NBA All-Star Dunk Contest Betting Picks - Feb 18, 2023

The NBA All-Star Weekend has gotten more complicated than ever. Despite the ever-changing format, the dunk contest remains the most exciting moment of the entire weekend. This year, the contest will be held in Salt Lake City. With no true hometown favorite, and a field full of participants looking to put their name on the map, it could be a very unexpected contest. If you're looking to sprinkle some wagers on the high-flying contest, we have looked hard to find the value with our NBA dunk contest pick.

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Free NBA All-Star Picks For Saturday February 18, 2023

Dunk Contest, 10:00PM ET

Betting Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook.

Over the years, players willing to participate in the dunk contest have really lessened. We went from seeing Vince Carter and Michael Jordan to....Mac McClung and Jericho Sims. That's not meant to disrespect the leaping abilities of this year's participants...but there isn't much to go off of when scouting these "stars".

With that said, there are some strategy elements to the dunk contest. First and foremost, you have to check and see if there are any hometown participants. This year, the event is held in Salt Lake City, and with no Jazz players taking part, the field is truly wide open.

One thing that jumps out immediately is Jericho Sims - as a big man, he may have a hard time generating an eye-popping enough dunk to win it all. Despite holding one of the highest max vertical jumps in NBA combine history (44.5 inches), Sims' skillset is better suited for in-game dunks than this contest. Only two big men have won the dunk contest since 2008 - Blake Griffin and Dwight Howard, and Sims just doesn't have that type of star power.

Next, we move to the "favorite", the Rockets' K.J. Martin. Martin's dad, Kenyon Martin, was one of the biggest leapers in the NBA in the early 2000s. Martin himself is one of the highest flyers in the league, and with a big showing, he really might be able to put his name on the map. He's certainly capable of jaw-dropping finishes.

OH MY KJ MARTIN 🤯

wow. wow. wow. pic.twitter.com/d46N5CuGRO

— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) February 7, 2023

While Martin could certainly win the contest, we think it could come down to two other participants: Mac McClung and Trey Murphy. McClung is the biggest wildcard - he hasn't played in an NBA game this season, but is known for his absurd leaping ability despite his small frame. McClung was a mixtape legend, and is a true "showman" when it comes to dunking. But the moment will be very big for him - surrounded by actual NBA players.

Our favorite contender is Trey Murphy:

hey @nba, put Trey Murphy III in the Slam Dunk Contest

- the New Orleans Pelicans pic.twitter.com/ObO0IAywTQ

— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) January 21, 2023

Murphy plays a legitimate role for a solid Pelicans team, and is known for both his shooting prowess and his underrated hops. He has a whopping 62 dunks this season already, and it seems he really wants to prove something in this contest. The Pelicans lobbied to get Murphy a spot and the NBA obliged. Anytime a player of Murphy's caliber wants to participate, we expect them to take it seriously and go for the win. And in that, there could be some good value on Murphy to win the dunk contest.

BEST BET: Trey Murphy III (+250)

Find out who we're betting on for every basketball game each night via our NBA Bet Hub, where we deliver you NBA predictions and suggested bets, or check out the NBA Betting News section.