There will be a new slam dunk champion as three-time winner Mac McClung won’t be taking part in the 2026 NBA All-Star Slam Dunk contest. Carter Bryant (Spurs), Jaxson Hayes (Lakers), Keshad Johnson (Heat) and Jase Richardson (Magic) compries the 2026 NBA Slam Dunk field. The dunk contest features a two-round format, with judges scoring each dunk. In Round 1, all four players will attempt two dunks, and the combined score will determine the top two who advance to the final round. Each finalist will then attempt two more dunks, with the higher combined score determining the champion. The 2026 Slam Dunk contest will be the third and final event on All-Star Saturday Night, which begins at 5 p.m. ET and also includes the Shooting Stars and 3-Point Contest.
Bryant enters as the 2026 Slam Dunk contest favorite at +170 at FanDuel. He is followed by Jaxson Hayes (+240), Keshad Johnson (+310) and Jase Richardson (+430). Before making any 2026 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.
New users can target the DraftKings promo code, which offers $300 in bonus bets if your first $5+ bet wins:
Barner is one of the most respected voices in the industry, and his work has appeared in Sports Illustrated and on Yahoo, RotoWire and KFFL. He’s also been featured on ESPN Radio. He digs deep into the data, examining team trends and projecting game outcomes. If there’s anybody who can spot an edge in a matchup or identify a player in position to break out, it’s him.
Barner’s expertise has been on full display lately as he enters the All-Star break on an 40-17 run on NBA betting picks (+2014). Last year he finished by going 239-178-2, returning $3,209 to $100 bettors on against-the-spread NBA picks. Anyone following at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen huge returns.
Now he has analyzed the 2026 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 2026 NBA Slam Dunk contest picks, predictions
One shocker: Barner is fading Hayes. The 25-year-old Los Angeles Lakers center is a seven-year veteran, who has played in 43 games, including six starts, averages 6.5 points in 17.3 minutes per game. He is known for impressive highlight dunks. In a 129-118 win over the Chicago Bulls last month, he made a steal before racing to the other end for a between-the-legs dunk to end the game. It whipped the road crowd at the United Center in Chicago into a frenzy.
Barner, however, doesn’t like the fact that Hayes is tall. “Hayes is listed as 7-feet tall. Dwight Howard (6-11) and Larry Nance (6-10) are the only players at least 6-10 to win the award, so I’m eliminating Hayes from consideration,” Barner told SportsLine. Barner prefers another player over Hayes. You can see who to back here.
New users can check out the latest Kalshi bonus code CBSSPORTS to get a $10 cash bonus after making $10 in trades:
How to make 2026 NBA Slam Dunk Contest picks
Barner’s Slam Dunk contest winner is a longshot he describes as having “the potential to provide some exciting, high-flying dunks.” 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 2026 Slam Dunk contest? Visit SportsLine now to see Barner’s picks for the Slam Dunk Contest 2026, all from the NBA expert who is on an 40-17 roll on NBA picks, and find out.
NBA 2026 Slam Dunk Contest odds, field
See picks at SportsLine.
(FanDuel odds)
Carter Bryant +170
Jaxson Hayes +240
Keshad Johnson +310
Jase Richardson +430
