Darius Clark set a world record for the vertical jump with a 53-inch leap Sunday during Fanatics Fest, drawing a roar from the crowd and a cash award from Shaquille O’Neal.
Clark’s jump came during an event staged by DUNKMAN, a new professional dunk league backed by O’Neal, Authentic Brands Group, and TNT Sports. O’Neal, who serves as the league’s commissioner, immediately awarded Clark $15,000 after the jump.
The record-setting moment capped a day of league promotion at the sports and collectibles festival.
Earlier Sunday, DUNKMAN held a press conference featuring four of its 24 signed dunkers, including three-time NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion Mac McClung and Chinese dunker Dengxing Chen. O’Neal also recorded an episode of “The Big Podcast” with projected top NBA prospect Cooper Flagg.
The league is scheduled to launch Tuesday night in Atlanta with the first of five live events. The competition is set for 8 p.m. ET and will air on TNT and HBO Max, with additional coverage on Bleacher Report, House of Highlights, and DUNKMAN’s social media platforms.
According to the league, the format will include four group stages, with every dunk attempt judged. The season will culminate Aug. 25 with a World Championship event featuring a $500,000 top prize, which organizers say is the largest purse ever offered in a dunking competition.
DUNKMAN’s inaugural Atlanta event will be open to fans, with tickets available through SI Tickets.
