Shaquille O’Neal launches indoor dunk contest, prizes up to $500,000
Shaquille O’Neal announced that he has created a new professional dunking league called Dunkman on Monday night. The league will feature 24 participants from around the world competing in five live events, including four group‑stage contests and a final championship event. The competition offers a $500,000 prize for the winner.
The announcement follows a six‑episode television series titled “Dunkman” that aired last year. O’Neal said the league will build on the series’ popularity and provide a global platform for dunking athletes. The events are slated to be broadcast on TNT, TBS, truTV, HBO Max and selected social media channels.
Dunkman will use an Olympic‑level scoring system with a panel of expert judges to evaluate performances. The organization has positioned the league as the first professional sport focused entirely on dunking, aiming to elevate the activity into a mainstream competitive discipline.