The NBA Slam Dunk contest returns once again to close out All-Star Saturday. After 3 straight years of Mac McClung dominating, we are promised a new champion with a fresh field of contestants taking the stage. It could prove a perfect opportunity for some of these young talents to make a name for themselves. Take a look at my breakdown of the field below, along with my best bet selection.
Jaxson Hayes (+125)
Jaxson Hayes is the most established name in the dunk contest having been in the league for years. He is more than capable of pulling off great dunks too, as seen recently by his between the legs effort in game. However, in this field he is the tallest contestant which has worked against players in the past. No big has won the contest since Jeremy Evans in 2012. Hayes also has the smallest vertical jump of all the participants, according to his draft combine numbers, being just 34.5 inches. He does have some of the most high profile teammates that he can pull out in Luka Doncic and LeBron James, however, that might not be enough to overcome some of his disadvantages.
Carter Bryant (+180)
San Antonio Spurs rookie Carter Bryant has all of the physical tools to put on a show on Saturday night. In the draft combine he recorded a 38-inch vertical jump, and with the forward listed at 6’6”, it’s a combination of factors that could lead to very impressive results. You don’t have to look far on Youtube to see him pulling off impressive windmill dunks off the bounce during warmups. He also has a teammate in Victor Wembanyama that he could use, and dunking over a man that size would certainly score high among the judges. He is rightfully rated as one of the favorites.
Keshad Johnson (+320)
The man that has the highest vertical leap according to draft combine results is Keshad Johnson. He is listed at the same height as Carter Bryant, but with a 42-inch vertical, Johnson has the advantage on paper. Some of his in game dunks have been great too, with Johnson effortlessly gliding through the air. He has experience competing in college slam dunk contests aswell, in which he pulled off a windmill dunk just inside the free throw line. There is something Zach LaVine-esque about his dunks, with Johnson having more bulk than his counterpart. It’s the kind of combination that should be hard to ignore.
Jase Richardson (+350)
While his family have extensive pedigree in the dunk contest, Jase Richardson comes into this as the underdog. He ranks 3rd in vertical jump among the contestants and is undersized compared to the other participants. And while he might use his dad or try and recreate some of his past dunks, looking at his in-game tape, he could lack the ability to pull it off. There is an impressive looking tape from a dunk contest in high school, but we have seen that in the past that does not translate automatically to this stage. Look elsewhere for the winner tonight.
NBA All-Star Slam Dunk Contest best bet: Keshad Johnson
In a contest where physical ability goes such a long way, it is hard to look past the man with the most impressive stats in that category. Johnson seems to have the dunk contest experience on a national stage too so should not shrink under the lights. This will be a tight contest with creativity likely to play a huge part, but backing the best athlete provides the best value here.
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