Hagel and Tom Wilson. The newly formed top line wasted no time scoring when Celebrini converted on a MacKinnon feed. They were dominant in puck possession and looked like an unstoppable force. When they had the puck, the Swiss looked almost lost, and Canada ended the frame with 14 shots while their opponent only had six.
The Canadians scored another two goals in the final frame; the first one was a great deflection by Sidney Crosby off a Mitch Marner setup, and the second came from Cooper’s super line. This time, it was MacKinnon who scored with assists from McDavid and Celebrini. This line looked like a weapon of mass destruction that the coach was able to use again, and again, and again. It will be interesting to see if he sticks with it going forward, and if he does, how stronger teams will cope with them.
Overall, it was a good game for the Canadians, who pulled off a 5-1 win and are top of their group with 6 points and one game against France remaining in the preliminary round. Suzuki spent 13:35 on the ice, and while he didn’t have as good a game as he did against Czechia, he can still hold his head up high.
As for the Swiss, they lost more than the game since Kevin Fiala sustained a gruesome injury in a collision with Wilson and will be out for the remainder of the tournament. By the looks of the injury, it's quite possible that his NHL season with the Los Angeles Kings is in jeopardy. It's worth mentioning that it wasn't a dirty hit from Wilson; it was just an unfortunate freak play.
Canada will be back in action against France on Sunday morning at 10:40 AM, and it will be interesting to see how Cooper chooses to deploy his men and if Brad Marchand, who was a healthy scratch on Friday, will be back in the lineup.
JUPITER, FLORIDA - MARCH 14, 2025: Quinn Mathews #68 of the St. Louis Cardinals throws a pitch during the first inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Miami Marlins at Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium on March 14, 2025 in Jupiter, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
The Cardinals have had one of the more interesting off seasons in recent memory. Chaim Bloom did his best to keep the fanbase engaged by completing one big transaction each month starting with Sonny Gray in November and culminating with the Brendan Donovan trade in February. Despite Bloom’s best efforts to keep us entertained, there is only so much enjoyment one can derive from offseason trade rumors and updated prospect rankings. With pitchers and catchers reporting and spring training games now only a week away, we will soon have real results and on-field performances to dissect and overanalyze. The biggest spotlight this spring is going to be on top prospect JJ Wetherholt, but there are going to be plenty of other stories and developments to follow. Here are nine stories I will be following far too closely and reading way too much into during spring training.
1. Joshua Baez Playing Time
I could make the argument that Baez is one of the most important players in the organization both in the near and long term. The Cardinals outfield has been a complete mess in recent years. Since ranking third in baseball in outfielder WAR during the 2021 season, the Cardinals have ranked 8th, 20th, 26th, and 26th. Over the last two seasons combined, they have ranked dead last in baseball in home runs from their outfield. Enter Joshua Baez, who boasts some of the best exit velocity and advanced hitting metrics in the minor leagues. Baez’s playing time in spring training will give us a clue as to how the Cardinals view the timeline of a major league debut. Will he be given a handful of at-bats throughout the spring or given something closer to a full workload of 40 to 60 plate appearances? Performance will, of course, be a key factor in how much of the Grapefruit League spotlight Baez earns, but we could get some hint about his timeline based on the opportunities he is given. After the Victor Scott and Jordan Walker rushed debuts, many fans are leery of pushing prospects too quickly, but I have confidence that the front office will not do anything to compromise Baez’s development.
2. Increased Velocity
Every spring reports come trickling out of camp that some pitcher has added three or four miles per hour to his fastball. It may be a selective memory on my part, but these reports seem to have more signal than many of the offseason adjustment stories you hear. Before his breakout in 2024, Quinn Mathews came to spring training pitching in the mid-90s after living in the low-90s at Stanford. Last year, Brycen Mautz and Cooper Hjerpe came to camp with fastballs that had ticked up in velocity. While Hjerpe ended up missing the season with Tommy John surgery, Mautz parlayed his improved velo to an excellent Double-A season and the Cardinals Minor League Pitcher of the Year award. The Cardinals seem to think that Red Sox acquisition Blake Aita has room to add velocity. Perhaps former bonus babies Branelli Franco or Reinier Lopez will come stateside and start lighting up radar guns in Florida. From the 2025 draft class, Liam Doyle and Tanner Franklin got most of the attention, but Cade Crossland and Ethan Young got big bonuses as well and are gearing up for their first professional seasons. The Cardinals are playing a numbers game when it comes to pitching development, and with the stockpile of promising arms in the system, we are sure to have a few big velocity gainers emerge this spring.
3. Infielders in the Outfield
Chaim Bloom is still indicating that the Cardinals are looking to add an outfield bat, but how serious of a look will Thomas Saggese and Jose Fermin get in the outfield this spring? Assuming Wetherholt makes the opening day roster, playing time on the infield could be a bit tight. Both players could give themselves a huge advantage in finding their way into the lineup if they can improve their versatility. For the Cardinals, finding a right-handed hitting outfielder internally to stopgap any potential poor performance from Walker or a slow recovery from Nootbaar could do wonders in raising the floor of the team. Saggese has not played any outfield in his professional career, and Fermin only has a handful of games under his belt, but both players are athletic enough that it is easy to imagine them handling the transition without too much issue. Saggese in particular is well positioned with 78th-percentile sprint speed.
4. Aggressive Minor League Promotions
Which minor leaguers will be promoted more aggressively than anticipated? Last season, the first hint that Ixan Henderson was an up-arrow guy was when he broke camp with the Double-A club after only six starts at the High-A level. While Bloom has the reputation for being relatively conservative with minor league promotions, there are still going to be some players to receive an aggressive assignment, which will be a great window into how the Cardinals view their progress to date. The reporting from minor league spring training is much more difficult to come by than on the big league side, but there should still be plenty of information coming in around the action on the backfields.
5. Starting Pitching
The Cardinals have a clearly defined top seven starters with Liberatore, May, Leahy, Pallante, McGreevy, Dobbins, and Fitts. The battle for the starting rotation will be interesting enough, but how will the Cardinals deploy the depth that does not make the rotation? We are likely to see some version of a six-man rotation in the early going to reduce workloads. The Cardinals could also use one of the seven in the swingman/spot starter position that Steven Matz occupied last season. If they elect to send one of the potential starters to Triple-A, he will be joining an incredibly full starting pitcher depth chart in the minor leagues. Guessing the minor league rotations at this point in the spring is a fool’s errand, but to give some perspective on how crowded things are, below are starters that should be competing for spots at the various levels.
AAA: Quinn Mathews, Tink Hence, Brycen Mautz, Ixan Henderson, Pete Hansen, Max Rajcic, Ian Bedell
A+: Brandon Clarke, Tanner Franklin, Braden Davis, Nate Dohm, Frank Elissalt, Leonel Sequera, Mason Molina, Blake Aita
A: Yhoiker Fajardo, Cade Crossland, Ethan Young, Andrew Dutkanych, Jacob Odle, Tyler Van Dyke
The list above does not even include starting pitchers like Jason Savacool and Brandt Thompson that started a lot of games last year and may still be battling for rotation spots at the various levels. This picture should get even more crowded depending on when and how injured pitchers Cooper Hjerpe, Brian Holiday, Payton Graham, Zack Thompson, and Sem Robberse return to action. There is also the possibility (probability?) that Cade Winquest will not make the Yankees major league roster and will be returned to the Cardinals as well. There is no such thing as too much pitching, particularly when the major league rotation projects as below average, but it will be fascinating to see how the pieces of the puzzle come together this spring.
6. Use It or Lose It
By my count, there are four fringe roster players that must make the opening day roster to guarantee the Cardinals retain their rights. Justin Bruihl, George Soriano, and Bryan Ramos are all out of minor league options. Matt Pushard was the Cardinals’ Rule 5 pick in December and must remain on the active roster all year or be offered back to the Marlins. If these players look good, they will have a leg up on the players with the flexibility to spend time in the minors like Gordon Graceffo, Nick Raquet, Ryan Fernandez, and Bryan Torres.
7. Mountaineers Going Oppo
Both former West Virginia Mountaineers, Victor Scott II and JJ Wetherholt, talked about using the opposite field more effectively in 2026. I wrote at length about Scott last week, but Wetherholt had some interesting comments at Winter Warmup too. He believes the Cardinals’ player development crew was too focused on him adding pull power to his game that he got away from his biggest strength, opposite-field power. It will be interesting to see if either player is making an obvious change to their approach in Spring Training.
8. Sorting Through the Catchers
Tracking Ivan Herrera’s progress behind the plate will be a big storyline this spring. Oli Marmol has already stated that he is going to need more than just spring training to prove he can handle the catcher position, so we can expect the trial run to extend into the regular season. With Herrera still feeling his way through things, two of the Pedro Pages, Jimmy Crooks, Yohel Pozo group will also make the opening day roster. While depth is always better than the alternative, this still seems like a misallocation of resources. Crooks is a real prospect with starter upside and will need regular reps when he is in the big leagues. Pages and Pozo have both proven to be viable major league catchers as well, but one of the three will have to start the season in Triple-A. Is Chaim Bloom still open to trading one of the catchers in spring training? He has shown much more creativity making trades than his predecessor, so I still think there is a chance one of these players is moved before opening day.
9. Sleepers to Make the Roster
Every spring it feels like there are only a couple of battles at the back end of the roster, and then by the time opening day rolls around, Jordan Hicks, Victor Scott, Jordan Walker are on the team, or Matthew Liberatore is in the starting rotation. Injuries or performance could still create some chaos and leave an opening for a surprise addition. The Cardinals are light on right-handed bats and first base types, so could a lane open up for Blaze Jordan? Could Quinn Mathews come into spring throwing strikes and sitting in the mid-90s? If so, he would look like the best pitcher in the organization and could force the Cardinals’ hand. Could Ixan Henderson or Brycen Mautz make a play to start in the bullpen? Individually, the odds for any of these players are pretty low, but there is a decent chance someone completely off the radar forces their way into the picture.
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 1: Yandy Diaz #2 of the Tampa Bay Rays reacts after hitting a home run against the New York Yankees during the third inning at Yankee Stadium on August 1, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images) | Getty Images
DRaysBay works best as a place for community and conversation. Accordingly, in the lead up to the new season, we are posting “Daily Questions” in the month of February. I look forward to seeing you in the comment section!
Don’t say a prospect unless they are on the 40-man roster!
But even then, be careful… Prospects will break your heart.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MAY 02: Kyle Schwarber #12 of the Philadelphia Phillies celebrates his solo home run with teammate Nick Castellanos #8 in the seventh inning against the Arizona Diamondbacks during a game at Citizens Bank Park on May 02, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s another day removed from the Castellanos release and it’s still by far the biggest news surrounding the team right now. It takes a lot to distract from the Ace’s rib being in a closet.
Mar 3, 2025; Peoria, Arizona, USA; Detailed view of the Jumbotron during an automated ball-strike challenge aka ABS during the Seattle Mariners game against the Cleveland Guardians in a spring training game at Peoria Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
We’re back with another daily question, and today’s question is: How will MLB’s new ABS challenge system change baseball?
After an ongoing conversation that has seemingly lasted for a decade, MLB’s automated ball-strike (ABS) challenge system is officially here. The new system, which has been tested in the minor leagues since 2022 and made an appearance in MLB spring training last season, was approved last year to make it to the bigs in 2026.
Widely seen as a happy middle ground between so-called “robot umps” and the current human-run system, the ABS Challenge System monitors the exact location of each pitch, relative to the specific batter’s zone.
A few FAQs on the system, helpfully compiled by MLB:
How many challenges does each team receive?
Each team starts the game with two challenges apiece.
Do teams get an extra challenge in extra innings?
Yes, because teams are initially managing their challenges under the assumption that the game will be nine innings, not longer. If a game goes into extra innings, any team that starts the extra inning out of challenges will get one challenge for the 10th inning. If they exhaust that challenge, they will then get another challenge for the 11th, and so on. If a team has challenges remaining at the start of the 10th inning, they will not get an additional challenge for that inning, though they will for any subsequent inning if they are out of challenges at the start of the inning.
Will the ABS Challenge System be in use for every MLB game at every ballpark?
It will be used in every game at an MLB ballpark, however, there are a few exceptions. The Mexico City Series (Diamondbacks vs. Padres, April 25-26), the Field of Dreams game (Twins vs. Phillies, Aug. 13) and the Little League Classic (Brewers vs. Braves, Aug. 23) will all be played in non-MLB stadiums, meaning they don’t have the infrastructure to support the system.
Will it be in use during the postseason?
Yes
Who can issue a challenge?
The batter, the pitcher or the catcher can challenge an umpire’s call. No one else — no, not even the manager — may do so. Challenges must be made immediately after the umpire’s call, without assistance from the dugout or other players. Notably, MLB has reported that some teams have already indicated that they will forbid their pitchers from challenging, preferring they defer to the catcher’s vantage point.
How is a challenge issued?
The player taps his cap or helmet to alert the umpire to his desire to challenge the call. Players are also encouraged to verbalize their challenge, to leave nothing to doubt, but the cap/helmet tap represents the official challenge.
How is a call reviewed?
An animated pitch result graphic is shown to those in attendance via the video board and to home viewers via the broadcast. If you’ve ever watched tennis on TV, it’s similar to the Hawk-Eye technology they use.
Are successful challenges retained?
Yes. A team only loses its challenge if the umpire’s call is confirmed. Because challenges can be lost, it is incumbent upon the player to be judicious about asking for a challenge (i.e., not “wasting” it in a low-leverage spot so that it is available to his team in a high-leverage spot). So in that sense, the ABS Challenge System adds strategy to the sport.
How long do players have to issue a challenge?
Immediately after the pitch (roughly within two seconds). If there is an ensuing play (such as a checked-swing appeal or a play involving a runner), the challenge may be made at the conclusion of the play.
Can an umpire disallow a challenge?
Yes, if the umpire determines that the players’ decision to challenge was aided by other defenders, runners or the dugout, the request will be denied (with the team retaining its challenge). Same goes if the challenge was not requested in a timely manner.
Are there any scenarios in which a pitch may not be challenged?
When a position player is pitching, challenges are not permitted. Also, challenges are not permitted after replay reviews, so as to avoid a complex series of challenges. If there is potential for a replay review after an ABS challenge, umpires will check to see if either manager wants to initiate a replay review before restarting the pitch clock. (If a challenge and a replay review are requested simultaneously, the ABS challenge will be accepted first.)
How much time does the review add to the game?
In 288 games with the ABS Challenge System during Spring Training 2025, there were an average of 4.1 challenges per game, and those challenges took an average of 13.8 seconds. In total, the average game saw about 57 seconds of added time, effectively “giving back” only a small portion of the 26 minutes that the average game time was reduced from 2022 (the last MLB season without the pitch clock) to 2025.
Does the system lead to more pitches per plate appearance?
No, according to the data from testing. In Triple-A, there were an average of 3.92 pitches per plate appearance before ABS and 3.9 afterward. In MLB Spring Training games, the average was static at 3.92.
Can challenges affect runner placement?
Yes. Inevitably, there will be instances in which teams want to challenge a pitch that was called during a play while other things happened on the field. So the umpires will determine whether that call on the field had an impact on the subsequent behavior of the defenders and baserunners. The umpires will let stand any calls unaffected by the incorrect call. As an example, say there is a runner at second with none out, and the batter is in a full count. The 3-2 pitch is thrown and called a ball, while the runner attempts to steal third. The runner beats the throw from the catcher and is called safe at third, but then the catcher challenges the ball call. Upon review, the pitch is revealed to be a strike. Rather than send the runner back to second base, the runner gets to remain at third, because the initial ball/strike call did not impact the catcher’s ability to try to throw him out. The batter is now out, but the runner is still safe. Also note that if a catcher drops a pitch that is initially ruled a ball but is overturned for strike three, the batter is out without requiring the batter or first base to be tagged (as would be required in the event of a traditional dropped third strike).
How often are challenges successful?
During Spring Training, players challenged 2.6% of all called pitches, and the overturn rate was 52.2%. This was higher than the 50% overturn rate at Triple-A last year. Interestingly, during Spring Training, defensive players (pitchers and catchers) were more successful in their challenges (54.4%) than hitters (50.0%). Also, as was the case in MiLB, the overturn rate generally tended to decline as the game went on – from 60% in innings one through three to 51% in innings four through six to 43% in innings seven and eight to 46% in inning nine.
How is the ABS strike zone measured?
Like the plate, it is 17 inches wide. The top end of the zone is at 53.5% of the player’s height, while the bottom is at 27% of the player’s height. The depth of the zone is 8.5 inches from both the front and back of the plate to its center. This means players like Aaron Judge will have a different strike zone than players like Jose Altuve. (Extra note on player heights: All position players in Spring Training camps have their heights measured by a team of independent testers conducting manual measurements and by representatives from a research institute using biomechanical analysis to confirm the manual measurements and safeguard against potential manipulation. Players are measured standing straight up without cleats.)
How does this compare to the human umpire zone?
The umpire-called zone has generally been more rounded and more lenient to pitchers, with a 55.6% max up top and 24.2% minimum at the bottom.
Will challenge statistics be kept for individual players?
Yes. Baseball Savant will add this information to its treasure trove of data. So you’ll be able to see, for instance, which catchers are most successful not just at framing pitches but challenging calls.
Note: This is not the full FAQ list from MLB, as there are several questions on there that I wouldn’t really consider “frequently asked.” That being said, you can view the full list here.
In my view, the new system is ideal for a team like the Brewers. While William Contreras is a pretty good catcher, he’s nowhere near one of the best (he ranked 21 out of 57 in framing among semi-regular catchers last season), and in theory, the ABS system eliminates framing. It’s also a positive for players who have fairly keen eyes at the plate, perhaps most notably Tyler Black, who is Joey Votto-esque in terms of his ability to draw walks.
What do you think? Will the new system be a net positive or net negative for the Brewers and baseball?
Weigh in in the comments, and join us throughout the month as we keep these conversations rolling into spring training. Have a question you’d like to ask in a future BCB Daily Question? Drop one in the comments, and we may use it later this month.
LANDOVER, MD - CIRCA 1982: Dennis Johnson #24 of the Phoenix Suns dribbles the ball up court against the Washington Bullets during an NBA basketball game circa 1982 at the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland. Johnson played for the Suns from 1980-83. (Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Phoenix Suns All-Time Pyramid was never going to be an easy exercise. I knew that going in. What I did not fully appreciate was how much mental real estate it would occupy. I have gone back and forth on pieces of this for a month and a half, revisiting names, shifting thoughts, second-guessing myself at odd hours.
And nothing, in my opinion, was tougher than the bottom tier.
The five tiers above it have some natural guardrails. Lines of demarcation you can point to. Rules you can apply. Tenure. Accolades. Impact that feels settled over time. The bottom tier does not offer that kind of comfort. This is where bias walks right through the front door and sits on the couch. This is where statistical cases can be made for players who got in and players who did not. This is where personal preference starts driving the car.
Maybe you value rebounding more than I do. Maybe you think awards should carry more weight. Maybe longevity matters less than peak. All of those arguments live here. That is why Tier 6 was a grind. Not because it lacked importance, but because it had too many plausible answers.
So let’s get into it.
I will briefly touch on the honorable mentions first, fully aware that I am going to leave someone out. That is unavoidable. That is how projects like this work. But before we start debating names, let’s take a look at the updated version of the Phoenix Suns All-time Pyramid, now with Tier 6 filled in.
Honorable Mentions
There can only be 21 names in the group, which means there are always going to be players left standing outside the door. Some of those omissions feel obvious. Others are going to spark arguments, and honestly, that is part of the point.
I think Boris Diaw, Mikal Bridges, Leandro Barbosa, Mark West, and even Goran Dragic all have legitimate cases to land in that bottom tier. If you want to put any of them there, I truly have no problem with it. If P.J. Tucker is your guy, I get that, too. I am not here to shut that down.
Where I ultimately landed is rooted in impact. What did you give the organization while you were here, and how did that show up over time? Sometimes that impact came through winning basketball. Sometimes it came through culture. Sometimes it came through stability in moments where stability mattered.
I believe the players I slotted into that tier did more for the Suns than some of the other names that get floated in this conversation, even if that contribution looked different from player to player.
And that is where we get into it. Because those differences matter, and those capacities are worth unpacking.
Tier 6: The Core Contributors
You know how the NCAA Tournament can invite nearly seventy teams and still find a way to argue about the last four in and the first four out? It is a little ridiculous on its face, but that tension is baked into the exercise. With only 21 players making this pyramid, the same thing applies. There is always a last guy in. There is always a first guy out.
For me, that line landed with Grant Hill.
And I love Grant Hill. His resurgence in Phoenix, what he brought night after night, the professionalism, the steadiness, the feel for the game, all of it mattered. That version of Grant Hill was a gift. But when I got down to the final decision, I went with Goran Dragic for the sixth tier.
Games played mattered. Time invested mattered. And then there was that season. The Most Improved Player campaign in the 2013-14 season, the same year he earned his lone All-NBA selection. He averaged 20.3 points per game, led a surprising Suns team to the edge of playoff contention, and did it as the engine, not a passenger. If the Play-In tournament existed back then, who knows how far that group would have gone? Goran was the reason it even became a conversation. He also handed out 5.9 assists per game, balancing scoring with control, pressure with pace.
Dragic spent six total seasons in Phoenix across two stints, and along the way gave us one of the most unexpected and iconic playoff performances in franchise history in the 2010 postseason against the Spurs. He dropped 26 points on 10-of-13 shooting and went a perfect 5-of-5 from deep. Even more absurd, 23 of those points came in the fourth quarter alone, while the Spurs managed only 24 as a team.
That night still lives in the Sun’s lore. It still feels unreal. And for me, it is enough. That is why Goran Dragic gets the final spot in tier six.
Eddie Johnson was on the team when I first started watching basketball, and there is one thing you need to understand right away: the guy was an absolute bucket.
To this day, he still sits third all-time in free-throw percentage in franchise history, shooting 87% during his three-and-a-half seasons in Phoenix. That alone is impressive. What really jumps off the page is how much damage he did in a relatively small role. He averaged 18.4 points per game across 222 games, and he only started 70 of them.
That is the definition of instant offense.
Eddie Johnson came off the bench and kept the scoring pressure relentless. There was no let-up. That is why he won Sixth Man of the Year in 1988-89 and then finished third in the same voting the following season. Those Suns teams ranked second in offensive rating in 1988-89 and third in 1989-90, and that did not happen by accident.
In 1988-89, Johnson averaged 21.5 points per game. He played in 70 games. He started seven. Seven! That tells you everything you need to know about how devastating he was in that role. You could not stop the offense, and Eddie Johnson walking off the bench was a massive reason why.
Most people today know him as the colorful voice on Suns broadcasts. The guy with stories. The guy with opinions. But when he played in Phoenix, he was a real problem. And if you were on the other side when he checked in, you felt it immediately.
If you are under 30, you are probably still wrapping your head around how much one defensive player can tilt the temperature of an entire team. What Dillon Brooks has done this season feels jarring if you have not lived through it before. It looks like an anomaly. It feels like culture shock. But this is not new around here.
You have to go back to 2005 to find the closest parallel, when the Suns signed Raja Bell as a free agent and quietly changed the personality of the roster. That team needed to get tougher. Full stop. And while I still disagree with the decision to trade Quentin Richardson for Kurt Thomas, and while I will always carry a soft spot for Joe Johnson and his size and shooting, the addition of Raja Bell was a direct response to the San Antonio Spurs. That was the problem to solve. And Raja personified the answer.
This is one of those cases where I had to let the player override my personal bias. Because if I am being honest, I was never a huge Raja Bell guy. I was a scorned fan. I wanted Joe Johnson to stay. I thought the offense would keep humming if you trusted that core and let it grow. And to Raja’s credit, the offense did keep humming. He did not break it. He enhanced it.
Over three and a half seasons in Phoenix, Bell made two All-NBA Defensive Teams. He currently ranks fifth all-time in three-point percentage at 42.2%. He sits third all-time in three pointers made per game at 2.4, with Grayson Allen now holding the top spot. That is real production layered on top of real defensive value.
And then there is the moment, the one that never fades. Raja Bell taking down Kobe Bryant. Something every Suns fan has fantasized about. Something almost no one ever actually gets to do. He did it and it lives forever.
So no, I was not waving the Raja Bell flag at the time. But respect is earned, and he earned every ounce of it. What he brought to Phoenix shaped teams. It changed tone. And whether I liked it or not, he belongs in this conversation.
This is one of those names that lives before my time, but the impact is impossible to ignore once you dig into it. Larry Nance was drafted 20th overall out of Clemson in the 1981 NBA Draft, and he spent seven full seasons in Phoenix from 1981 through 1988. That is not a footnote. That is a real stretch of meaningful time.
Over those seven years, Nance averaged 17.3 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. At his peak, he climbed to 22.5 points in 1986-87and 9.9 rebounds in 1987-88, numbers that still hold weight when you place them in context. He sits tenth all-time in minutes played in Suns history, fourth in total rebounds, and he remains the leading shot blocker the franchise has ever had.
Those were not always stable years for the organization. The Suns went through turbulence, uncertainty, and stretches where winning was not guaranteed. And through all of that, Larry Nance was the steady presence. The constant. The guy you could count on to show up, play above the rim, and impose himself on games in ways that numbers alone do not always capture.
He made an All-Star team in 1985, which feels right when you look at his body of work. And then there is the dunk contest. In 1984, he went toe-to-toe with Julius Erving and beat him. The next year, he came back and lost to Dominique Wilkins. That alone tells you the kind of air he lived in and the kind of athlete he was.
When you step back and look at the Phoenix Suns All-Time Pyramid, it becomes hard to justify leaving Larry Nance out. He bridges an era and covers a gap in the franchise timeline that was not always defined by success. He was a player who rose above the chaos, played above the clouds, and left a permanent mark on the organization.
Now here is where I fully admit my bias, because I absolutely loved Stephon Marbury, and I am not going to pretend otherwise. He was not in Phoenix for long, just two and a half seasons, but his impact landed hard and stuck. He bridged the gap between the Jason Kidd and Steve Nash eras, and at that moment, he felt like a breath of fresh air for a franchise searching for its next identity.
Marbury played differently than what came before him. He attacked the basket with force, almost like a fullback hitting the hole, barreling down the lane while cradling the ball and finishing with that soft, patented floater that felt automatic once he got inside.
When you go back and look at the roster from that first season, it is almost jarring. That was Dan Majerle’s final year. Anfernee Hardaway was on the team. But it was the young, electric core of Marbury and Shawn Marion that really grabbed you.
Then the next year, the Suns drafted Amar’e Stoudemire, and the connection was instant. You could feel it. That team was fun in a way that felt like it was pointing somewhere. Playing with Starbury and STAT in NBA2k3 was the way I spent my summer before shipping out to basic training. That’s my bias remembering fondly what that duo could do.
I still remember losing my mind when Marbury hit that miraculous overtime game-winner in the first round against San Antonio. They lost that series 4-2, but it did not feel like a dead end. It felt like the beginning of something.
And the numbers back it up. His 21.3 points per game rank seventh all-time in Phoenix Suns history. His 39.8 minutes per game sit second all-time, which tells you how much responsibility he carried. He won Player of the Week three times in a Suns uniform, made an All-Star team, and earned an All-NBA Third Team selection.
So yes, my bias is absolutely part of why he is on this list, but that bias does not erase the case. It reinforces it. Stephon Marbury was a vibe in Phoenix. Coney Island’s finest remains one of my favorite Suns of all time, and he earns his place in this conversation without apology.
If you want to talk about players who truly made an impact, you do not have to look much further than Dennis Johnson, because what he brought to Phoenix on the defensive end was rare, difficult to replicate, and ultimately irreplaceable.
Johnson arrived in Phoenix already wearing a championship pedigree, having won it all with Seattle in 1979. His arrival signaled a real transition for the franchise, especially considering he came over in the trade that sent Paul Westphal out the door, which alone tells you how significant the moment was.
He only spent three seasons in Phoenix, but those three seasons carried real weight, particularly on the defensive side of the ball, where his presence changed the texture of games night after night.
You can make a strong case that Dennis Johnson was one of the most impactful players in Suns history relative to time spent with the organization. In his first season in Phoenix, he averaged 20.5 points per game while also pulling down 1.9 steals. Across all three of his seasons with the Suns, he was named to the All-NBA Defensive First Team, and he earned two All-Star selections.
Yes, he would eventually move on to Boston and win two more championships, adding even more shine to an already impressive career, but that does not diminish what he was in Phoenix. For a short window, Dennis Johnson was the defensive backbone of the Suns, a player who brought toughness, intelligence, and an edge that the team needed at that point in its evolution. His imprint on the franchise remains one of the most dominant defensive stretches the organization has ever seen.
Whew. Tier 6 done. Tier 5 tomorrow.
So, what do you think? Who would you have as your 6 players in Tier 6? Let us know in the comments below.
(Los Angeles Times photo illustration; Photographs from Los Angeles Times, Getty Images and Associated Press)
Slowly, LeBron James put on a pair of ice bath toe booties and dipped his left foot and then his right foot into a bucket that had been prepared for him following a Lakers game at Crypto.com Arena. His longtime personal trainer and athletic performance coach, Mike Mancias, next wrapped both of James’ knees and his back in ice.
James closed his eyes for a few seconds and leaned back in his chair as the media gathered around him for his postgame interview.
This was just another step in the process of how James has taken care of his body, a step that shows the lengths he takes in the maintenance of his body that has helped him have an illustrious 23-year career, longer than any player before him.
“Obviously I didn’t know it would be 23 years. I didn’t know that, but I know I didn’t want to have no six- or seven-year career. I can’t become legendary in six or seven years,” James told The Times. “I always had a mission. When I knew I could play this game at a high level, like, going to Chicago and playing with MJ [Michael Jordan] and all those guys when I was a sophomore [in high school]. And then when I went up to Cleveland and played against the Cavs when I was a junior and I was like, ‘Oh … I belong. I belong.’ I knew I still had to learn and I still had to continue to get my body right, continue to learn the game and nuances.
“But I was playing against NBA guys for a long time and I was like, ‘If I get the opportunity to crack the league, if I get the opportunity to showcase what I’m able to do, the only thing that can stop me is if I don’t take care of my body. The only thing that can stop me from being the greatest or one of the greatest to ever play this game is if I do not take care of myself.’ I did take care of my body. That’s it.”
James’ dedication at health maintenance has become legendary in the sporting world.
He is known to invest over $1.5 million annually for a comprehensive approach to keeping his body fine-tuned.
He talked about the biohacking he uses to maintain elite performances and longevity at the age of 41.
He talked about using Normatec leg compression boots, hyperbaric chambers to restore oxygen, cryotherapy, red-light therapy and any other cutting-edge technologies.
He talked about prioritizing sleep and nutrition, such as avoiding artificial sugars and fried foods.
When he missed the first 14 games this season because of sciatica, James cut back on drinking wine, one of his passions, in order to get his body back to full health.
“Obviously it’s gotten even more detailed as me and Mike have built a program,” James said. “It’s been 22 years of our program.”
LeBron James, left, jokes with trainer, Mike Mancias, right, while sitting out a game with the Cavaliers in 2010 to rest for playoffs. (Mark Duncan / Associated Press)
More so, it has worked to the highest order for James.
Though his streak of being voted as a starter to the All-Star team was snapped at 21 in a row, James still extended his league record to 22 when the coaches voted him onto the Western Conference team as a reserve for the game that will be played Sunday at Intuit Dome.
Over the course of time, James said, he’s received plenty of offers to try different ways to do his therapy.
For the most part, he has said no.
“It’s all type of [crap] that is presented to you,” James said, smiling. “[People] are always trying to get you to do [crap]. But once we got the connection, it wasn’t really many people that we allowed to come and be in what we do. We had a couple of guys obviously throughout the process that helped along the way. But, nah, we knew what we wanted to do.”
When James was a young kid growing up in Akron, Ohio, and it became obvious then that he was athletic, he said his uncle, Curt James, encouraged him to start taking care of his body immediately.
His mother, Gloria James, supported him and advised James to listen to uncle Curt.
“I probably was 10, 11 years old,” James said. “I used to stretch before I went to bed and when I woke up, when I was like 10 or 11years old. My uncle Curt, my mom’s younger brother, used to make me do a 100 calf raises a day and he used to make me do 50 push-ups and 50 sit-ups a day.”
James shook his head and laughed recalling those moments as a kid.
Lakers forward LeBron James glides past Kings forward DeMar DeRozan for a reverse dunk during a game in December at Crypto.com Arena. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
“He told me I had to get my calves stronger if I wanted to be great,” James said, smiling at the thought of those conversations from years ago. “I never knew what that meant, whatever. But, yeah, my uncle used to tell me to do that and then a good friend of mine used to always tell me to stretch before I got in the bed and after I got out of the bed when I woke up the next morning. I don’t know man. I’ve been doing this for a long time.”
At no time during all this did James know what all that advice would mean in the future.
“No, but I had people that I trusted,” James said. “I was icing after every game my rookie year. I was 18 years-old. I was icing after games when I was a high school senior, a high school junior. Like, I was lifting [weights] my senior year.”
James told a story about playing in an AAU tournament with Kendrick Perkins when he was 14 and how some of the players were sitting in the stands eating fast food.
But not James. Even then he ate right.
“They were eating McDonald’s,” James said, smiling, “and I was eating fruits.”
Jason Kidd is the head coach of the Dallas Mavericks, but he was an assistant coach with the Lakers when James led them to the 2020 NBA championship and the two of them were teammates on the 2008 USA Olympic basketball team that won the gold medal at Beijing.
Kidd has watched how James is averaging 22.0 points per game on 50.2% shooting this season, 7.1 assists and 5.8 rebounds and can’t help but marvel at how James continues to be a highly effective player with so many miles on his body.
“Physically, LeBron, he's had some injuries, but he's taken care of his body, he's always prepared himself for the marathon,” Kidd said. “But I think it's the mental side. I think that's the hardest part is to wake up and say, ‘Do I need to go play against a 20-year-old or a 19-year-old?’ He's won championships, he's been MVP, he's been the face of the league. He's a billion-dollar company.
"So, it's the mental side. Understanding that he loves competition and he loves the game of basketball. So I think for him to do it at 41 is incredible.”
When the Lakers faced Kidd’s Mavericks on Thursday night, James was back in the lab early getting his body ready for the contest and he did so about six hours before game time.
Lakers forward LeBron James talks with assistant coach Jason Kidd during a 2020 playoff game against the Trail Blazers in Orlando. (Associated Press)
It didn’t matter that it was the last game before the weeklong All-Star break.
In James’ eyes, if you take care of your body, it will take care of you — at all times.
“Like for instance this morning. I woke up this morning, went straight downstairs, got a stretch, did a little activation, like a little small lil' lift [of weights],” James said after the game Thursday. “Then I iced after that. Then I used the Normatec to pump my legs for an hour. Then I took a nap in the hyperbaric chamber for an hour-and-a-half. Then I got in the cold tub, again, before I came here [to Crypto.com Arena]. So, I started my process here when I got here at 1:15 and prepared for a seven o’clock game. It’s just around the clock.”
And as it turned out, all his work led to yet another milestone for James.
His triple-double of 28 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds made James the oldest player in NBA history to accomplish that feat, pushing him past Karl Malone for the record.
And now comes another record appearance in an All-Star Game.
Inglewood, CA - 1972: Connie Hawkins in the 1972 NBA All-Star Game, the Forum. (Photo by Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
We’ve talked before about how Connie Hawkins was mistreated by the basketball establishment. He came out of New York City’s Boys High School and accepted a scholarship to Iowa in 1960, only to get caught up in a point shaving scandal that he clearly had no part of.
It was based in and around New York though and he was ultimately expelled from Iowa and no other school would take him, and the NBA blackballed him when he was eligible for the 1964 draft.
He played in the ABL, the Harlem Globetrotters, and the ABA for several years before moving to the NBA in 1969 when the league concluded it would lose a lawsuit he had filed against it.
People had seen bits and glimpses of his genius, and in the videos we’ve seen and shared here, we’ve seen some of it.
This video really shows how far ahead of his time he was. One of the more amazing things in this video comes about :15 seconds in. Look at what he’s doing here. We’ve never seen anyone do that. Not Wilt, not Dr. J, no Michael, not anyone.
Part of that is because of his enormous hands and part of it is just his innate creativity that NBA players weren’t prepared for in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s.
It’s tempting to wonder what might have happened had he been drafted with his class in 1964. The first pick of that draft went to the Los Angeles Lakers who took UCLA’s Walt Hazzard.
If the Lakers had taken Hawkins, they would have added him to to a team that had Elgin Baylor and Jerry West. Those guys were good enough to challenge the Boston Celtics dynasty. If they had had another freak athlete to pair with Baylor, they might have broken the dynasty.
FORT MYERS, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 11: Johan Oviedo #29 of the Boston Red Sox and Brayan Bello #66 of the Boston Red Sox react during a workout at JetBlue Park at Fenway South on February 11, 2026 in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
One of the most fun things about spring training is the annual emergence of one young player who makes the whole camp his own. Two years ago it was Ceddanne Rafaela. Last year it was Marcelo Mayer. This year could it be Kristian Campbell, someone who has already won a player of the month award at the MLB level? After a strange and ultimately disappointing rookie year, Campbell is back trying to find a place for himself in the big leagues. And while he admits that he was nervous last year, he thinks this spring is going to be different. This year, I feel like I’m a lot more under control and calm. I know what’s going on around me. I know more people in the locker room this year. It’s a better environment, for sure, for me, personally. I feel a lot more comfortable.” (Alex Speier, Boston Globe)
Campbell probably will be able to fly under the radar a bit this year. Most of the spring training attention falls on the new faces, and the Sox have plenty of them, especially on the mound. And one of those new faces, Sonny Gray, says that, “on paper,” this Red Sox rotation is the best one he’s ever been a part of. (Tim Healey, Boston Globe)
Johan Oviedo is another one of those new faces, though in his case it seems like he is in the media shadow of both Gray and Ranger Suárez. He’s also already really close to at least one of his new teammates as, even before he was traded he Boston, he spent the winter working out with his countryman Aroldis Chapman. (Christopher Smith, MassLive)
And speaking of being in the shadow of bigger names, how many baseball fans even realize that Patrick Sandoval is on the Sox this year? Right now, it’s looking unlikely that the man who once led the league in shutouts (with, uhh, one) will start the season in the Red Sox rotation, both because there’s a lot of competition and because he hasn’t thrown a competitive pitch in a looooooooong time. But he feels like he’s getting closer. (Sean McAdam, MassLive)
I think most people assume that Oviedo has the inside edge on the fifth rotation spot, if for no other reason than that the Sox gave up a lot to get him. But according to Craig Breslow, there will be competition for the role this spring, including not only Oviedo and Sandoval but also Payton Tolle, Connelly Early, and Kutter Crawford. (Tyler Maher, NESN)
The Sox have so many new pitchers that Brayan Bello is now the most-tenured guy in the starting rotation (most tenured in a Sox uniform, that is.) That seems wild given that most fans still thing of him as a young arm who is continuing to hone his game. Case in point, he recently received some pitch grip tutelage from Ranger Suárez. (Lauren Campbell, MassLive)
And on the other side of the ball, Trevor Story is now the second-most tenured position player. Which is why he’s being called “unc” by the kids. (Ian Browne, MLB.com)
Unc will open the 2026 season with an entirely new infield than the he opened 2025 with. Marcelo Mayer and Caleb Durbin will be in the infield somewhere, but at what positions? They’re both going to work out at both second and third for now, and Alex Cora doesn’t seem too stressed about it: “We went through this dance last year. I know how to dance it. Just be patient.” (Kaley Brown, Boston.com)
Boston, MA - April 24 - Leo Rivas #76 of the Seattle Mariners steals second as David Hamilton #17 of the Boston Red Sox bobbles the ball during the fourth inning of a MLB game at Fenway Park. (Photo by Matt Stone/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald via Getty Images) | MediaNews Group via Getty Images
To David Hamilton, formerly of the Sox, Watching you play often made my insides balk. Your errors were many, your hits were quite few. I’ll admit I wasn’t the biggest fan of you.
But since you’ve been traded, I’m distinctly less jaded. Happy for you, that you’ve found a new place, Thrilled for us, with new hope for second base.
You may be Quad-A Which is why you struggled to stay With Boston’s MLB club. You were asked to do too much, too often. It’s not all your fault—we kept you too long in Boston! But I wish you the best as you leave The Hub.
I hope you impress in Milwaukee And that your second stint there won’t be so rocky.
May your batting get better and the ball find your glove, From a distance, I send you this Valentine’s love.
The New York Islanders are not back in action until Feb. 26, when they head up to Montreal to battle the Canadiens. However, their American Hockey League affiliate, the Bridgeport Islanders, play seven games over that span.
They return from their All-Star break with back-to-back meetings against the Providence Bruins, the Boston Bruins' AHL affiliate, on Saturday at 5 PM ET.
Bridgeport, who currently sit sixth in the Atlantic Division with a 20-20-2-3, trail the Lehigh Valley Phantoms by one point for the fifth and final playoff spot.
The last time Bridgeport qualified for the Calder Cup Playoffs was back in 2021-22, which was Brent Thompson's last season behind the bench.
The most anticipated event during the 2026 NBA All-Star Weekend arguably is the AT&T Slam Dunk contest.
The showcase is a combination of showmanship and athletic prowess as four competitors put on a dunk-a-thon to impress judges and basketball fans in Los Angeles and around the world.
It's the finale of Saturday night events that include the State Farm 3-point shootout contest and Kia Shooting Stars.
The Saturday showcase includes the Kia Shooting Stars, a showcase of legends teaming up in competition to knock down a host of seven different shots on the court in shortest time under 70 seconds.
The AT&T Slam Dunk contest places the winner's name amongst some of the best high-flying, showstopping players the NBA has ever seen.
Here's what you need to know including when the slam dunk contest starts, how to watch and more:
What time does the 2026 AT&T Slam Dunk Contest start?
The 2026 AT&T Slam Dunk competition for NBA All-Star Saturday Night during NBA All-Star Weekend happens Feb. 14 at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.
The string of Saturday events will start at 5 p.m. ET (2 p.m. PT) on NBC and Peacock, beginning with the Kia Shooting Stars challenge. The dunk contest is the third and final event of the day.
How to watch 2026 AT&T Slam Dunk Contest
Here's everything you need to know to tune into the 2026 AT&T Slam Dunk Contest at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.
What to know about the participants going into the event
This current group of participants are competing in the NBA slam dunk contest for the first time in the careers.
The dunk contest includes two rookies with Carter Bryant, the 14th overall by San Antonio in the 2025 NBA Draft, and Jase Richardson, who was selected 25th overall by the Orlando Magic. Richardson is also the son Jason Richardson, a former back-to-back slam dunk champion who won in 2002 and 2003.
Bryant stands a 6-foot-6, while Richardson the shortest competitor, stands at 6-foot-1. Keshad Johnson is a forward in his second NBA season. He toggled between the Miami Heat and its G-League affiliate the Sioux Falls Skyforce.
The competition's tallest participant is Lakers 7-foot center Jaxson Hayes.
2026 AT&T Slam Dunk Judges
Here are the five judges for this year's slam dunk contest presented by AT&T.
Brent Barry,1996 NBA Slam Dunk champion
Dwight Howard, 2008 NBA Slam Dunk champion
Nate Robinson,3x NBA Slam Dunk champion (2006, 2009, 2010)
Dominique Wilkins,2x NBA Slam Dunk champion (1985, 1990)
TBA
The fifth judge will be decided by fans via a vote using NBA ID Members. Fans will decide the fifth and final judge who will score dunks from 40 to 50 points. Potential judges include content creators Chris “Lethal Shooter” Matthews, actor and comedian Druski, or co-founder of Dude Perfect Tyler Toney.
One of the three will represent the fan vote as a judge. The NBA ID Member Rep will score each dunk as the average of all scores submitted by the NBA ID members for the dunk. NBA ID Members can submit their scores via the NBA App or NBA.com.
2026 AT&T Slam Dunk Contest Rules
The rules to dunk contest are simple. Four dunkers. Two rounds. Two dunks per round. The two highest scores advance.
Each dunk is scored either a 40 or 50 by the five judges.
Each player has 90 seconds and three maximum attempts to complete the dunk. If time expires before completing a dunk, the contestant will get one final attempt. Missed dunks result in a 40-point score.
An attempt is defined as the player controlling the basketball while airborne and moving it toward the rim. Not to be confused with a try, which is an action taken by the player, other than dribbling or running, in an effort to attempt a dunk. For example, a player tossing the ball to himself, or a player becoming airborne whether controlling the basketball or not.
There will be a referee to judge whether a player has made an attempt or try and whether a dunk is considered a made dunk or a missed dunk.
Once a dunk is made, it's the next person's turn. Made dunks cannot be “replaced,” even if the dunker has remaining attempts.
Players using any props or other people have to be preapproved, prior to competition to the NBA Basketball Operations Department.
Like the three-point shootout, instant replay can be used at the discretion of the referee for rules compliance.
How to determine a dunk champion
In the first round, the order of competition for the first dunk is decided by NBA Basketball operations Department.
The second dunk of the first round is decided by points from the first dunk. The person with the least points from the first dunk attempt will go first for the second dunk. Whoever had the most points on their first dunk will go last on dunk No. 2.
The two with the highest scores from the first two dunks in the first round will advance to the championship round.
In the event of a tie to determine the top-two finishers, the five judges will select an "advancing dunker". The dunker with the most votes to advance will go on to the final round.
In the final round, the dunker with the lower score from the first round will make his attempt first. The order of the second dunk is determined by the score of the first dunk in the final round. The player with the lowest score on their first dunk in the final round will go first for their second dunk in the final round.
The person with the highest points wins. If there is a tie, the competitors will face-off in a one-dunk dunk-off to be crowned champ. Each dunker has one attempt during the Dunk-Off.
If there's still a tie after a dunk-off then the champion will be determined by "Judges' Choice" and each judge would be asked to choose a winner. Best of five selections wins.
NBA Slam Dunk Contest History
The first ever slam dunk contest was held on January 27, 1976, at McNichols Sports Arena in Denver during halftime of the 1976 ABA All-Star Game, the league's final All-Star game before the completion of the ABA–NBA merger. Julius "Dr. J" Erving would be crowned champion and changing All-Star weekend as we know it.
The event returned the followed the next season as former ABA player Darnell "Dr. Dunk" Hillman was named the winner in 1977. As the NBA and ABA would merge leagues, there wouldn't be another dunk contest until 1984.
Here are all of the winners from previous NBA slam dunk competitions:
