NBA All-Star Dunk Contest Picks, Predictions & Odds - Los Angeles 2026

If there is one NBA All-Star Weekend event that causes more controversy than any other, it’s the Dunk Contest. No matter how you feel about the event, this year’s participants or otherwise, it certainly doesn’t hurt to have the best NBA Dunk Contest predictions. That’s why we’re here to hook you up with those and more!

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🤔 Dunk Contest Participants And Format For 2026

Unlike the 3-Point Contest that takes place before this event, there are half the number of participants. Since we need those before we can make NBA Dunk Contest predictions, we’ve listed them right off the bat:

• Carter Bryant, San Antonio Spurs
• Jaxson Hayes, Los Angeles Lakers
• Keshad Johnson, Miami Heat
• Jase Richardson, Orlando Magic

If you’ve seen any of the most recent NBA Dunk Contests, you’ll notice one glaring omission that we won’t be making NBA expert picks this time around - Mac McClung. Although he’s not going for a four-peat, he did say that he will release the dunks he had planned at some point!

It’s also important to have the format to help make the best NBA Dunk Contest picks possible, and with only four participants, it’s as straightforward as it gets. There are just two rounds; in the first, all four guys compete for two dunks with the top two advancing. Then, that is simply repeated with the final two participants to determine a winner.

We’ll discuss more about judging specifically, but those are the basics when it comes to NBA Dunk Contest predictions.

🔥 Odds To Win The NBA Dunk Contest (Use Novig Sportsbook To Make Your Picks)

Now that you’ve seen who will be showing off their skills, let’s pair those names with the latest NBA Dunk Contest odds:

• Jaxson Hayes: +175
• Carter Bryant: +175
• Keshad Johnson: +450
• Jase Richardson: +500

There is simply no denying that we don’t see some of the big-hitting names that we could when it comes to this contest, but we also have to be honest in terms of the fact that it's been the case for a while now. So, rather than harping on that, let’s focus on the NBA Dunk Contest predictions that we CAN make for 2026!
 

👀 Best Bets And Value Picks For The Dunk Contest

Given the NBA Dunk Contest odds that you see above, there is quite a clear distinction between the favorites and what would be considered a “value” pick. So, of the bottom two guys - Keshad Johnson and Jase Richardson - who would we consider to have more value?

In this case, we have to give the edge to Richardson. It’s important to keep in mind that when handicapping contests like this, you’re also handicapping judges just like you would for voters in terms of awards. That’s why we’d rather have Richardson as part of our NBA Dunk Contest predictions - he’s the son of former winner Jason Richardson (2002 and 2003)!

With the longest odds of all four participants, he truly would be the epitome of a value play for your NBA Dunk Contest picks.

🔢 Past Dunk Contest Winners And Judging Trends

We noted McClung’s absence this year and that we’d share more about judging trends, so before we do, here’s a look back at the most recent winners of the event:

• 2025: Mac McClung
• 2024: Mac McClung
• 2023: Mac McClung
• 2022: Obi Toppin
• 2021: Anfernee Simons
• 2020: Derrick Jones
• 2019: Hamidou Diallo

As far as judging trends go, they truly are crucial to have in terms of making NBA Dunk Contest predictions. To make things easier to digest, we’ve decided to outline key points to note on how it works and things to consider:

• All judges (including celebrity ones) still use a 1-10 scale
• FAN votes are what account for the final piece, leading to a score out of 50
• Aspects that are rewarded include difficulty, execution, and creativity
• At the end of the day, it is VERY subjective
  • What is defined as “creative” or “original”
  • Varies from judge to judge as to what has a “WOW” factor
  • Overall jump height and hang time can matter more to some

As you can see, making NBA Dunk Contest picks isn’t something that is done off pure analytics, and even less so compared to picking the winner of a normal game. Even still, it’s what makes having NBA Dunk Contest predictions fun and something that creates discussion among fans!

✍🏼 Final Prediction: Who Wins The 2026 NBA Slam Dunk Contest

Interestingly enough, we’d actually consider our aforementioned long shot on Jase Richardson as the official pick from our NBA Dunk Contest predictions. Not only is there the bias from judges and celebrities in terms of having clout as the son of a former winner, but also considering his size.

As the smallest competitor, pulling off crazy dunks can seem even more impressive than taller, bigger guys doing the same ones. Richardson is just 6-foot-1, and while that’s not exactly Nate Robinson-esque, it’s still several inches shorter than the other three participants.

Speaking of which, the others not impressing us is also why we’d prefer to root for the underdog with our NBA Dunk Contest predictions. Jaxson Hayes being such a clear co-favorite seems a bit far-fetched, so we’d prefer Carter Bryant over the top two. Either way, we’ve got the best way for you to lock in your NBA Dunk Contest picks below!

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