Furphy in Vince Carter's 'dream' dunk contest

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One of the greatest in-game and NBA All-Star Slam Dunk champions Vince Carter wants Australian Johnny Furphy in the 2026 All-Star Weekend Slam Dunk content.

Carter, who won the 2000 NBA Dunk Contest, said: "Johnny Furphy, I saw what you did to your teammate and then you go into the game and do this, young man.

"Let's bring it back, we don't want to hang on to the old guys, the Dr Js, the MJs, it's the new guys turn. We want you to bring it up, so come on and join us."

Carter, now 48, was calling out the eight players he wanted to see in the Slam Dunk contest: Anthony Edwards; Ja Morant; Zion Williamson; Shaedon Sharpe; Matas Buzelis; Stephon Castle; VJ Edgecombe; and Furphy.

Much like the All-Star Game itself, the Slam Dunk Contest has lost its star appeal with the top in-game dunkers such as Edwards, Morant and Williamson not competing unlike Michael Jordan, Dominique Wilkins, Carter, Kobe Bryant, Clyde Drexler, Spud Webb; Eric Gordon and Dr J all showing up and throwing it down.

Furphy has clearly caught the eye of Carter, who famously jumped clean over the top of a player during the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games while playing for the Dream Team. Furphy's poster dunk over Noa Essengue in the 2025 Summer League is arguably the greatest ever dunk by an Australian in in the NBA, then his training camp dunk followed up by the monster one-hand jam over the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Carter's 2000 dunk contest was one of the most memorable and explosive. His reverse 360, between the legs and arm in the rim dunks are three of the most iconic in NBA history. Carter famously gestured a baseball out and told the camera "it's over" after the 360. He was right.

The winner of the last three dunk contests was two-way player Mac McClung.