TNT has resurrected a dunking competition on its network, bringing Shaquille O’Neal back as a judge.
The first version, called “The Dunk King,” ran for two seasons in 2016 and 2017, with winners pocketing $100,000. But after AT&T purchased TNT Sports, the show was placed on ice.
Craig Barry, chief content officer for TNT Sports, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he’s been thirsting to bring it back, and his current bosses at Warner Bros. Discovery finally gave him the green light. This time, it’s called “Dunkman,” featuring 40 male amateur dunk specialists vying for $200,000.
Credit: TNT SCREENGRAB
Credit: TNT SCREENGRAB
Four of the six episodes are now on HBO Max. The final two episodes will air starting at 7 p.m. Thursday.
TNT, in a major blow, lost rights to the NBA starting this season. Barry said he thought “this might be a good time to give the dunk show another try, make it a little bit bigger and create something that has some sustainability.”
Shot in front of a live audience over the span of a week at Overtime Elite Arena across from Atlantic Station in Midtown earlier this fall, the fast-paced competition show flew in some of the best dunkers both domestically and from overseas. There were representatives from Poland, England and Australia. Many have sizable social media followings and numerous dunking contest trophies to their names.
Besides bringing back O’Neal ― legendary NBA star, “Inside the NBA” host, part-time Atlanta resident and beloved ad man ― the producers brought in big-name stars like Chris Webber, Mac McClung and Atlanta native and former Hawk Dwight Howard as judges. The best dunker among the experts? Vince Carter, who played two seasons in Atlanta.
“He is a staple on the show,” Barry said. “He almost took on the role of professor and teacher.”
Judging criteria included hang time, vertical leap, power and attitude. It also helps if the contestant lands the dunk on his first of up to three tries.
Competitors range in height from 5-foot-4 to 6-foot-10. One competitor is a doctor. Some use props including cars and other humans. One of the more jaw-dropping performances in the first episode featured Michael Purdie leaping over six men on his way to a triumphant dunk and a perfect score.
Hyrum “Hyt-Check” Fescher of Utah wowed the judges with a massive dunk that was imbued with attitude and featured him hanging his elbow over the rim, inspired by a comparable dunk Carter had done years earlier. All three judges gave him a perfect score.
Later, the furniture salesman with exceptional vertical leap wore khakis and a button-down shirt while jumping over both a sofa and a man for a clean dunk that also received three 100s.
“You can see the intensity of the dunks, the talent and the skill,” Barry said. “The NBA guys would never do these dunks.”
He said separating dunking from the rest of basketball is smart since “the art of dunking isn’t as prominent as it used to be in the NBA. I feel like it’s a dying art there. This is a platform to showcase dunking. I love it when they throw down. It’s an exclamation point. It’s athleticism on full display.”
IF YOU WATCH
“Dunkman,” final two episodes starting at 7 p.m. Thursday on TNT, with episodes available the next day on HBO Max.
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