McNeese’s Christian Shumate to Compete in Slam Dunk Contest on Thursday

McNeese basketball star Christian Shumate will display his dunking skills this Thursday in San Antonio. Known for his exciting “Shu Slams,” Shumate has been selected to compete in the King’s Hawaiian Slam Dunk Championship at the 36th Annual State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships.

Some of basketball’s biggest names have competed in past College Slam events, including Gary Payton, Steve Nash, Cappie Pondexter, and Odyssey Sims.

Shumate, a two-time Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Year, has been a key player for McNeese. He helped lead the Cowboys to back-to-back conference championships and two NCAA Tournament appearances under head coach Will Wade. He also played a big role in McNeese’s historic 69-67 win over Clemson—its first-ever NCAA Tournament victory. This season, Shumate led the team with 47 dunks.

The State Farm College Slam Dunk & 3-Point Championships features 24 of the best men’s and women’s college basketball players. In addition to the slam dunk contest, the night will include the E*TRADE Men's 3-Point Championship, the Hanes Women's 3-Point Championship, and the Dave's Hot Chicken Hot Shot Challenge. Winners of the men's and women’s 3-point contests will then go head-to-head in the Skechers Battle of the Champions.

San Antonio has hosted this event five times, but this will be the first time it takes place at Frost Bank Center, home of the San Antonio Spurs. The last time the contest was held in an NBA arena was in 2019 at Target Center in Minneapolis, where over 8,000 fans attended.

The event, which will be held at Frost Bank Center, kicks off at 6 p.m. and will be broadcast live on ESPN. Shumate is one of six players taking part in the slam dunk contest, which is part of the Final Four festivities.

Fans can be part of the action with tickets starting at just $20, available at www.ticketmaster.com. Discounted group rates are also offered for parties of 10 or more through Spurs Group Sales.

With his incredible leaping ability, Shumate is sure to put on a show. Be sure to tune in Thursday night to see if he can bring home the slam dunk title!