Of the reported invitees, Shaedon Sharpe, Mac McClung, Trey Murphy III, and KJ Martin, who stands the best chance at winning the contest?

While these aren’t the most eye-popping of names, the reported invitee list for the 2023 NBA Dunk Contest boasts ample talent for this particular arena.

Shaedon Sharpe:

Our personal pick for the winner, Sharpe may be the most impressive raw athlete on this list. He’s reported to have the highest vertical leap ever at the NBA combine at 49 inches. For reference, Michael Jordan’s was recorded at 48 inches. The 19-year-old rookie has already shown off incredible athleticism in his young career, throwing down mixtape-worthy dunks left and right. If he wins, he joins his teammate Anfernee Simons, the winner of the 2021 NBA Dunk  Contest, as a recent Trailblazer dunk champ.

Here’s a video from Bleacher Report with a short compilation of Sharpe’s insane dunks:

KJ Martin:

The young forward from Houston is the son of one of the most ferocious in-game dunkers ever, Kenyon Martin. Not a highly touted prospect, KJ has been able to leverage his athleticism to carve out a role in Houston. He has also developed a respectable reputation as a dunker. KJ may be on the underrated side of this competition.

Here, CourtsideFilms posted a compilation of dunks from Martin and his impressive leaping ability:

Mac McClung:

The third competitor on this list for the NBA Dunk Contest is…not actually in the NBA. Mac McClung, a member of the Delaware Blue Coats of the G-League, is known among more hardcore hoops fans as a prolific dunker, even as a 6’2” guard without an NBA team. The 24-year-old from Georgetown actually won the 2018 Ballislife All-American dunk contest. He is the first G-League player to participate in the NBA dunk contest. With his dunking pedigree, we expect him to put on a show.

Here is a video from Overtime showing some of McClung’s capabilities:

Trey Murphy III:

Not known as a head-turning dunker, but more of a 3-and-D guy as a player, Trey Murphy may have the opportunity to make history. With his clean stroke and underrated bounce, Murphy may try to become the first player in history to win both the NBA Slam Dunk Contest as well as the NBA Three-Point Contest. Murphy, in a quote to The Athletic said, “It’s a special night. You know it’s one of those nights when everybody is watching you. They’re expecting a show. I feel like, myself, I’m a showman, and I try to get the crowd excited. Get the crowd involved. And I’ll make sure I show myself in my best light.”

Barstool New Orleans posts a video of Murphy’s hops here: