NBA Slam Dunk Contest 2023: Highlights and Predictions for Participants
It's no secret that NBA All-Star Saturday night is the biggest part of All-Star Weekend, and that's because the fans have come to enjoy the spectacle of the evening's last event, the Slam Dunk Contest.
And while the dunk contest hasn't quite been as spectacular recently compared to the night Vince Carter put his stamp on it back in 2000, it's still the major event on Saturday and fans are ever hopeful that they'll see some dunks that make them get out of their seats.
This year's contest will take place at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City, following the Skills Challenge and 3-Point Contest, which is scheduled to broadcast at 8 p.m. on TNT.
The four players competing this year are Kenyon Martin Jr. (Houston Rockets), Trey Murphy III (New Orleans Pelicans), Jericho Sims (New York Knicks) and Mac McClung who was to be the first G-League player to participate in the event when he was selected but now plays for the Philadelphia 76ers.
All four competitors are first-timers in the event, but with Obi Toppin winning last year, Sims will try to make it back-to-back wins for the New York Knicks.
And while this isn't a star-studded affair, there's always the potential that some of the dunks could go viral, and that's all everyone wants anyway.
With that in mind, here's the latest high-flying highlights from the contestants and a few predictions heading into Saturday night's Slam Dunk Contest.
Trey Murphy III, New Orleans Pelicans
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Unfortunately, the average NBA fan won't know who Trey Murphy III is when it's time for the Slam Dunk contest. But that can be said for all of this year's participants.
What separates the 22-year-old from the rest of the field, though, is that he's not just a dunker. The second-year pro is also an important part of his team's success.
This season, Murphy is averaging 12.9 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game for the New Orleans Pelicans.
He's also completely new to this whole slamming the ball thing.
"My first dunk came as a senior in high school and now I'm participating in the NBA dunk contest," he told Jim Eichenhofer of NBA.com. "I'm pretty excited for it, ready to compete and show what I've got in my trick bag. (Getting invited) was pretty cool for sure."
The judges will have to review what's exactly in his trick bag, but one thing's for sure, Murphy has gotten a lot of practice since his senior year.
Jericho Sims, New York Knicks
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Jericho Sims wasn't supposed to be in the contest.
Shaedon Sharpe of the Portland Trail Blazers was originally set to do the sky-walking, but pulled out earlier this month.
Now, Sims of the New York Knicks is in and he's got an added layer of pressure attached to Saturday night. Not only does the 6'10" big man have to bring the creativity, but he's also got to do it for his team.
Last year, teammate Toppin brought home the trophy, and it's a given that the Knicks want the hardware to remain in the Big Apple.
Sims will have the cards stacked against him, though, because taller contestants usually have a tougher time impressing the judges because they don't have to jump as high as the shorter players to flush it through.
Luckily, the 24-year-old can actually jump out of the gym, so if he can showcase that, maybe he can get the judges on his side.
Mac McClung, Philadelphia 76ers
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Mac McClung is the outlier in this contest.
The 24-year-old would have been the first-ever G League participant in this event, but he was signed by the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday, so he's officially in the league for this showcase.
However, McClung has had an up-and-down path to get to the NBA since going undrafted out of Texas Tech.
Usually, that translates to being an unknown to the fans. Not in McClung's case.
Going back to high school, he was a YouTube sensation for his dunking ability. He was right there with Zion Williamson when it comes to high school dunk mixtapes because he definitely has some hops.
But while Williamson was one-and-done at Duke, McClung fizzled out at Georgetown and transferred to the Raiders where he earned 2020-21 All-Big 12 second-team honors.
Since then, he's been fighting for his NBA life.
Now last season's G League Rookie of the Year has an opportunity to put himself on the league's radar, and there's no doubt he'll do his best to take advantage of this opportunity on Saturday night.
The dunk contest usually favors the shorter contestants, so the 6'2" McClung has that going for him, as well as the fact that he's got plenty of dunk-contest experience.
If he can make his dunks on the first try, watch out, he just might win this thing.
Kenyon Martin Jr., Houston Rockets
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Kenyon Martin Jr. is in the dunk contest based on his own merit, but he also comes from excellent dunking stock.
HIs father, Kenyon Martin, was known for the way he jumped up and down as if he were on a pogo stick while posterizing opponents in the league.
Doctors are better suited for explaining what a son gets from his father by way of DNA, but the eyes don't lie: Martin Jr. is an aerial maestro and it's time that more than Houston Rockets fans saw it for themselves.
Houston is full of young talent, and Martin is one of the main highlights of that core.
The 22-year-old is strong, bouncy and fearless like his father.
Fans should be prepared for some thunderous dunks from Martin.
They should also look for him to be one of the last two standing in the final, probably facing off against McClung.
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