Alright, Week 20 of the NBA Dunk Contest season is in the books, and if you’ve been paying attention, the top of the table isn't exactly a shocker. Mac McClung, the reigning king, sits comfortably atop the leaderboard with a staggering 9.8 average score across his 15 attempts. The guy just doesn't miss. His 360-degree, double-pump reverse jam from Week 18 still has judges talking, pulling a perfect 50 from all five.
But here’s the thing: it’s not just McClung's individual brilliance. The competition this year feels deeper, even if the top spot looks locked down. We're seeing more variety, more creativity, and frankly, some guys really stepping up their game.
The McClung Era Continues
Mac McClung's consistency is what separates him. He’s not just hitting highlight-reel dunks; he’s hitting them nearly every single time he steps on the court. His lowest score all season was an 8.5 in Week 12, a dunk that most other competitors would kill for as their best. He’s attempted 15 dunks and only two have scored below a 9.0. That's a level of precision we haven't seen since Aaron Gordon's prime years in Orlando, though even Gordon had more off-nights.
Look at the numbers. McClung leads the league in average score by a full half-point over the second-place dunker, Shaedon Sharpe, who's averaging 9.3. Sharpe, with his incredible athleticism, has had some truly breathtaking moments, like his windmill over a mascot in Week 15 that earned him a 49. But he also had a few botched attempts early on, pulling his average down. Consistency is king in this league, and McClung wears the crown.
And let's be real, McClung’s presence elevates everyone else. They know they have to bring their A-game just to be in the conversation. It forces innovation, which is great for the fans.
Surprises and Disappointments
Real talk: Anthony Edwards is an underperformer. Everyone expected him to be challenging for the top three, maybe even pushing McClung. He's got the power, the flair, the sheer audacity. But his execution has been inconsistent. Edwards is sitting at 7th with an 8.6 average, largely due to a few missed attempts and some dunks that just didn't quite land with the impact expected. His attempted 720 in Week 17, which he barely clipped, cost him valuable points and dropped his average significantly.
On the flip side, what about Jabari Smith Jr.? The kid is a revelation. He wasn't even on many people's radars for a serious run, but he's quietly climbed to 4th place with an 8.9 average. Smith Jr.'s dunks aren't always the most flashy, but they're powerful, clean, and he rarely misses. His two-handed reverse power jam in Week 19, a perfectly executed dunk, earned him a 47 and showed he belongs in the conversation. He's got 12 successful dunks out of 13 attempts, a superb conversion rate.
Here's a hot take: Shaedon Sharpe, despite his high ranking, is actually a slight disappointment. His talent is undeniable, but he’s left too many points on the table with incomplete dunks. If he cleaned up just two of his five missed attempts, he'd be right on McClung's heels. That's a mental game as much as a physical one.
The Relegation Battle Heats Up
The bottom of the table is where things get really interesting. The cut-off for staying in the main competition next season is usually around an 8.0 average. Right now, there are a few big names flirting with that line. Jeremy Sochan, for example, is currently sitting at 7.9. He's had some incredible moments, like his one-handed baseline jam in Week 14, but also a few too many duds, including two outright misses in Week 11 and 16. Those misses are killers.
And poor Jalen Green. He's currently at 7.7, just above the absolute floor. Green has the athleticism, but his creativity seems to have stalled this season. His attempt at a between-the-legs dunk from the free-throw line in Week 13 was a brave effort, but he couldn't quite bring it down, resulting in a low score of 6.5. He needs a couple of 9+ scores in the final weeks to secure his spot.
Historically, a dunker typically needs to hit at least 10 successful dunks with an average above 8.0 to feel safe. This season, with the overall quality rising, that bar might even go up to 8.2 or 8.3. The pressure is mounting on these guys in the lower half.
Looking Ahead: The Final Stretch
With six weeks left in the season, McClung is a lock for the top spot. Unless he suddenly starts missing every dunk, which is highly improbable given his track record, he'll finish first. The real battle is for 2nd through 5th. Sharpe, Smith Jr., and even Zion Williamson (who's been quietly consistent at 3rd with 9.0) will be jostling for position.
The defensive trends, if you can call them that in a dunk contest, are about minimizing errors. The guys who are staying up are those who can consistently land clean, powerful dunks, even if they aren't always the most innovative. The ones struggling are taking too many risks, or simply not executing the basics.
My bold prediction: By season's end, Jabari Smith Jr. will leapfrog Shaedon Sharpe to finish 2nd overall, showing that consistency and clean execution can sometimes trump raw, unrefined athleticism.