The Slam Dunk contest is regarded as the top crowd drawer in the past seasons of the All-Stars. This year, that expectation remains.
The NBA All-Star Weekend will start on Friday, February 16, and will be ushered in by the Rising Stars Challenge, which will pit the league's best sophomores, rookies, and G-League players.
Saturday, February 17, is when players show off the things they are good at.
The Skills Challenge will commence the Saturday festivities, followed by the Three-Point contest. This year's edition will be different as Stephen Curry and Sabrina Ionescu battle in a one-on-one.
After that, everybody will leave the court to the high leapers and most creative dunkers.
NBA Slam Dunk Contest, Date, and Format
Fans who watch the Saturday events should tune in on TNT or stream it through TNTdrama.com.
AT&T will present the Dunk Contest, which has no
definite schedule as it will depend on how fast the other competitions will finish.
Read more: Who Should The Atlanta Hawks Trade Between Trae Young and Dejounte Murray?
This year's participants are Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics, Jaime Jaquez Jr. of the Miami Heat, Jacob Toppin (of the New York Knicks, and defending champion Mac McClung of G League's Osceola Magic. McClung won it last year as part of the Philadelphia 76ers.
The Slam Dunk competition will retain the traditional format wherein participants will make their explosive, creative dunks under the scrutinizing eyes of five judges. These judges will give them scores with 50 as the highest.
If players use props or get other people involved, they must be approved first by the NBA Basketball Operations department.
Profile of each participant
Jaylen Brown
The Celtics guard, who will also play in the All-Star Game on Sunday, is a beast above the rim these days. He is the type who plays with finesse, but he can also play with power.
He has several plays that made it to the Daily Top 10, including windmill dunks, dunks against the traffic and dunks over opponents' faces.
Jaime Jaquez
The Miami Heat rookie is a surprise frontrunner in the ROTY race. He quickly became an integral rotation player for the Heat and is out to make his name more known in the All-Star Weekend.
It may only be his first season, but there is no fear in his heart. He is ready to go strong to the rim.
Here is Jaiquez in a Slam Dunk Contest in high school against Kenyon Martin Jr. and Scottie Pippen Jr., who are also in the NBA now.
Jacob Toppin
Knicks' Jacob is the younger brother of Obi, who won the Dunk Contest in 2022. Obi, now playing for the Indiana Pacers, won it as part of the Knicks.
Jacob has no NBA highlights as he spends most of the season in the Knicks' G-League affiliate Westchester.
Being the brother of Obi should be enough clue on what he can do above the rim. Still, here's more of Jacob dunking all over anything.
Mac McClung
McClung's 2023 win did not translate to a steady NBA roster spot, but his dunking skills never left him. He will defend his title and remain the favorite.
Related article: NBA All-Star Game Date, Time, Roster, Team Captains and How To Watch
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