Dunk Camp 2024 in Utah was one of the best experiences of the year, and in this episode I (Dylan Haugen) sat down with my co-host Hunter Castona to break down the entire trip day by day. This was my third year going and Hunter’s second, and we wanted to give the full recap of everything that went down, the highs, the dunks, the fatigue, and what we learned that will change how we approach every multi-day dunk event going forward.
What Dunk Camp Actually Is
For those who do not know, Dunk Camp is a multi-day event made by dunkers for dunkers. Professional dunkers like Jordan Kilganon and Isaiah Rivera lead the sessions, and dunkers from all over the country come to train, learn, and push each other. It is held over four days and includes everything from full ten-foot sessions to low rim work, technique breakdowns, and even some off-court activities. The community aspect is honestly just as important as the dunking itself. You are surrounded by people who live and breathe this sport, and that environment brings out a level of performance you cannot replicate training alone at your local gym.
Day One: Outdoor Session in the Utah Heat
We kicked things off with an outdoor session, and the Utah heat was brutal. Both Hunter and I were sore after that first day, which is pretty standard when you go from training at home to going all-out at camp with a gym full of people hyping every dunk. The energy was incredible though. Being around that many dunkers in one place always hits different on day one. I knew going in that I needed to manage my volume if I wanted to have anything left for the final day, which is typically when everyone has their best session because the adrenaline peaks and the stakes feel highest.
Day Two: The Plan Falls Apart in the Best Way
My plan going in was to only jump on Monday and Thursday to keep myself fresh. That plan lasted about five minutes on day two. Hunter walked in and the first thing he saw was Jordan and another Dylan doing tandem dunks, and at that point we both knew we were going to end up jumping again. I did some low rim stuff and tried to keep it light, but when you see that level of athleticism in person, it is almost impossible to hold back. Hunter was in the same boat. He told himself not to jump, but the environment just pulls you in. This is something every dunker who goes to a multi-day event will relate to. The smartest move is to rest, but the atmosphere makes it feel physically impossible to not join in.
Day Three: Volleyball and Forced Recovery
Day three was the scheduled rest day, which was a volleyball day. It was a nice break from the intensity of dunking, and both of us genuinely needed it. The smart move at any multi-day dunk event is to treat at least one day as true recovery, and this was that day for us. Getting off our feet from jumping while still staying active and hanging out with everyone was the perfect balance. I think the organizers are smart for putting a non-dunking activity in the middle of camp because without it, most guys would jump every single day and be completely dead by the final session.
Day Four: The Best Session of Camp
Day four was everything. Despite being exhausted from three days of activity, I had my best session of the entire camp. I hit a 360 windmill, a reverse windmill that I had not landed in a while, and a 360 cuff windmill. Hunter had a great day too. We were both locked in and feeding off each other’s energy, which is what happens when you train with someone consistently and you both show up on the same day.
Later that day we did a low rim session in Crocs with Nate, another Hunter, and Luke, and things got absolutely insane. Three of us hit the bounce dunk, we landed 360 kamikazes, and Nate threw down a between-the-legs hide-and-seek off two feet and an eastbay inverted scorpion. For a group of dead-tired dunkers barely trying, it was one of the craziest low rim sessions I have ever been a part of. That footage is up on my YouTube channel in the day four video if you want to see it.
Post-Camp Recovery and the Lessons We Took Away
The post-camp recovery was rough. My knees were feeling it, and when I tried to get back into lower body lifting a few days later, I could barely squat ninety-five pounds comfortably. I ended up scrapping my planned workout and just doing slow box squats to get some movement in without aggravating anything. The biggest takeaway for both Hunter and me was the importance of managing volume at camp. Going hard every single day sounds great in theory, but if you want to have your best session on the final day, you have to be disciplined about resting early in the week. That is easier said than done when you are surrounded by the best dunkers in the world throwing down next to you, but it is the difference between having a good camp and having an unforgettable one.
With Utah in the books, we were already looking ahead to Dunk Camp in Wisconsin on August 5th through 8th. The plan was to go in smarter this time with better deloading leading up to it, more strategic rest days during the event, and being more intentional about when to go all-out versus when to hold back. The Utah experience taught us exactly what to do differently, and we intended to apply those lessons immediately.