I still think there should be a moratorium on the NBA Slam Dunk Contest to get stars back into the event. Hell, the last time the All-Star game was in the Bay Area Vince Carter brought down the house with one of the most electrifying dunk contests of all time.
That’s a lot to live up to. But Mac McClung will try to make history of his own as he attempts to become only the second player in history to win three dunk contests. He is the heavy favorite, but is there any value in the underdogs?
Here are my NBA picks for the 2025 Slam Dunk Contest on Saturday, Feb. 15.
NBA Slam Dunk Contest odds
| Player | Team |  |
| Mac McClung | Osceola Magic (G-League) | -225 |
| Andre Jackson Jr. |  Milwaukee Bucks |
+550 |
| Matas Buzelis |  Chicago Bulls |
+750 |
| Stephon Castle |  San Antonio Spurs |
+750 |
NBA Slam Dunk Contest rules
Before wagering on the Slam Dunk Contest, be sure to familiarize yourself with the latest rules for the 2025 edition:
- Four players will compete in a two-round competition.
- Five judges will score each dunk based on a score ranging from 40-50.
- The two dunkers with the highest combined scores from their first two dunks advance to the finals.
- The final round will consist of two dunks by each dunker, with the highest composite score being crowned the champion.
- In the event of a tie, there will be one additional round of dunks. If the event is still tied, then the judges will be empowered to declare a winner by majority vote.
NBA Slam Dunk Contest favorites
Mac McClung (-225 at bet365)
Mac McClung is a deserving favorite here. He has won back-to-back Slam Dunk Contests and will attempt to become just the second player to ever win the event three times, tying Nate Robinson.
While the dunk contest has lost some of its luster in recent years, McClung has brought some life back to the event with his high-flying acrobatics and creativity. This is despite his 6-foot-2 frame. He hit an emphatic 540 slam to win the event two years ago before last year’s reverse two-handed jam over Shaquille O’Neal to punctuate the defense of his title.
The biggest challenge for McClung will be what will he be able to do to surprise us after pulling off some mind-bending dunks the last two years.
Andre Jackson Jr. (+550 at bet365)
Andre Jackson Jr. is a 6-foot-6 sophomore guard for the Milwaukee Bucks who has cracked Doc Rivers’ rotation thanks to the effort he puts in on the defensive end of the floor.
There isn’t much tape on Jackson, but his scouting reports from a few years ago highlight him as an explosive athlete with an insane jumping ability. His max vertical leap at the combine was 39.5 inches.
He is a fantastic in-game dunker and I think that translates well in a dunk contest. Check out how easily he elevates in some of these highlights. I think there’s something there.
Matas Buzelis (+750 at bet365)
Matas Buzelis is a rookie for the Chicago Bulls who is starting to get more playing time with the team shipping Zach LaVine to the Sacramento Kings.
Buzelis doesn’t have the typical frame of a dunk contest winner at 6-foot-10, but is a versatile player with an underrated dunking ability. He also put on an impressive showing at the 2023 McDonald's High School Dunk Contest, where he made the finals but came up just short.
It is also has been reported that his former teammate and two-time dunk champ LaVine has been helping him with his routine.
Stephon Castle (+750 at bet365)
The 6-foot-6 San Antonio Spurs guard is arguably the most high-profile NBAer in this year’s slam dunk contest. Which says something about the state of the event these days.
Stephon Castle is the betting favorite to win the NBA Rookie of the Year Award averaging 12.9 points and 3.5 assists per game and the No. 4 overall pick in last year’s draft has had more opportunities to dunk than the other contestants.
That said, he only has a few eye-popping dunks this season, and most concerning of all is his vert isn’t al that impressive. It measured at 37.5 inches at the combine last year.
NBA Slam Dunk Contest pick
If you want to pick Mac McClung to win the Slam Dunk contest I’m not going to fight you on it. I mean, he is not an NBA player brought here specifically to be in the dunk contest. And has won it twice.
Fans are expecting him to win. The judges are expecting him to win. And the oddsmakers are expecting him to win. So, beating him is going to be very difficult. But it’s not impossible.
So, why not take a flier on a high-flyer like Andre Jackson Jr? Some may say in-game dunking doesn’t translate to this event. But I disagree. Some of the greatest dunk champions were great in-game dunkers. Dominque Wilkins, Michael Jordan, and Vince Carter just to name a few.
Jackson is explosive and just look at some of those highlights above. He soars past the rim on multiple occasions. And anyone willing to do in-game windmills can get my support. The dunk contest is the perfect showcase for his abilities and the +550 price tag is enticing enough to get me on board with Jackson to pull off the upset.
Best bet: Andre Jackson Jr. (+550 at bet365)
Past Slam Dunk Contest winners
| Year | Player |
|---|---|
| 2024 |  Mac McClung |
| 2023 |  Mac McClung |
| 2022 |  Obi Toppin |
| 2021 |  Anfernee Simons |
| 2020 |  Derrick Jones Jr. |
| 2019 |  Hamidou Diallo |
| 2018 |  Donovan Mitchell |
| 2017 |  Glen Robinson III |
| 2016 |  Zach LaVine |
| 2015 | Zach LaVine |
Players who have won multiple Dunk Contests
| Player | Years |
|---|---|
| Mac McClung |
2023, 2024 |
| Zach LaVine |
2015, 2016 |
| Nate Robinson |
2006, 2009, 2010 |
 Jason Richardson |
2002, 2003 |
| Harold Miner |
1993, 1995 |
 Dominique Wilkins |
1985, 1990 |
| Michael Jordan |
1987, 1988 |
Slam Dunk Contest trends
- Michael Jordan, Jason Richardson, Nate Robinson, Zach LaVine, and Mac McClung are the only players in history to win the Slam Dunk Contest in back-to-back years.
- At age 18, Kobe Bryant is the youngest player to win the Slam Dunk Contest (1997).
- John Wall is the last player to make an All-Star team and win the Slam Dunk Contest in the same year (2014).
