Vince Carter claims NBA offered him, LeBron James, and Kobe Bryant $1 million for Dunk Contest

Vince Carter has disclosed that the NBA once tried to supercharge the Slam Dunk Contest by dangling a $1 million incentive in front of several of its biggest names.

Carter said the league approached him, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Tracy McGrady with the financial offer in an effort to restore star appeal to All-Star Saturday night.

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Although the proposal generated interest, the high-profile showdown never came to fruition.

Carter recounts league’s $1 million pitch

On the “Vince and T-Mac” podcast, Vince Carter brought up what he called the “million dollar phone call” while speaking with Tracy McGrady.

He outlined the NBA’s vision of assembling a marquee quartet for the contest. Carter went on to suggest he was the lone participant who agreed to the terms.

“They wanted me, you, Kobe and Bron for $1 million, and I said, ‘I’m in if everybody else is in.’ I felt like I was the only one that said yes… Never got a phone call back.”

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The proposed field would have paired three generational scorers with one of the most celebrated dunkers in league history.

What might have been for the Dunk Contest

James never entered the Slam Dunk Contest despite years of public anticipation. Bryant captured the title in 1997 but did not return during his championship peak.

Carter’s 2000 performance remains a benchmark moment that reshaped the event’s cultural impact. The reported $1 million incentive illustrates how strongly the league wanted to elevate the contest’s profile.

Though the star-studded lineup never materialised, Carter’s recollection offers insight into an ambitious plan that could have altered All-Star Weekend history.

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