According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the 2024 NBA Slam Dunk contestants are likely official– Mac McClung, Jaylen Brown, Jaime Jaquez Jr., and Jacob Toppin. This news comes roughly two weeks before NBA All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis.
Sources: The NBA’s likely Slam Dunk Contest participants at All-Star Weekend:
Mac McClung, Jaylen Brown, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Jacob Toppin.
🍿🍿🍿 pic.twitter.com/P474qRHULz
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 6, 2024
NBA News: 2024 All-Star Slam Dunk Contestants Announced
Mac McClung
McClung won the contest last season while with the Philadelphia 76ers. This season, McClung is playing for the Osceola Magic, the G League affiliate of the Orlando Magic.
Last July, McClung spoke about how different his life has been since winning the Slam Dunk Contest:
It’s been a lot different, to be honest. Just my days, the challenges, the way I live life, and just other things and people. Life has been a lot different in a good way, I believe overall. Super blessed, super fun time at the dunk contest, I really enjoyed it. So everything’s been good.
In 2023, McClung became the first ever G League player to participate in the event.
Jaylen Brown
Brown is the most interesting name on this list. The 27-year-old is the first player to compete in the contest in the same year they were selected for the All-Star Game since Victor Oladipo in 2018. One of the most impressive in-game dunkers in the NBA this season, it is easy to see why he decided to take part in the contest.
Back in 2021, the Celtics star reportedly declined an invitation to the Slam Dunk Contest. Now, it appears things have changed for Brown.
Brown becomes the first Celtics player to join the contest since Gerald Green did it (and won it) in 2007.
It looks like it is going to be a busy weekend for the Georgia native.
“Thank you Jaylen Brown for being a leader….We need the star power back in the dunk contest.”@TeamLou23 reacts to @FCHWPO possibly participating in the Slam Dunk Contest.
Watch tomorrow at 10AM EST ⤵️ https://t.co/wdT8I0ST8g pic.twitter.com/JfeMEHMMNm
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) February 6, 2024
Jaime Jaquez Jr.
The Miami Heat rookie is off to an impressive start to his NBA career, averaging 13.1 points and shooting 49.7% from the field. In addition to the Slam Dunk Contest, Jaquez Jr. will play in the Rising Stars Challenge. With his inclusion, Jaquez Jr. will be the first Heat player to enter the Slam Dunk Contest since Derrick Jones Jr. won it in 2020.
In December, Jaquez Jr. spoke on the idea of participating in the contest:
“The dunk contest is something that everybody loves,” Jaquez said ahead of the Heat’s matchup against the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday night at Kaseya Center. “It’s a lot of fun. I’d definitely consider doing it, for sure.”
Jacob Toppin
Toppin, the younger brother of the 2022 Slam Dunk Contest winner forward Obi Toppin, is also set to take part in the contest. This season, Toppin is playing for the New York Knicks on a two-way contract. So far, Toppin has appeared in just three games in the NBA and has recorded an assist and a block.
While playing for the Kentucky Wildcats, Toppin developed a “reputation as an elite dunker“:
Before he even played in a game for Kentucky, Toppin’s reputation as an elite dunker was spread by his teammates.
“His dunks are ridiculous,” former Wildcat Terrence Clarke said before the 2020-21 season. “I’ve personally seen him take two steps, through the legs, reverse on different levels. … If we were to have a dunk contest, it would be pretty amazing, but Jacob, his bounce is ridiculous, so I’d probably give it to him.”
It will be interesting to see if Toppin can follow in his brother’s footsteps and win the competition.
