The event that launched several NBA players into superstardom resumes when four high flyers compete in the 2023 AT&T Slam Dunk on All-Star Saturday Night at Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City. Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Vince Carter are just three players who elevated their profiles by winning the contest. On Saturday, Rockets forward Kenyon Martin Jr., 76ers guard Mac McClung, Pelicans guard Trey Murphy III and Knicks center Jericho Sims will try to follow in their footsteps. The 2023 Slam Dunk contest will be the third and final event on All-Star Saturday Night, which begins at 8 p.m. ET and also includes the Skills Challenge and 3-Point Contest.
McClung is the +100 favorite (risk $100 to win $100) in the 2023 Slam Dunk contest odds, followed by Martin at +320. Sims (+380) and Murphy III (+410) are the two longest shots in the field. Before making any 2023 Slam Dunk contest picks or All-Star weekend predictions, you need to see the picks and best bets from SportsLine's NBA expert Mike Barner.
A respected NBA Fantasy expert, both seasonlong and daily, Barner's work has appeared in Sports Illustrated and on Yahoo, RotoWire and KFFL. He's also been featured on ESPN Radio. Barner digs deep into the data, examining team trends and projecting game outcomes.
Barner's expertise has been on full display over a wide sample. Over the past three seasons at SportsLine, Mike has crushed sportsbooks with a 425-343-12 record, returning $4,416 to $100 bettors on against-the-spread picks. He also has an incredible feel for NBA All-Star Weekend. In 2021, Barner correctly picked Anfernee Simons to win the Slam Dunk contest. Anybody who followed Barner's picks has seen some big returns.
Now he has analyzed the 2023 Slam Dunk contest from all angles and locked in his picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see Barner's NBA Slam Dunk Contest best bets.
Top NBA Slam Dunk contest picks and predictions
One shocker: Barner is fading McClung. Signed to a two-way contract by the 76ers just on Tuesday, McClung has spent most of the last two seasons in the G League with the South Bay Lakers and Delaware Blue Coats. Prior to earning his slam dunk invitation, he had become a dunking sensation on YouTube, with his high school, college and professional dunks earning millions of views.
Barner doesn't like that McClung will be facing players who have been dunking in the NBA all season. "McClung has provided some exciting dunks in the G League, but he'll have his work cut out for him competing against three more established players," Barner told SportsLine. Barner prefers another player over McClung. You can see who to back here.
How to make 2023 Slam Dunk contest picks
Barner's Slam Dunk contest winner is a player he describes as "explosive." He is including this player in his All-Star weekend bets, and so should you. You can find out who it is, and see the rest of Barner's NBA Slam Dunk Contest best bets at SportsLine.
So who wins the 2023 Slam Dunk contest? And which players should you fade? Visit SportsLine now to see Barner's picks for the Slam Dunk Contest 2023, all from the NBA expert who has been crushing sports books, and find out.
NBA Slam Dunk Contest odds, top contenders
See full NBA All-Star Weekend picks here.
Mac McClung (+100)
Kenyon Martin Jr. (+320)
Jericho Sims (+380)
Trey Murphy III (+410)
