Stephen Curry says he's retiring from the slam dunk after throwing down 1st jam in 6 years

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Stephen Curry dunked!

The Golden State Warriors star had the ball alone for a seemingly easy, uncontested layup against the 76ers, when — for the first time in six years — he instead threw down a one-handed jam.

Curry dunked for the first time since Feb. 21, 2019, at the Warriors' old home, Oracle Arena. Curry noted — after he scored 29 points and 13 assists in Saturday night's loss to Philadelphia — that he hasn't dunked at the new home, Chase Center.

For good measure, the four-time NBA champion and league career 3-point leader says he never will.

Curry, who turns 37 this month, said after the game he was retired from dunking.

Curry's breakaway dunk cut the 76ers’ lead to 109-104 midway through the fourth quarter.

“I've been feeling pretty good,” Curry said. “I've been dealing with some knee stuff all year. Take advantage of a cherry-pick opportunity. That will probably be my last dunk, though. I'm calling it right now, that was the last one you'll ever see.”

Warriors assistant coach Jerry Stackhouse had teased Curry about his lack of dunking during a morning shootaround. After Curry's slam, he pointed toward Stackhouse on the bench.

“It was a very random comment this morning and the fact that it happened was hilarious,” Curry said.

Save the viral social media clip. There won't be another one.

“For sure,” Curry said. "I will only lay the ball up. It took everything out of me to get up there.”

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Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry, center, reacts after a dunk during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Philadelphia 76ers Saturday, March 1, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry, left, goes up for a shot against Philadelphia 76ers' Andre Drummond during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, March 1, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry goes up for a shot during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Philadelphia 76ers, Saturday, March 1, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry reacts after being fouled during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Philadelphia 76ers Saturday, March 1, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Golden State Warriors' Stephen Curry goes up for a dunk during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Philadelphia 76ers Saturday, March 1, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — Alaska U.S. Senate candidate Dan Sullivan acknowledges that sharing a name and party affiliation with the incumbent Republican gives him “an instant megaphone" in the crowded primary race. But Sullivan said his campaign isn't a sham or something Democrats put him up to doing.

He said friends for years have jokingly referred to him as senator and asked if he has ever thought about running. He said he’s been considering it for more than a decade.

“This is my choice,” Sullivan, who lives in the small fishing community of Petersburg, said in a telephone interview Monday.

Last week, Sen. Dan Sullivan accused the challenger Sullivan of “trying to trick” voters to help his main rival in the race, Democratic former U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola. The senator suggested the other Sullivan's entrance in the August primary was part of a coordinated effort by Democrats and Peltola's campaign to confuse voters, an accusation they deny. He threatened litigation to get to the bottom of it.

The issue is of national concern to Republicans because they are seeking to hold onto their majority in the U.S. Senate in what is expected to be a difficult midterm election year for the party in power. Sullivan, the challenger, dismissed claims that his candidacy is a merely a ruse to undermine the senator's reelection chances.

He said he has had no contact with Peltola's campaign — “zero, none, zilch” — and said “no” when asked if anyone from the state Democratic Party or any national Democratic operatives had contacted him to run.

A Peltola spokesperson, Harry Child, has said the campaign “has no involvement with either Sullivan campaign.” The executive director of the Alaska Democratic Party, Jenny-Marie Stryker, said her organization “is in no way affiliated with either Dan Sullivan.” A Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spokesperson, Monica Robinson, replied “no” when asked if the group had been involved in urging the challenger Sullivan to run.

Sullivan called sharing a name with the Alaska's incumbent U.S. senator “a matter of fate” and said he had done nothing wrong.

“I have every right to run for whatever office I'm qualified for, and I’m qualified for this office,” the challenger said, adding: “I think I’m doing what most Americans would think would be a patriotic thing to do when you’re unsatisfied with the status quo. You stand up and say, I’m going to fight for things I believe that are going to make my community better.”

Ballots in prior years in Alaska have not identified the incumbent, but the Alaska Division of Elections’ current candidate list online does. It also distinguishes the candidates using a middle initial — Dan S. Sullivan for the senator and Dan J. Sullivan for the challenger.

Alaska has open primaries in which the top four vote-getters, regardless of party, advance to the ranked choice general election in November. Sen. Sullivan's campaign worries having two Dan Sullivans on the ballot could confuse voters.

Sen. Sullivan's campaign, in a statement Monday, said, “Alaskans deserve a fair and honest election — not political games meant to manipulate the ballot and benefit Democrats.”

The challenger said he was registered with the limited government-leaning Alaskan Independence Party for decades, until the party's dissolution late last year. Election officials had said voters registered with the party could change their affiliation but if they did not, they'd be shown as “undeclared.” Sullivan said he then was listed as undeclared until filing to run for office, when he registered as Republican.

He said he was motivated in part by his late father, whom he described as a “true, compassionate, conservative Republican.” He said if he had to label himself, it would be “a pragmatic Republican centrist” — similar to Alaska's senior U.S. senator, Lisa Murkowski, but “with touches of a Rand Paul Republican in there.”

He said he grew up in the Chicago area but was drawn to Alaska and put down roots nearly 50 years ago in Petersburg. The fishing community of about 3,400 in southeast Alaska's Tongass National Forest is known as “Little Norway” for its many residents with Scandinavian roots. He worked for the U.S. Forest Service before changing careers and becoming a teacher. He has since retired.

Like most communities in Alaska, Petersburg isn't connected to the state's main road system and is accessible only by air or water. Juneau, the nearest city, is about 45 minutes away by plane.

Petersburg sits on Mitkof Island, which is distinguished by mountains, thick stands of forest and boggy areas called muskeg. Sea lions hauled up on buoys and humpback whales and orcas are common sights off its shores.

Sullivan, who will turn 69 this weekend, passed on an interview request last Friday, he said, because the king salmon were running and he wanted to fish.

As far as his run for office, the challenger said he plans to do some fundraising and hopes to campaign in the state's larger cities, including Anchorage and Juneau, but he so far has no firm plans to do so and is working on the details.

He finds the current dustup over his Senate run — and the incumbent's reaction — a bit surprising.

“I guess my thought would be, ‘Dude, why don’t you just run your campaign?’ If you’ve got a strong record, run on your record. People will love you for it and you’ll be swept back into office,” he said Monday. “Why would he be concerned that a guy out of Petersburg is this huge threat?”

Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, heads to a closed-door meeting with fellow Republicans, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, June 2, 2026. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)