Shaq Launches Dunkman: How the New Dunk League Works

Shaquille O’Neal, the man with over 4,000 career dunks, has decided to give the dunk contest a new identity and new life. Following the success of last year’s TV series, Big Diesel officially announced the launch of Dunkman, the first professional league entirely dedicated to high-flying dunk specialists, where he will serve as founder and first Commissioner.

We’re turning dunking into the fastest-growing professional sport on two feet

Shaquille O’Neal

The project, born from a strategic partnership with TNT Sports, won’t be a one-off showcase but a fully structured competitive circuit.

The Dunkman format

The schedule includes five major live events: four group-stage qualifiers leading into a final championship event. Up for grabs, in addition to the world title, is a significant prize pool of $500,000– a figure aimed at giving financial stability and professional recognition to these aerial athletes.

To ensure competitive credibility, Dunkman will introduce an Olympic-level scoring system designed to set new modern standards, judged by a panel of top experts – likely including former NBA stars, similar to the Slam Dunk Contest.

Where to watch

Visibility will be massive: events will be broadcast across a wide network including TNT, TBS, truTV, and HBO Max. Shaq’s goal is clear – to elevate dunking from a one-night spectacle (which has declined in recent years) into a continuously growing professional sport, giving innovators of the game a global stage like never before.