2024 NBA Slam Dunk Contest Predictions & Picks
As is tradition, the NBA All-Star Saturday festivities will conclude with the Dunk Contest. The action will get underway at 8:00 p.m. ET with the Skills Challenge, followed by the 3-Point Contest, leaving the Dunk Contest likely to get underway around 10:00 p.m. ET on TNT.
2024 Slam Dunk Contest Preview
Though the perception of the Dunk Contest has rapidly devolved in recent seasons, there is the potential for some renewed juice in 2024 with news that Jaylen Brown will be entering his name into the ring. He will be joined by defending champion Mac McClung in addition to Jacob Toppin, and Jaime Jaquez on Saturday.
Below, we take a look at the odds for the Dunk Contest, including analysis for our best bets. If you need a refresher on the format of the Dunk Contest, check out our Odds & Betting Tips preview of the event.
The Favorite: Mac McClung -280
Mac McClung somehow opened at plus-money to win the Dunk Contest this year, but a runaway train of public steam has nuked these odds to the point of being unplayable at the time of this writing. McClung won this event last year in Utah, and is understandably generating a lot of buzz heading into Saturday, with his highlights being shared around basketball social media at a high rate.
The Star: Jaylen Brown +500
Jaylen Brown is taking one for the team in 2024, becoming the first name-brand star to appear in a Dunk Contest in arguably 5+ years. Donovan Mitchell in 2018 was the last household name to win this competition, with each of the last 5 winners being a forgettable name, role player, or G-League talent. Brown has shown an impressive ability to deliver thunderous in-game dunks, and his frame suggests that we could be in-store for a treat on Saturday in Indiana with the dribbling restrictions removed for the event. The biggest risk factor here is that Brown seems entirely averse to using his left-hand in any way, shape, or form. It is possible that this limits his creativity and thus limits his ability to put on a show for the judges and fans.
The Brother: Jacob Toppin +800
Jacob Toppin is the brother of Obi, who won the Dunk Contest when it was held in Cleveland in 2022. Though the 6’8” New York forward has all the potential in the world to deliver some exciting dunks on Saturday, it is difficult to imagine him garnering much respect from the judges in a field that also includes the defending champion, Mac McClung, and NBA star Jaylen Brown. Toppin is averaging only 2.6 points and 1.2 rebounds per game this season – meaning that he will likely have to pull off something remarkable to turn heads.
The Longshot: Jaime Jaquez +950
Jaime Jaquez went on the Podcast P with Paul George earlier this week to discuss how seriously he is taking his participation in the Dunk Contest, but it remains to be seen how well he can execute once the bright lights are on. Jaime Jaquez is a gifted in-game player, but he does not have the vertical to match some of the other competitors in this year’s event. He is appropriately priced as a longshot here.
NBA Dunk Contest Prediction & Pick
Admittedly, the Dunk Contest feels like somewhat of a formality this year, with the venerable Mac McClung once again generating a significant amount of steam heading into this year’s event. However, there is absolutely no way that I am laying -280 on a player who doesn’t even regularly suit-up in NBA games to go back-to-back in what the NBA is still trying to brand as the crown jewel of the All-Star Saturday festivities.
At +500, Jaylen Brown is worth a small wager. If the NBA wants to get more big names back into this once exciting event, they need to prove that the stars will not have to suffer defeat against G-League talent in the Dunk Contest. If McClung and Brown end up with somewhat similarly impressive dunks on Saturday, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the brand name appeal of Brown subconsciously earn a few extra points to come away as a winner.
- PICK: Jaylen Brown +500, FanDuel Sportsbook
Image Credit: Getty Images