Bettors Are Woefully Underestimating Anfernee Simons In The Dunk Contest

Betting lines for the dunk contest are hard to come by, but early numbers are severely underestimating Anfernee Simons.

Betting odds for the 2021 Slam Dunk Contest are hard to come by, but even early lines agree on one thing: Anfernee Simons isn't the favorite.

Sportsline gives Simons +175 odds to win the event, behind Obi Toppin's and ahead of Cassius Stanley's. BetUS is lower on Simons' chances, putting his moneyline at +300, far behind his competition's. Another sportsbook, William Hill, gives Simons +400 odds, easily the lowest in the field.

The relative anonymity of this year's contestants has clearly made bettors apprehensive about setting lines. Similar indecision doesn't exist for bets related to the All-Star Game, Three-Point Shootout or even the Skills Challenge. No one knows exactly what to do with this dunk contest field.

Well, except Blazers fans. Simons' jaw-dropping aerial exploits have long been the stuff of Rip City legend. As early as his rookie season, when Simons was less than a year removed from prep school and spending time in the G-League, his teammates were predicting future dunk contest glory.

Ant Simons comin for the Dunk contest crown next February @AnferneeSimons

— Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) February 18, 2019

Toppin and Stanley, to be fair, aren't exactly surprise selections either despite their lacking notoriety league-wide. 

It was easy to imagine Toppin competing in the dunk contest as he rampaged rims last season at Dayton. Stanley's lone season at Duke was a disappointment, but still featured gobs of highlights that showed off his exceedingly rare vertical pop.

But neither rookie jumps like Simons. His combination of peak height, hangtime and midair body control might be unmatched in today's NBA. Simons, remember, stands just 6-foot-3; how many players his height have ever been able to reach this rarified air?

And that may be Simons' trump card in this competition – his height, of lack thereof. 

Toppin is an outstanding vertical athlete at 6-foot-9, but hardly the type of generational leaper able to fully compensate for natural advantages presented by his size. Stanley has a classic dunker's physique, standing a lithe 6-foot-5. The two-inch height difference between he and Simons will seem bigger when both are dropped from the rafters of State Farm Arena.

But Simons' size isn't the only potential edge bettors seem to be ignoring. He's apparently dreaming up dunks that have never been done before.

"That’s what I’ve been trying to think of – just do something that somebody has never seen or somebody’s never done," Simons said, per NBC Sports' Jamie Hudson.

You might want to grab that wallet before the popcorn, Rip City. Simons seems ready to put on a show that few see coming.

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