2025 NBA All-Star Slam Dunk Contest Odds: Is Mac McClung favored to 3-peat? 

Mac McClung is back to defend the NBA Slam Dunk championship, which he has held since 2013. The Osceola Magic guard will attempt to do what no one has done in NBA history - win the contest three times in a row. Standing in his way to the record books are Matas Buzelis, Stephon Castle and Andre Jackson Jr.

The two-time and defending champion is the betting favorite (-$210) to win again, per SportsLine. Buzelis comes in at +500 and Jackson Jr. at +700. San Antonio Spurs rookie Castle, named MVP in the Rising Stars Game, is the dark horse in the contest with +750 odds.

Mac McClung’s past two slam dunk participations have been quite legendary. He earned an invitation from the NBA to give life to a competition that has been regularly snubbed by the best dunkers. The high-flying guard has not disappointed since deciding to take on the league’s offer.

In the 2023 final, McClung comfortably held off New Orleans Pelicans star Trey Murphy III for the championship. The YouTube sensation scored 50s in all but one of his gravity-defying slams.

Last year, Mac McClung arguably wasn’t as impressive, but he retained his title with a win over Boston Celtics superstar Jaylen Brown. McClung’s dunk over Shaquille O’Neal was the icing on the cake in the competition.

As the heavy favorite to rack up another slam title, McClung could surprise basketball fans with never-before-seen rim-rattlers.

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Win or lose, 2025 could be Mac McClung’s last year in NBA Slam Dunk contest

The NBA desperately needed a savior to bring back excitement to the dunk contest in 2023. Mac McClung, still arguably unheralded then, answered the plea from the league. Over the past two years, he has been everything the fans and the league hoped he would be.

However, 2025 might be the end of his run. The high-flying guard had this to say to Steph Noh about his future in the competition:

"This will be the last year for me. I've really loved it. You know, you run out of dunks. So this is probably where I'm at after this.”

If McClung does retire from the contest, whether he wins a third title in a row or not, he has secured his place in NBA history. The ever-smiling guard will go down as one of the most electrifying and clutch dunkers in the history of the competition.