2024 NBA Slam Dunk Contest: Betting Favorite, Odds & Lines
While the focus of NBA All-Star Weekend is the All-Star Game, the Slam Dunk Contest is one of the more exciting showcases of the weekend.
In 2023, G-Leaguer Mac McClung became a basketball household name when he recorded perfect scores on three of his four dunks to take home the NBA Dunk Contest crown.
The 2024 NBA Slam Dunk Contest will take place on Saturday, Feb. 17, during NBA All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis.
Who Is In The Slam Dunk Contest?
There will be four players competing in the 2024 NBA Slam Dunk Contest
Jaylen Brown (Celtics), Jaime Jaquez Jr. (Heat), Mac McClung (G League, Osceola Magic) and Jacob Toppin (Knicks) will throw down.
McClung, the defending champion, is favored to win the contest.
Mac McClung
Last year’s champion is looking to become the first repeat winner since Zach LaVine in 2015 and 2016. The 25-year-old is currently signed to the Osceola Magic of the G League, where he’s averaging 24.5 points per game.
He’s appeared in only four NBA games, with his best performance coming last April when he scored 20 points against the Brooklyn Nets while playing for the Philadelphia 76ers.
He’s the odds-on favorite to win this year’s contest at multiple NBA betting sites, including BetMGM (-225), FanDuel (-190) and DraftKings (-150).
Mac McClung with the first 50 of the 2023 Dunk contest.
— NBA World (@NBAW0RLD24) February 19, 2023
Jaylen Brown
The first All-Star to compete in the Dunk Contest since Victor Oladipo in 2018, Brown hopes to make his mark in an event lacking star power in recent years.
A three-time All-Star and 2022-23 All-NBA Second Team selection, he’s averaging 22 points a game this season for the Eastern Conference-leading Boston Celtics.
Most sportsbooks have him with the second-best odds to win the contest, with DraftKings giving him the best odds at +300.
�� IT'S OFFICIAL
Jaylen Brown will represent the Celtics in this year's NBA Dunk Contest ���� pic.twitter.com/d2elukbJmc
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) February 8, 2024
Jacob Toppin
The younger brother of Indiana Pacers forward Obi Toppin, Jacob’s another G-Leaguer currently playing for the Westchester Knicks.
The former Kentucky Wildcat has appeared in three games for the New York Knicks this season, scoring two points. That said, he’s dropped 30-plus points multiple times this season for Westchester. He also comes from a long lineage of dunkers, as Obi won the contest in 2022 when he was with the Knicks.
Toppin’s odds are scattered, as BetMGM has him at +500 to win the contest (the second-best odds among the contestants), while DraftKings has him at +380 and FanDuel has him at +600.
Feeling very confident about Jacob Toppin in the dunk contest pic.twitter.com/BRZFlnI1Ke
— Cynical (@CynicalNYK) February 7, 2024
Jaime Jaquez Jr.
The newest beneficiary of “Heat Culture,” Jaquez has been a revelation for the Miami Heat this season and now gets a chance to showcase his dunking ability on the national stage.
A two-time Rookie of the Month winner, Jaquez would be a favorite to win Rookie of the Year if not for Victor Wembanyama. He’s averaging 13.0 points and 3.8 rebounds on the season and is participating in the Rising Stars game on Friday night.
He has the longest odds of the candidates, with BetMGM putting him at +800 to win.
Jamie Jaquez jumps over @Jesser & @creamebiggums in the #BILAAG Dunk Contest! pic.twitter.com/RHB8oWQWpB
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) May 4, 2019
How Does The Dunk Contest Work?
The event is divided into two rounds. In the first two rounds, each dunker has 90 seconds to try a dunk and a limit of three dunk attempts.
They get one dunk window in the first round and another in the second round.
Each dunk is scored on a scale of 40-50.
The two dunkers with the highest combined scores during the first two rounds advance to the final. The dunker with the highest score in the final round wins the crown.
Slam Dunk Contest Best Bets
While McClung has yet to get his foot in the NBA door, there’s no denying he has bounce (as he proved to the world last year).
We’d suggest waiting until we get closer to the event to see how lines shift, but McClung has a legitimate chance to repeat. He’s our favorite bet of the competition.
Brown’s an amazing scorer and a good finisher in traffic, but he hasn’t displayed the craftiness needed to win the Dunk Contest. His odds seem too short.
Of Toppin and Jaquez, we like Jaquez more because of his track record.
He once won a high school dunk contest against fellow NBA player KJ Martin and Atlanta Falcons receiver Drake London, so it’s clear he has some tricks up his sleeve.
He holds some good value at +800 on BetMGM.
Also, remember that you can create parlays out of NBA All-Star Weekend events if you want to combine wagers from different competitions.
Regardless of how you bet, this year should be another exciting entry in the event’s history.
Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images
