NBA Slam Dunk Contest Pick, Best Bet, Odds | NBA All-Star Saturday 2024

2024 NBA Slam Dunk Contest Pick, Best Bet, Odds

2024 NBA Slam Dunk Contest Pick, Best Bet: Jaylen Brown

In recent years, the Slam Dunk Contest has been surpassed by the 3-Point Contest on All-Star Saturday night, largely because the game's stars have elected not to participate in the Dunk Contest.

This year, though, Jaylen Brown is taking part — and that's good news for us, as our NBA Slam Dunk Contest pick for the best bet tonight is on Brown to win the Dunk Contest.

(Keep in mind that because the Slam Dunk Contest is a judged event and not one determined based solely on the quantitative measure of performance, betting on the Dunk Contest is not available in every state. Arizona, for example, usually has most betting markets available, but you cannot bet on the Dunk Contest there.)

2024 NBA Slam Dunk Contest Pick, Best Bet: Jaylen Brown to Win

Sean Little: This pick is entirely based on the fact that if Brown is entering this contest, he must have something loaded up and ready to go. He already gets enough hate, so I would be shocked if he doesn't have something in his bag.

Momentum is a real thing in this contest, so if he can get people going early, a mediocre dunk could look better. I am going to go with Brown at almost 5-1, which I think is off, and I am excited to see him put on a show. The even better news is that as of Saturday, the odds are moving in our favor here, as Mac McClung becomes more and more of a favorite.

There was certainly value on McClung to win the Dunk Contest at the opening price of +160, which was way, way too short. Even when that line got bet all the way down to -190, there was still probably a case to be made to bet on McClung, as our colleague Joe Dellera argued in our NBA All-Star Best Bets. But at -260, any of that value is gone. So let's root for the biggest name in the field at decently long odds to come away with the win. And if McClung shines anyway, then at least we'll know we probably had a fantastic 2024 NBA Slam Dunk Contest.

We hope.