NBA Slam Dunk Contest 2026 Highlights, Odds and Predictions for Participants
If you've heard anything about the 2026 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, you've probably heard about how stars are once again absent.
Oh, and so is three-time contest champion Mac McClung. So, yeah, there really isn't much in the way of household names here.
You know what this field offers, though? Hops. Force. Finesse. Creativity. And in one specific case, a pretty bouncy bloodline.
If you do nothing else during All-Star Weekend, avoid this mistake: Don't let the relative anonymity of the dunkers convince you they're incapable of putting on a great show.
Participants, Odds
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Carter Bryant, SAS: +177
Jaxson Hayes, LAL: +208
Keshad Johnson, MIA: +376
Jase Richardson, ORL: +474
*Consensus odds via Action Network.
The Highlights
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Footsteps-following is rarely easy, but it feels virtually impossible for Richardson. The Magic rookie is, of course, the son of two-time dunk contest champion Jason Richardson, who quietly has a strong case for the dunk contest's Mount Rushmore.
Orlando's first-time guard is not his dad, though. Richardson might be plenty productive in his career, but his numbers are quiet, and his dunk film is nearly nonexistent. He has four dunks to his name this season, and they weren't especially memorable.
Hayes, on the other hand, lives above the rim. You just rarely see this type of elevation from a true 7-footer.
Johnson is a regular rim-rocker, too.
The second-year swingman doesn't see a ton of minutes in Miami, but when his number is called, he's often finishing with force shortly thereafter.
Bryant is another low-usage, high-frequency flier. He oozes three-and-D potential (and has flashed more of it here lately), in part because he's a great gravity-defier.
Prediction
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The mystery-box feel with this field is strong. Because it's not just about role players stepping out of their shell, it's their handling of doing that in front of a global audience. You don't necessarily know who's going to deliver.
That said, the oddsmakers probably got this right. Bryant is probably the best athlete in the field. I might have flipped Hayes and Johnson, but that's really only because this event has historically been tricky for bigs. Richardson, great dunking roots and all, should bring up the rearโalthough some kind of tribute to his father could be really fun.
No outcome would be considered shocking, but I like Bryant and Johnson reaching the final round, provided they finish cleanly in the first. And, honestly, they could go back-and-forth in a way that makes everyone forget how much they complained about the lack of name recognition.
In the end, though, I see Johnson coming out on top. If he finds a creative way to feature his explosion and ferocity, he could have a trophy-winning weekend ahead of him.
