when does the dunk contest start

February 15, 2026

The 2026 NBA Slam Dunk Contest is scheduled for Saturday, February 14, 2026, and is expected to start at about 8:00 p.m. ET as part of All-Star Saturday Night at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.

Quick Scoop

Date: Saturday, February 14, 2026

Approximate start time: 8:00 p.m. ET (third event of the All-Star Saturday Night block)

Venue: Intuit Dome, Inglewood / Los Angeles, California

TV: NBC

Streaming: Peacock

If you want every dunk and intro, plan to tune in right when the All-Star Saturday Night broadcast begins, then stay through the earlier events (3-Point Contest and Shooting Stars) until the dunk contest tips off.

TL;DR:
The dunk contest is on Feb. 14, 2026, at Intuit Dome, and you should be watching by around 8 p.m. ET to catch it live on NBC or Peacock.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.