Top NBA Pick: Mac McClung (-170) at BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review)
Who should you pick at the top-rated online sportsbooks to win the NBA Slam-Dunk Contest this year? We’ve got our suggestions below!
NBA All-Star: Slam Dunk Contest
- Date: Saturday, February 17, 2024
- Time: 08:00 PM ET
- Venue: Lucas Oil Stadium
Slam Dunk Resurgence
Before last year, the NBA Slam Dunk Contest was starting to lose its hype.
The dunks were getting boring and many of the dunkers couldn’t even complete the dunks that wanted to convert for the contest.
However, Mac McClung came in and stole the show last year.
McClung added perfect scores on three of his four attempts to defeat Trey Murphy in the 2023 Slam Dunk Contest.
He came from Philadelphia’s G-League team to do the Dunk Contest and earned nearly the same amount of money as his contract was worth. Now he’s back again to add another $100,000 check to his bank.
Dunk Roster
This time, McClung is affiliated with the Orlando Magic’s G-League team.
He’ll take on Jacob Toppin of the Knicks’ G-League, Jaylen Brown of the Celtics and Jaime Jaquez Jr. of the Heat.
Toppin’s brother, Obi, won the contest two years ago as a member of the Knicks. Obi is now with the Pacers, who are the home team for this All-Star Weekend. It’s likely Obi will be involved with Jacob when it comes to his dunks.
The athleticism and vertical runs in the Toppin family. However, can he knock off McClung, who ultimately saved the Dunk Contest last year?
Mac McClung
McClung was more original last year.
He put together dunks that the world had never seen before. Prior to McClung’s performance, it seemed like most of the dunkers would just rip off someone else’s dunks from a few years ago. However, those guys struggled to even convert. McClung added a dunk where he leaped over two people and hit the backboard with a reverse slam with his first dunk.
That’s typically the last dunk from a contestant. Many just want to see a dunk go through to start off the contest.
However, McClung did a high-difficulty dunk every time.
He has been paid more recently with contracts. Yet, adding another $100K would go a long way for him compared to someone like Jaylen Brown, who just signed the richest contract in the NBA. McClung will most likely put in more work than a guy like Brown, who is ultimately just in it for the fun of it.
McClung is just 6-2 but his vertical was measured at 43.5. Some even claimed he was jumping 47 to 48 feet in high school. Either way, that vertical was a top-ten vertical in NBA Draft Combine history. That’s why he’s able to do freakish dunks the way he does.
I believe McClung will repeat and win again. Ultimately, I think he’ll win every single dunk contest if he continues what he did last year.
NBA Pick: Mac McClung (-170) at BetOnline
Jacob Toppin
If you want to be the guy to fade McClung, the next best option is Jacob Toppin.
Toppin legitimately has highlight reels of him dunking in-game with the Knicks’ G-League team. Toppin just scored his first couple of points with the Knicks on their actual team after the Trade Deadline when the Knicks needed bodies. But ultimately, he’s another guy who doesn’t play much in the NBA.
Toppin just posted a career night with the Westchester Knicks, scoring 40 points with 16 rebounds. It was the first game that he played after learning about being in the All-Star Weekend’s plans.
Keep It in the Family
His brother has been able to stick around in the NBA more. Obi even got to perform in the Slam Dunk contest a couple of years ago with the Knicks and brought home a title in one of the worst Dunk Contests in NBA history.
It wasn’t really Obi’s fault. He had some good dunks. However, the rest of the field was really bad. Some thought about boycotting the contest after 2022.
The field does seem more intriguing this year. McClung is certainly the favorite. However, Toppin can do some really incredible things. His brother can help give him pointers and could even be a part of the dunks.
The chemistry that two brothers have is always better for these dunks. The passer knows where to put the ball for the dunker and all that.
I’d pick Toppin over Brown or Jaquez if you’re looking to be a rebel.
NBA Pick: Jacob Toppin (+325) at BetOnline
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.
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