NBA Shooting Stars Contest Odds & Picks for 2026

• Charlotte Hornets rookie Kon Knueppel is the betting favorite in the 3-point contest
• Team Knicks is the favorite in the return of the Shooting Stars contest
• Read below for my best bets for NBA Saturday night

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Gambling might be the only way you can make it through NBA All-Star Saturday.

Aside from the 3-point contest — which, this year, kicks things off — there’s really not a lot of juice that follows.

The Shooting Stars Challenge makes it triumphant return, and it wraps up with the Slam Dunk Contest. There’s no Mac McClung, either, so it could be an anti-climactic ending. Which is sad, because this used to be one of the marquee events worth tuning into in All-Star Saturday’s past. No more.

On that somber note, let’s get to my picks, starting with a sharpshooting rookie looking to make history in the 3-point contest.

Jump to: Shooting Stars Odds & Picks | 3-Point Odds & Picks | Slam-Dunk Contest Odds & Picks

NBA Shooting Stars Contest Odds

All odds as of Feb 14, courtesy of bet365. Get a bet365 promo code to make all your All-Star weekend wagers.

We haven’t seen the Shooting Stars since 2015, and it makes its return with one usual staple not available: Giannis Antetokounmpo and those Antetokounmpo brothers.

No worry, these are pretty good teams that have been put together: two NBA players and an NBA vet dot the rosters.

Knueppel will have been fresh off the 3-point contest, so he should be good to go for Team Cameron, with teammates Jalen Johnson and legend Corey Maggette.

Team Knicks gets the favorites nod as Allan Houston still looks like he can play, Karl-Anthony Towns is among the best shooting bigs in the NBA history, and Jalen Brunson is a shot-maker extraordinaire.

As much as I like Scottie Barnes with Chet and Rip, the Harper family is as likely to win this as any other.

You’ve got your scratch for picking the 3-point winner, so take a stab at the long shot here, to keep the good times rolling.

Pick: Team Harper (+400 at bet365)

NBA 3-point Contest Odds

Analysis: Kon Knueppel is trying to become the first rookie to ever win this event, and his silky-smooth jumper is legit: his 183 3-point makes is second-most in the league, and he’s hitting at a crisp 43.1%.

Still, I can’t count on the rook, especially not in this field of vets. Dame Lillard is the sentimental favorite (+450), looking for his third crown in four years. He’s been on the shelf with an Achilles injury all year. I get all he’s been doing is shooting, but with no game legs, he could falter down the stretch.

I like the value right in the middle of the pack. Devin Booker (+650) won this in 2018, so he knows how to get it done, while Jamal Murray (+600) is having a re-introduce myself year. His 42.5% clip from downtown ties with his best career mark, when he finished at this same number in the 2023-24 season.

In case you’re wondering Bobby Portis (+1400) has the best 3-point percentage of anybody competing, a 45.1% clip.

Pick: Murray (+600 bet365)

NBA Slam Dunk Contest Odds

Analysis: And now we arrive at an event so radioactive, none of the big name players in the NBA dare throw their name into the NBA All-Star Weekend Slam Dunk Contest.

Instead, we’re back to the Google Search dunk contest — where fans need to google who these dudes are.

You’ll likely know Jaxson Hayes the most, the backup big for the LA Lakers. However, as most observers are aware, the big man doesn’t get much love at these events. Obi Toppin did win it in 2022, and Blake Griffin and Dwight Howard are the only other bigs that lifted this trophy in the 2000’s.

Jase Richardson will try to do it like pops did, as dad Jason won this event back-to-back in 2002 and 2003. Opens the door to replica dunks that dad did, which are cool if you can pull them off. But Jase is just 6-foot-1: he’ll need to be more electric hops than little engine that could.

It probably comes down to the athletic wing man, so that means it’s Keshad Johnson vs Carter Bryant. Both are 6-foot-6 and athletic as hell. I’ll take Johnson, who is in his second year, over the rookie (and fingers crossed this is entertaining).

Pick: Johnson (+125 bet365)