2015 Slam Dunk Contest Participants: Field Odds, Predicted Winner and Highlights
The NBA Slam Dunk Contest is once again infused with some of the league's best young athletes, but a format change should inject an old-school feel along with new energy into All-Star Saturday's main event.
The league has tinkered with the Slam Dunk Contest format too much to keep up with recently, so they simplified things heading into the 2015 event. No time limits. No teams like last year. Just four star-studded dunkers with two rounds to throw down their best jams possible, as the NBA released.
While the increasing popularity of the Three-Point Contest and Skills Challenge have made All-Star Saturday all the more entertaining, not much has changed the Slam Dunk Contest's place as the marquee event of the night.
Here's a look at everything you need to know about the four contestants.
| Zach LaVine | Minnesota Timberwolves | -110 |
| Giannis Antetokounmpo | Milwaukee Bucks | +225 |
| Victor Oladipo | Orlando Magic | +300 |
| Mason Plumlee | Brooklyn Nets | +700 |
Note: Odds courtesy of Odds Shark
The Field
What this year's Slam Dunk Contest lacks in superstar appeal, it more than makes up for in youthful athleticism.
With four of the league's most explosive young players, the viewing public is set for a treat on All-Star Saturday. There may be a surprise in the mix with Brooklyn Nets big man Mason Plumlee, but everyone else's leaping ability jumps off the page.
It will be a tough task for any of them to match up with Zach LaVine, however.
The Minnesota Timberwolves rookie has come on strong in his first NBA season, and he has already established himself as one of the league's premier dunkers at the young age of 19. Game in and game out, he's showcased the ability to throw it down with the best of them, as he did this week:
LaVine is understandably silent about his upcoming theatrics, but teammate Shabazz Muhammad offered a teaser for the crowd, per Fox Sports' Phil Ervin:
One player who doesn't have any trouble matching opponents' athleticism is also in the mix, with Bucks swingman Giannis Antetokounmpo crashing the party as well. Few players in all of basketball can stand up against the Greek Freak's length and leaping ability, which should make for plenty of spectacular jams.
Also joining in on the fun is Orlando Magic guard Victor Oladipo, who is making strides as the league's best second-year player. While he's emerging as a shutdown defender and a great overall perimeter player, his dunking ability stands out and he's using it to raise money for a worthy cause, as told by Hardwood Paroxysm:
"Victor Oladipo is donating all of his earnings from this weekend to three separate cancer charities. #dunkcancer
— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) February 11, 2015"
Oladipo is no stranger to flying above the rim, as he has showcased in numerous regular-season games throughout 2014-15. Below is a highlight of perhaps his best dunk of the season, a 360-degree jam back on Jan. 15:
No Slam Dunk Contest is complete without its hometown hero, and Plumlee is taking those reins for this year's event.
The 6'11" center might not be able to jump out of the gym like all of his opposition on Saturday night, but nobody in the field is more experienced at the rim this season. ESPN Stats and Info uncovered that he has the most dunks of the four this season:
But it's not about how often you dunk in regular-season games, or the hometown appeal that wins these events. It's sheer athleticism and creative preparation, both of which LaVine seems to have a leg up on.
Antetokounmpo figures to give him a very serious run for his money, and Oladipo won't go quietly either. But when it comes to rising above the rim, nobody in the field can do it better than LaVine and that will come in handy in an event that depends exclusively on that very ability.
Predicted Winner: Zach LaVine
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