The Dunk Contest has long been the premier event of NBA All-Star Saturday Night, even if the event’s popularity has declined lately. There’s a reason why it’s still the final competition of the evening, and it will likely remain that way, whether stars participate or not.
With that said, here are the latest NBA Dunk Contest odds, as well as a short list of the best bets you can make before it all goes down this Saturday, Feb. 18, at 8 p.m. ET.
NBA Dunk Contest Odds
Note: NBA odds for the Slam Dunk Contest are unavailable as of Friday, Feb. 17, at 4 p.m. ET.
- Kenyon Martin Jr., Houston Rockets
- Mac McClung, Philadelphia 76ers
- Trey Murphy III, New Orleans Pelicans
- Jericho Sims, New York Knicks
Before continuing to read about Dunk Contest lines, take a peek at the latest futures and daily bets with our NBA Odds widget:
Like most dunk contests in recent years, this pool of players is made up of talent that is likely unknown to most casual fans and observers. That’s no reason to be scared off, though — a quick online search will generate a slew of contest-worthy slams for each player.
NBA Dunk Contest Best Bet
Mac McClung, Philadelphia 76ers
McClung is, for all intents and purposes, a professional dunker. It’s almost unfair to the other competitors that he’s here. He’s also the first NBA G League player to appear in the Dunk Contest, having just signed a two-way contract with the 76ers on Feb. 14.
The 24-year-old made a name for himself while he was still in high school for his absurd vertical, and in 2018, he won the Ballislife All-American Game Dunk Contest, which was previously one by former NBA Dunk Contest champions Zach LaVine and Derrick Jones Jr.
McClung will likely be a heavy favorite at sportsbooks once odds become available for this event, but no matter the cost, it’ll be worth the juice. This is his competition to lose.
Check out more of our NBA All-Star Weekend Predictions:
- NBA All-Star Game Best Bets & Predictions
- NBA All-Star Game Props
- NBA All-Star Game MVP Odds
- NBA Skills Challenge Predictions
- NBA Three-Point Contest Predictions
NBA Dunk Contest Contenders
Kenyon Martin Jr., Houston Rockets
Long-time NBA fans will remember Martin’s father, Kenyon Martin, as the All-Star forward who made a name for himself in the early- and mid-2000s with the New Jersey Nets and Denver Nuggets. Of course, that isn’t the only reason why he’s in this competition, though.
Martin Jr. — also known as KJ — has made 122 dunks this season for the Rockets, and the high-flying forward is known to throw down a mean poster from time to time. His 38.5-inch vertical gives him the ability to hang in the air, and he’ll use that to his advantage in this contest.
KJ will likely advance to the final round with McClung, but given the latter’s acrobatic skill and creativity, I have to think that Martin will finish as a close second. Still, he could be worth betting on if McClung cracks under pressure.
NBA Dunk Contest Format
There are two rounds in the dunk contest, and each player gets two dunks per round. Five judges will rate each dunk in the range of 40 to 50 points, and the average of their scores will be the final score for the dunk.
Each competitor will get 90 seconds and a total of three attempts to complete their dunk. For a try to count as an attempt, the player must control the basketball and move it toward the rim.
All four players will participate in the first round. Then, the two competitors with the highest total scores will advance to the final round, where the process will be repeated.
Should there be a tie between the two finalists, a “dunk-off" will take place to determine the winner, with each player getting one attempt. Unlike in years past, if there is still a tie after the dunk-off, the judges will then choose the champion, rather than going through another dunk-off round.
