The Dunk Talk

Cam Hazzard is one of the other guys competing in Shaq's DunkMan League this summer, and he's one of only about seven people to ever test a 50 inch vertical. He's from Dallas, he's 20, and Dennis and I met up with him when we were down there for a conference. We rented out a gym and he hit basically every 360 variation you can think of, 360 Underboth, 360 Scoop, 360 Inverter, and m...

Big news, guys. It got announced today that I've officially signed with Shaq's new DunkMan League, and I'll be competing this summer against 23 of the other best dunkers in the world for a $500,000 grand prize. 24 dunkers total, and there's even more money up for grabs beyond that. This signing also makes me the youngest pro dunker in the league, which pretty crazy. In this episode...

Dylan Haugen and Travis Reynolds sit down to make the case for why long form YouTube content is one of the most overlooked tools in dunking. They talk through how the shift to short form has made it harder to keep up with individual dunkers, stripped context from the sport, and quietly shrunk the dunk community over time. Using examples like Isaiah Rivera's rise and Travis's behind-the-bac...

In Episode 68 of the Dunk Talk Podcast, Dylan Haugen is joined by fellow professional dunker Travis Reynolds to break down the 2026 NBA Dunk Contest. They go dunk-by-dunk, debating scores, judging consistency, missed attempts, and which performances actually deserved to advance. The two also react to Mac McClung’s four unreleased “would-have-been” contest dunks and discuss how they stack up agains...

In this episode of the Dunk Talk Podcast, host Dylan Haugen and co-host Hunter Castona sit down with elite dunker Dillan McCarthy for a wide-ranging conversation following one of the most eye-opening milestones in modern vertical jump history: a verified 50-inch vertical at 19 years old. Dillan walks through his athletic background, from volleyball-only roots and his first dunk at 16 to becoming o...

Today in Episode 66 of the Dunk Talk Podcast, Dylan Haugen goes solo to break down his training evolution, injuries, and lessons from the past year. He reflects on how turning 18 has reshaped his approach to lifting, recovery, and jump volume, sharing how his body has adapted to heavier loads and smarter, more intentional training. Dylan takes listeners through his full journey—from discovering du...

In this episode of the Dunk Talk Podcast, host Dylan Haugen and co-host Hunter Castona sit down with fellow Midwest dunker Nolan Larson for one of the most raw, in-depth conversations yet. The three dive into Nolan’s athletic roots, from mini-hoop battles in his childhood to his evolution as a high-flying Wisconsin dunker who captured attention with viral sessions and a show-stopping performance a...

In Episode 64 of Dunk Talk, Dylan Haugen and Hunter Castona sit down with brothers Jordan and Ethan Pimstone to tell a story that feels almost unreal but is completely real: Ethan went from casual LA Fitness runs to a 47.5-inch vertical and his first Eastbay—all within months. Jordan, who doubles as his brother and coach, walks through the process: rehabbing jumper’s knee, cutting unnecessary weig...

Welcome back to the Dunk Talk Podcast! In Episode 63, host Dylan Haugen sits down with rising dunker Bishop Ukata (@takeoffcinco), one of the most underrated young athletes in the dunking scene. In this episode, Bishop shares his full dunk journey—from discovering dunking through legends like Connor Barth, Jordan Southerland, and Guy Dupuy, to grinding on low rims in his grandma’s backyard, battli...

In this episode, professional dunker Jordan Kilganon returns to the Dunk Talk to share the full story behind the release of his very own signature shoe—the first custom model designed specifically for a professional dunker. Jordan breaks down everything from early childhood shoe obsessions to the industrial design background that shaped his vision, and how years of testing different models led him...

In this episode of The Dunk Talk, Dylan sits down with Ben Hopkins to break down his hard-earned win at the Dunk Camp 2025. Ben explains how he pushed through patellar tendon pain, risking his knee health for a shot at winning and a guaranteed spot in the upcoming FIBA 3x3 contest. He shares how adrenaline masked the damage on day one, how he adapted his dunk plan mid-contest, and why stepping bac...

In today's episode I walk through the entire week—from pre-camp training and travel to Utah, to the key dunk sessions, contest performance, and the final dunk show. I talk about how my preparation with Jump Master X and sessions with other dunkers impacted my confidence going in, and how the structure of day one affected my jumping. I break down the dunks I landed, including windmills, Eastbay...

This is one of the most important episodes we’ve done on The Dunk Talk Podcast. I sat down with Dennis Yu—search engine engineer from the early days of Yahoo and one of the most respected marketers in the game—to talk about how dunkers and creators can build a real personal brand that actually shows up on Google and leads to real-world opportunities. Dennis has worked with huge brands like Nike, S...

In this episode of the Dunk Talk podcast, Dylan Haugen chats with Adam, an exchange student from Taiwan, about his journey into the world of dunking. Adam shares how he went from barely touching the rim to performing 360s, 2 handers, and even windmills—all within just nine months. They discuss his experiences with the JumpMaster X coaching service, the difference in basketball culture between Taiw...

In this solo episode, I (Dylan Haugen) break down my experience getting flown out to Maryland for a dunk contest at the TBL All-Star Weekend. From warm-ups to missed dunks, what went right, what went wrong, and how it felt competing in front of a crowd like that. I also talk prep, mindset, mistakes I won’t make again, and why this event meant a lot. If you’re into the behind-the-scenes of dunk cul...

In Episode 56 of Dunk Talk, I’m joined by my coach Tom Barnes (@tom.dunks), who is not only a dunker, but also one of the founders and coaches over at Jump Master X. We cover his journey from multi-sport athlete in Australia to elite dunker and coach, his role in shaping Jump Master X’s training, and how he balances heavy lifting with his dunk progress. We also dive into coaching insights, communi...

Today Dylan Haugen and Hunter Castona break down the huge Florida session they took part of in Florida with dunkers such as Isaiah Rivera, Isaiah Espinoza, Josh Ruble, and many more.

On today's episode, Dylan Haugen catches up with returning guest Travis Reynolds on how his dunking / training has been since the last podcast. Travis recently suffered an injury in his right hand, forcing him to only dunk with his left for a while. This sparked the conversation about the importance of being skilled with your off-hand in the dunk world.

Today Dylan Haugen talks with Pro Dunker Finn Addy (@1footdisciple) on his training and dunking leading up to his best session ever, where he also hit his first Underboth dunk.

On today's episode Dylan Haugen, Hunter Castona, and special guest Andy Behle react to and breakdown the recent dunk contest that the Dunk Camp hosted in Utah.

On today's episode Dylan Haugen breaks down everything that went into his first underboth dunk, and him and Hunter Castona go through how their training is going.

On today's episode Dylan Haugen (@dylanhaugen23), Hunter Castona (@hunter.dunks), and pro dunker Donovan Hawkins (@donovanhawkins_37) break down this year's NBA Dunk Contest dunk by dunk.

On Episode 49 of the Dunk Talk Podcast we interview Andy Behle (@andy.behle), a very talented dunker who has tested a 45 inch max vertical. Andy has gone through some severe back injuries, but within the past year has came back better than ever and is starting to level up once again.

Today Dylan Haugen and Hunter Castona discuss how social media has changed the sport of dunking, and how you can use it to your advantage.

On Episode 47 of the Dunk Talk we had the privilege of interviewing Professional Dunker Jordan Kilganon (@jordankilganon), who many view as the greatest dunker to ever live. Kilganon has an officially tested 49.5 inch max vertical, has done events for the NBA, and has created 270+ new dunks including the "Scorpion", the "360 Lost and Found", and many more.