The 3 players most likely to win the 2020 NBA Dunk Contest

Following on from last year's successful event in North Carolina, the 2020 NBA All-Star Event will be held at the United Center in Chicago. As always, the weekend will feature a number of different competitions in the lead up to the headlining All-Star game.

In particular, the Slam Dunk Contest looks set to stand out in Chicago, as it is set to contain one of the best competitor lists in recent history. The contest will follow on from the 2019 contest which saw Hamidou Diallo take home the trophy, having fended off competition from Dennis Smith Jr., Miles Bridges, and John Collins.

The 2020 dunk contest will take place on February 15, and while a lot can change in the next 10 months, here are the early favorites to take home the title.

#3 Hamidou Diallo

Diallo's dunk over Shaq was regarded as the best of the 2019 AT&T Slam Dunk-Contest

Going into the 2019 NBA Dunk Contest, few NBA fans had heard of Hamidou Diallo. After all, the 20-year-old rookie was only picked by the OKC Thunder with the 45th overall in the 2018 draft, and Diallo has yet to make much of an impact.

Nevertheless, the shooting guard wasted no time in announcing himself on the national stage as he dominated this year's dunk contest with a perfect first-round score of 100. The alley-oop Diallo slammed down from Russell Westbrook was impressive, however, his incredible dunk over Shaquille O’Neal made national headlines.

Diallo also dunked over rapper Quavo in the Final round, as he became the 12th rookie in history to win the contest. As the most recent winner of the contest, Diallo is likely to defend his crown in Chicago, and based on his performances this year, it is possible that he could win for a second straight year.

#2 Donovan Mitchell

Donovan Mitchell won the 2018 Verizon Slam Dunk Contest

Donovan Mitchell took home the Dunk Contest trophy during his rookie season back in 2018, but the Utah Jazz guard opted against defending his crown in North Carolina.

Mitchell didn't participate due to his desire to prioritise the Jazz's push for the playoffs, although he did make an appearance on the official commentary panel during the event, hinting at participating in next years event.

Now into his second season, the 22-year-old has continued to be among the most impressive dunkers in the league, and his explosiveness and athleticism continue to draw comparisons to the Thunder's Russell Westbrook.

On the way to winning last years contest, Mitchell performed a number of notable dunks, including one that replicated dunking legend Vince Carter, and there is no doubting that he will be among the favorites if he opts to compete for a second time.

#1 Zion Williamson

Williamson has impressed with his dunking ability

At the time of writing, Zion Williamson is not yet an NBA player. However, Zion has already wowed the college basketball world with his incredible dunking ability, and as the most talked about teenager since LeBron James, his participation could provide the star power that the contest has been lacking in recent years.

Williamson was called out by Diallo after this year's event, and the two have history having faced off in the Under Armour Elite 24 dunk back in 2016. On this occasion, Zion came out on the top, and despite being just 15 at the time of the contest, his dunking ability is on full show.

Ultimately, the NBA will be desperate for Zion to compete in next year's event and the player himself has all the tools needed to win. If he manages to add innovation to his dunks, then there is no doubting that he is the frontrunner to take home the prize.