Shaquille O’Neal is launching a professional dunk league this year, building on the Dunkman TV series to create a structured world-level competition for elite dunkers, backed by TNT Sports and Authentic Brands Group.

The league will crown a world champion and award a $500,000 prize, with participants drawn from around the globe.

Twenty-four athletes from across the world will compete in four live group-stage events that funnel into the Dunkman World Championship.

In NBA action, the Orlando Magic defeated the Detroit Pistons 123-107, with Paolo Banchero scoring 31 and Desmond Bane adding 25 as six Magic players hit double figures; separately, the San Antonio Spurs beat the Philadelphia 76ers 115-102, though Victor Wembanyama left the game with a rib injury and played limited minutes.

O’Neal has said he hasn’t yet delivered a dunk in the arena and cannot envision himself dunking again, despite his past prowess.

He notes a shift in basketball content toward specialist and viral dunk talents outside the NBA, framing the Dunkman venture as a scalable business model.

The initiative reflects a broader trend of media companies creating self-contained sports properties to control rights and programming costs amid rising rights fees.

The move is part of a wider media strategy to own sports rights and formats, with Warner already involved in other sports properties and formats like Unrivaled and The Match.

The league aims to capitalize on dunk-focused content, recognizing that highlights and dunk clips drive engagement more than full-game footage.

The project seeks to appeal to sports and culture enthusiasts by emphasizing athletes’ creativity and innovation, with host cities and participants to be announced.

Dunkman’s early six-episode concept featured international participation, including a Polish doctor who competed in early rounds.

TNT Sports’ Craig Barry says the league will attract audiences for both sports and culture by highlighting top dunkers’ personalities and creativity to amplify moments across platforms.