Mac McClung

Five days ago, Mac McClung wasn't on an NBA roster, having played for the Philadelphia 76ers' G League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats, this season.

Meanwhile, Portland Trailblazers guard Damian Lillard won the three-point contest while donning his alma mater’s jersey - Weber State University. [tweeted](https://twitter.com/sixers/status/1627147378980700160). [said](https://twitter.com/sixers/status/1627158013143584770). I’m very hungry and I’m resilient so I’m gonna keep working.” [tweeted](https://twitter.com/StephenCurry30/status/1627149382981406727). I’m gonna keep working every day.

Three of McClung's four dunks earned him straight 50s by the panel of judges, and he completed all of them on his first attempt, generating a palpable buzz ...

[Trey Murphy III](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4397688/trey-murphy-iii) of the [New Orleans Pelicans](https://www.espn.com/nba/team/_/name/no/new-orleans-pelicans) in the final round. "I'm not really worried what other people think, good or bad, I'm staying the course," McClung said when asked about his breakout night. "I wasn't really thinking in the moment; it's just something that happened, to be honest with you." The NBA redesigned the dunk contest trophy this year and named it after the Sixers legend. ... If you manifest and put your mind to it, you can literally make your life and reinvent yourself every day." After his final dunk, McClung was surrounded by a euphoric group of All-Stars in attendance, stunned by what they just witnessed. "Being from a small town, Gate City, of 1,600 people, and now we're on this stage," McClung said. -- mimicking Kenny Smith's famous broadcast call during Vince Carter's legendary dunk contest win in Oakland, California, in 2000. Despite his size, McClung said watching the classic showdown between Lisa Leslie was the only judge to prevent him from opening up with two straight perfect scores. "... McClung started the final round by again taking the ball from another friend holding it over his head -- just one person this time, Skinkis -- and performed a pronounced double pump before finishing the dunk with a two-handed reverse.

Mac McClung, the man who stole the show in the NBA dunk contest, rejected an offer to sign with Fenerbahce last summer. By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.

“I still believe going to a Fenerbahce also can propel your career back here in the NBA. When it comes to career advancement, the G League is typically the better option. It was not an easy choice as the “Athletic” explains: “From a financial standpoint, it’s typically a no-brainer. But (Ervin) called me and was like, ‘Mac, you’re all or nothing, man.’ ” [he revealed to “The Athletic”](https://theathletic.com/3984363/2023/02/15/mac-mcclung-nba-dunk-contest-g-league/?fbclid=IwAR2ZCKKcoPkq3aBcUndn_LgP60GvPVbVIk69vmQ0dlbx0_63etAYf01B7w0) but he decided to stay in the G-League and chase his NBA dream. [winning the dunk contest](https://www.eurohoops.net/en/nba-news/1465007/mac-mcclung-makes-slam-dunk-history-llillard-wins-the-3-point-contest/), and also after saying last summer no to [Fenerbahce](https://www.eurohoops.net/basket/fenerbahce/?lang=en&lang=en) and to a million-dollar contract.

NBA Twitter went insane over Philadelphia 76ers guard Mac McClung winning the slam dunk contest.

[February 19, 2023] McClung went undrafted in 2021 after three collegiate seasons–two at Georgetown and Texas Tech– and he showed off the elite athleticism that he has become known for. He received not one, not two, but three scores of 50 as he turned some heads on who he is and what he brings to the table.

Philadelphia 76ers two-way guard Mac McClung has been crowned the NBA's 2023 Slam Dunk Champion. In a contest with three other candidates, including New ...

McClung faced this dilemma last summer. He could have made over a million dollars playing either for Fenerbahce (Turkey) or the Shanghai Sharks (China).

– [9:47 PM](https://twitter.com/ROSGO21/status/1627137715757252608) [Keith Pompey](https://twitter.com/PompeyOnSixers)@ [PompeyOnSixers](https://twitter.com/PompeyOnSixers) [10:29 PM](https://twitter.com/EricPincus/status/1627148385181642752) [Marc J. But (Ervin) called me and was like, ‘Mac, you’re all or nothing, man.’ ” -via [The Athletic](https://theathletic.com/3984363/2023/02/15/mac-mcclung-nba-dunk-contest-g-league/?fbclid=IwAR2ZCKKcoPkq3aBcUndn_LgP60GvPVbVIk69vmQ0dlbx0_63etAYf01B7w0)/ February 19, 2023 [9:52 PM](https://twitter.com/MarkDeeksNBA/status/1627138912131989506) [Rosalyn Gold-Onwude](https://twitter.com/ROSGO21)@ [ROSGO21](https://twitter.com/ROSGO21) [#NBAAllstar](https://twitter.com/search?q=%23NBAAllstar)Mac Mcclung told me he feels his strength in Dunk Contest is creativity. [@Rich Hoffman](https://twitter.com/rich_hofmann). Not bad for a man whose first dunk in basketball occurred as a senior in high school – [10:31 PM](https://twitter.com/Jim_Eichenhofer/status/1627148814397186054) [Omari Sanfoka II](https://twitter.com/omarisankofa)@ [omarisankofa](https://twitter.com/omarisankofa) “When you have multiple million-dollar offers, you’re like, ‘That could change my life and my family’s life forever.’](https://theathletic.com/3984363/2023/02/15/mac-mcclung-nba-dunk-contest-g-league/?fbclid=IwAR2ZCKKcoPkq3aBcUndn_LgP60GvPVbVIk69vmQ0dlbx0_63etAYf01B7w0)So I wanted to take that into consideration. He just goes straight into his dunks (and throws down fire), but seems like he’s not commanding the moment – [@Ava Wallace](https://twitter.com/avarwallace)in 2018: As a high-schooler in the small Virginia mountain town of Gate City, Mac McClung became a viral star with his dunks. [#Rockets](https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Rockets)at Houston Chronicle — Mac McClung slams past the competition at NBA dunk contest; Rockets’ K.J. He could have made over a million dollars playing either for Fenerbahce (Turkey) or the Shanghai Sharks (China).](https://theathletic.com/3984363/2023/02/15/mac-mcclung-nba-dunk-contest-g-league/?fbclid=IwAR2ZCKKcoPkq3aBcUndn_LgP60GvPVbVIk69vmQ0dlbx0_63etAYf01B7w0)Fenerbahce is one of the top teams in the EuroLeague, which contains the top clubs from all of the top European domestic leagues. Mac McClung went from not in the NBA to the NBA Slam Dunk champion in the course of five days.

Mac McClung dominated the NBA's slam dunk contest, earning 50s for three of his four dunks.

[Trey Murphy III](https://www.espn.com/nba/player/_/id/4397688/trey-murphy-iii) of the [New Orleans Pelicans](https://www.espn.com/nba/team/_/name/no/new-orleans-pelicans) in the final round. "I'm not really worried what other people think, good or bad, I'm staying the course," McClung said when asked about his breakout night. "I wasn't really thinking in the moment; it's just something that happened, to be honest with you." The NBA redesigned the dunk contest trophy this year and named it after the Sixers legend. ... If you manifest and put your mind to it, you can literally make your life and reinvent yourself every day." After his final dunk, McClung was surrounded by a euphoric group of All-Stars in attendance, stunned by what they just witnessed. "Being from a small town, Gate City, of 1,600 people, and now we're on this stage," McClung said. -- mimicking Kenny Smith's famous broadcast call during Vince Carter's legendary dunk contest win in Oakland, California, in 2000. Despite his size, McClung said watching the classic showdown between Lisa Leslie was the only judge to prevent him from opening up with two straight perfect scores. "... McClung started the final round by again taking the ball from another friend holding it over his head -- just one person this time, Skinkis -- and performed a pronounced double pump before finishing the dunk with a two-handed reverse.

Magic Johnson and Shaquille O'Neal have a lot in common. They're both Los Angeles Lakers legends who won multiple titles for the franchise, they're both ...

Three of his four dunks on the night received perfect 50 scores from the judges and the one that didn't was a 49.8. In fact, he only signed a two-way deal with the "He put on a show!" McClung rose out of relative obscurity on All-Star Saturday Night to earn his place in league history with a stunning performance in the Slam Dunk Contest. [Los Angeles Lakers](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/LAL/los-angeles-lakers/) legends who won multiple titles for the franchise, they're both former MVPs and they're both Hall of Famers. the Lakers legend

Mac McClung went some way to single-handedly restored the shine on a dunk contest that has been widely panned in recent years.

He played in one game last season for the Chicago Bulls, one other game for the Los Angeles Lakers. He was signed by Golden State last year but never played in a regular-season game for the Warriors, and spent a little time on USA Basketball’s World Cup qualifying team last year as well. I’m happy that I did it in my home, coming back here to Utah.” “And I’m happy that it happened here. The final score, not that it mattered, was McClung 100.0, Murphy 98.0. By the time the judges’ scores came up it was already decided.

Good morning! Could you score at least a 45 in the NBA Dunk Contest?

Cleveland said [his jersey will hang in its rafters someday](https://links.e1.theathletic.com/a/click?_t=1d75fd3a730a463c8648bd84293b832a&_m=31e1e7bdcc6f42c2b28ceeff447f1354&_e=K5miJMs55ux1j9JrVIF3iEidMAaLx26G96_jJHZCxsZw5GdAj7JSR7sYNRfJSiMr84PeO3VgPOgjP449Jc40LEg4tqCkfW7qX7zLw--GSHh5gp6YUIYxREy8gGA14nA2BX1hZd9s0XQSZxsmS3VMBQ4_DT4raHYuZW1kwsQoo3u0MYC_OBOmAIdu2I7cm8FFzmMPzgJY4C9YMSyAwGjC29ABE5mXYVYGAFjG7q_CF-IquKuooOSa7C9FnLQkze-g5KdJVuN_9h25ysVo7BOaA4VnuHkfv5K_zpNKJt-5zMfR86aMGneuD9QQ1vzHYSdq). [Standig explains why the move isn’t just a lateral one](https://links.e1.theathletic.com/a/click?_t=1d75fd3a730a463c8648bd84293b832a&_m=31e1e7bdcc6f42c2b28ceeff447f1354&_e=K5miJMs55ux1j9JrVIF3iEidMAaLx26G96_jJHZCxsamz_dBAHRQb13GH0ZSYfY-TFzIlBIR5VLi6zPWUtbltMVEa1UIMATAnWONYjPaxmX_Mgk3E-ZACsX6vnDTLYvUa3pbMBYxKoKvB50MGBkX1qy0zlCYfVSBllk7ETBrBqZ6_B0rNx8Vd_G0El8iohtqguhs0NeZ_tfQYbZQNCqm4RkRQEKOzIz1d2uQkIEz2SR6bISW6312sry-tSSraF2l5o-OQAvip9mi68Ky165uIYUitIzVqksVUt7K_uJCoXNThSBB2vPnOVSBdgzbhtt70qWt4oZgtinfJhcjHpZgfZsOONMq6nXx15BMAUi6RCQ%3D) and gives Bieniemy a chance to get out from Andy Reid’s shadow. ](https://links.e1.theathletic.com/a/click?_t=1d75fd3a730a463c8648bd84293b832a&_m=31e1e7bdcc6f42c2b28ceeff447f1354&_e=K5miJMs55ux1j9JrVIF3iEidMAaLx26G96_jJHZCxsa3zVexd6j2AuWawKE65YDf8FbNiY9avhHOGq7L9KtYfXEyGfuGCyUAb6el7KMmWmFjkAsF8iInnso4Rrc0nqH4xn8Fz3B4GuILZlolS0rYu_9Trgu0edR8VOuNr__KL2-NWvHzPFtrulATYAfRj2kJNaO10DM2R-uBA46yqtwGugHb1eM6-k3JmYjp5r0JJuE5Ltl7QYeMOrvl4Uq5TWa_srmpoZBiXm5zLyJO27zfyrQt7nFSyJvSw0bkwKL5JtqqWr2vk_-R0g_FlbQO4Uje) [Warriors](https://theathletic.com/nba/team/warriors/) hype man Franco Finn was tabbed to emcee Friday and Saturday festivities at All-Star Weekend. [Washington](https://theathletic.com/nba/team/wizards/) would be assistant head coach/OC, and he’s expected to sign a multiyear deal with Washington. [The score marked his lowest in any PGA Tour round in 848 days](https://links.e1.theathletic.com/a/click?_t=1d75fd3a730a463c8648bd84293b832a&_m=31e1e7bdcc6f42c2b28ceeff447f1354&_e=K5miJMs55ux1j9JrVIF3iEidMAaLx26G96_jJHZCxsbSS2PcuNUpzz5LcOhZF9BrZuzdzKQ7pHQHw6x2FiL6lvBadTzr7NUL7HsnpxfUhRjI446y79nW9w0nfDCDh0sKPUiwjwLFRa9pQcHq8GFeLd0zYqMjr3x39We2oBtAKZglpXyfklKNvQ9Ytj1lFYAhmSHeYuFWk3nr3zKl66cP7v5OIWhBF70XAeVeYtnVSebgC_jRxCatKu6E3I9_JRxBz2zs7BvUeTY5vbkIxQB8qfwnrHGfrJJSCToYVJIcxMrvZAsExUO6eU5g7_bTF0CXqnpGgLml9uPUBRDBPGqzOWlHii11YKwadPwWBd2CpCw%3D). It’ll cost the Texans as [Chicago](https://theathletic.com/nba/team/bulls/)trades back one spot in this prediction and Houston snags Bryce Young. [Mac McClung](https://theathletic.com/nba/player/mac-mcclung-Uv7cDHuoagkIoeQa/), [who wasn’t even in the NBA this time last week](https://links.e1.theathletic.com/a/click?_t=1d75fd3a730a463c8648bd84293b832a&_m=31e1e7bdcc6f42c2b28ceeff447f1354&_e=K5miJMs55ux1j9JrVIF3iEidMAaLx26G96_jJHZCxsbTsooK6mspo1s7Xz6bAg6NgaHMH0pdg0C4NpBuufhprstTNzQhGCoFLV2xyDdSSC6iZJhOU1NugjRvgvyZ4itTxXJTWsoqS-4RLHUhHBbxpxEf1zQB3XBEUd3taCV-6qzz-_6UOb3VlJSqIS4oqUogj0lYzv_dxiU9fjBy9MFxhbtggTywJ7RPULAtXoQEcSIlMrU7JpQQ2Q6L1uTV8hSD8BlwlDoC4VOOeuWSIb3quXGewbneWQAlTj8yGEZrHbLytFWEa5WtYvXOIInyfoerHjLZ9v7uHndMCsUhU7m2mQ%3D%3D), leapt away with last night’s dunk contest. The reboot of the reboot finally arrived yesterday for the XFL, and now it’s Dwayne (The Rock) Johnson’s turn to run it. Notably, the 40-year-old Taurasi’s 19th season will be the first of a new multiyear deal. - And the Colts trade up to No. But it felt right that Dame finally got a W on his third try (he’s now retired from the contest, he said.)

(Trent Nelson | The Salt Lake Tribune) Mac McClung, now of the Philadelphia 76ers, competes in the Slam Dunk competition as part of NBA All-Star Weekend, in ...

He proceeded to beat the field of Houston Rocket KJ Martin, New York Knick Jericho Sims and New Orleans Pelican Trey Murphy III. And it wasn’t like he was oblivious to the fact that Shaquille O’Neal and Michael B. It was something McClung couldn’t complete successfully in his practices the day before. Maybe saving the dunk contest is a reach, but at least for one night, McClung gave a new vibrancy to the NBA’s marquee All-Star Saturday Night event. He jumped over his two friends, Chase Skinkis and Bradley Deen, on his way to a dunk off the backboard. It wasn’t that he didn’t notice Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union waiting by the tunnel just to get a glimpse of him.

Mac McClung's jaw-dropping display even had Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry singing his praises.

He’s shown Stephen Curry and the rest of the NBA world that he has the athleticism to make it in the league, now it’s about showcasing his talents during an actual game. He’s grinded his way through the G League circuit and has excelled enough during his stint enough to get that NBA call-up. The popularity of the NBA Slam Dunk Contest has waned immensely in recent seasons.

It took a pretty committed NBA fan to know beforehand — while he had a standout run for the Lakers at Summer League, he played in two NBA games and the 76ers ...

Yet it all seems different now, after this 6-foot-2 boyish-looking guard from a small town in Virginia with trampolines for legs and only two NBA games on his ...

My goal is to make an impact in the NBA, and I’m just going to keep working until that happens.” [Golden State’s Stephen Curry](https://twitter.com/StephenCurry30/status/1627149382981406727?s=20) said on Twitter: “Man was a viral (House of Highlights) high school dunk phenom, still working his way to the League, but lemme go get that dunk contest trophy right quick and bring it back to life!!! He had the final basket of the 2021-22 NBA season, breaking free for an uncontested reverse dunk to cap the Los Angeles Lakers’ overtime win over the Denver Nuggets last April. But, even if he hasn’t gotten to establish himself at the NBA level yet, there’s no question that he can play. “One thing with this game is you have to learn how to adapt,” McClung told The Associated Press last year. And now, he’s a dunk champion. [Giannis Antetokounmpo — with his mouth open in disbelief](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEbJltN0Iog) — filmed the action on their phones. He broke records held by Allen Iverson and J.J. Literally, if you manifest and put your mind to it, you can literally make your life and reinvent yourself every day.” McClung knows he is an underdog story. if you are a young kid, and someone who is an inspiration to you, someone that you respect so much tells you that you can’t do it, it doesn’t matter. [Michael Jordan](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7v5dSyYNRbE) taking off from the foul line, [Vince Carter](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OJMLCF5oK4) saying “it’s over” after a dunk, [Aaron Gordon](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Q6n5NE6Cb4) jumping over the Orlando Magic mascot, [Dwight Howard](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8qtf8uZz4A) donning the Superman cape — got a massive shot in the arm from a guy who now has more dunks in the contest (four) than he does in actual NBA games (one).“It’s a cliche, but you can really do whatever you want to do,” said McClung, who is on a two-way contract with the Philadelphia 76ers and playing in the G League.

McClung — the 6-foot-2 Philadelphia guard — defeated New Orleans' Trey Murphy III in the finals of the dunk contest.

So being a part of it was great.” “It was really fun getting out there in front of the fans. “I had a lot of fun just doing that even though we took the L,” said Banchero, who was part of the winning squad in Friday’s Rising Stars games. He was signed by Golden State last year but never played in a regular-season game for the Warriors, and spent a little time on USA Basketball’s World Cup qualifying team last year as well. And when he got the trophy, he had a Blazers warmup shirt on for that moment. I’m happy that I did it in my home, coming back here to Utah.” “And I’m happy that it happened here. Philadelphia would become his third NBA team, and he hasn’t even played for the 76ers yet. No judge agreed, and his two-dunk score of 95.4 wasn’t good enough to make the final round. Weber State is his college; he performs music under the name Dame D.O.L.L.A. “Proving others right instead of others wrong brings a little more satisfaction.” By the time the judges’ scores came up it was already decided.

These dunks were spectacular at full speed, but watch them in slo-mo to really appreciate them.

This was crazy to pull off as your first dunk, on your first try, with all the hoopla surrounding McClung in this contest. To go from that spot to above his head, tapping it off the backboard and throwing down a flush reverse in one smooth motion was well deserving of the 50 he scored. And this wasn't a cheap windmill. This is one of those dunks you have to slow down and really contemplate the subtleties to really appreciate just how difficult it was to pull off. Kenny Smith called it a "hesi" dunk, but it was more than that. Kenny Smith wasn't sure if McClung tapped the glass before flushing his first dunk. The are jumpers and there are fliers. McClung was perfect, joining Spud Webb as the only players in history 6-foot-2 or shorter to card three 50s in a single contest. The people got up, and he didn't let them down. An absolutely nasty dunk, and perhaps just as important, again, it was on the first try. Some people were calling it a 720, which would be two full revolutions, but you can watch again and see that he finishes halfway through the second turn, as a reverse, then continues all the way around on his descent. [Mac McClung](/nba/players/3042526/mac-mcclung/), the only G League player in history to even enter the NBA Dunk Contest, let alone win it, put on a show for the ages on Saturday night in Salt Lake City, nailing all four of his attempts on the first try.

Mac McClung might have single-handedly restored the shine on a dunk contest that has been widely panned in recent years.

So being a part of it was great.” “It was really fun getting out there in front of the fans. “I had a lot of fun just doing that even though we took the L,” said Banchero, who was part of the winning squad in Friday’s Rising Stars games. I’m happy that I did it in my home, coming back here to Utah.” He was signed by Golden State last year but never played in a regular-season game for the Warriors, and spent a little time on USA Basketball’s World Cup qualifying team last year as well. “And I’m happy that it happened here. And when he got the trophy, he had a Blazers warmup shirt on for that moment. Philadelphia would become his third NBA team, and he hasn’t even played for the 76ers yet. No judge agreed, and his two-dunk score of 95.4 wasn’t good enough to make the final round. Weber State is his college; he performs music under the name Dame D.O.L.L.A. “Proving others right instead of others wrong brings a little more satisfaction.” By the time the judges’ scores came up it was already decided.

Long before he won the dunk contest at NBA All-Star Saturday, he was a YouTube phenomenon.

My goal is to make an impact in the NBA, and I’m just going to keep working until that happens.” He had the final basket of the 2021-22 NBA season, breaking free for an uncontested reverse dunk to cap the Los Angeles Lakers’ overtime win over the Denver Nuggets last April. [Golden State’s Stephen Curry](https://twitter.com/StephenCurry30/status/1627149382981406727?s=20) said on Twitter: “Man was a viral (House of Highlights) high school dunk phenom, still working his way to the League, but lemme go get that dunk contest trophy right quick and bring it back to life!!! But, even if he hasn’t gotten to establish himself at the NBA level yet, there’s no question that he can play. “One thing with this game is you have to learn how to adapt,” McClung told The Associated Press last year. [Giannis Antetokounmpo — with his mouth open in disbelief](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEbJltN0Iog) — filmed the action on their phones.

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Mac McClung was not exactly an unknown. Long before he won the dunk contest at NBA All-Star Saturday, he was a YouTube phenomenon.

My goal is to make an impact in the NBA, and I’m just going to keep working until that happens.” [Golden State’s Stephen Curry](https://twitter.com/StephenCurry30/status/1627149382981406727?s=20) said on Twitter: “Man was a viral (House of Highlights) high school dunk phenom, still working his way to the League, but lemme go get that dunk contest trophy right quick and bring it back to life!!! He had the final basket of the 2021-22 NBA season, breaking free for an uncontested reverse dunk to cap the Los Angeles Lakers’ overtime win over the Denver Nuggets last April. And now, he’s a dunk champion. But, even if he hasn’t gotten to establish himself at the NBA level yet, there’s no question that he can play. “One thing with this game is you have to learn how to adapt,” McClung told The Associated Press last year. [Giannis Antetokounmpo — with his mouth open in disbelief](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEbJltN0Iog) — filmed the action on their phones. He broke records held by Allen Iverson and J.J. McClung knows he is an underdog story. Literally, if you manifest and put your mind to it, you can literally make your life and reinvent yourself every day.” if you are a young kid, and someone who is an inspiration to you, someone that you respect so much tells you that you can’t do it, it doesn’t matter. [Michael Jordan](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7v5dSyYNRbE) taking off from the foul line, [Vince Carter](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OJMLCF5oK4) saying “it’s over” after a dunk, [Aaron Gordon](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Q6n5NE6Cb4) jumping over the Orlando Magic mascot, [Dwight Howard](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8qtf8uZz4A) donning the Superman cape — got a massive shot in the arm from a guy who now has more dunks in the contest (four) than he does in actual NBA games (one).“It’s a cliche, but you can really do whatever you want to do,” said McClung, who is on a two-way contract with the Philadelphia 76ers and playing in the G League.

Slam Dunk Contest Champion Mac McClung has a fan in Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry.

PHOENIX -- A 6-foot-2 guard with two NBA games on his resume shocked the world Saturday night by winning the All-Star Slam Dunk contest.

Box 4100","city":"Seattle","state":"Washington","stateAbbrev":"WA","postalCode":"98104","defaultCoordinates":{"latitude":47.591333,"longitude":-122.33251},"country":"USA","phone":"(206) 346-4000"},"timeZone":{"id":"America/Los_Angeles","offset":-8,"tz":"PST"},"active":true,"season":"2023"},"springVenue":{"id":2530,"link":"/api/v1/venues/2530"},"teamCode":"sea","fileCode":"sea","abbreviation":"SEA","teamName":"Mariners","locationName":"Seattle","firstYearOfPlay":"1977","league":{"id":103,"name":"American League","link":"/api/v1/league/103"},"division":{"id":200,"name":"American League West","link":"/api/v1/divisions/200"},"sport":{"id":1,"link":"/api/v1/sports/1","name":"Major League Baseball"},"shortName":"Seattle","franchiseName":"Seattle","clubName":"Mariners","active":true},{"springLeague":{"id":114,"name":"Cactus League","link":"/api/v1/league/114","abbreviation":"CL"},"allStarStatus":"N","id":137,"name":"San Francisco Giants","link":"/api/v1/teams/137","season":2023,"venue":{"id":2395,"name":"Oracle Park","link":"/api/v1/venues/2395","location":{"address1":"24 Willie Mays Plaza","city":"San Francisco","state":"California","stateAbbrev":"CA","postalCode":"94107","defaultCoordinates":{"latitude":37.778383,"longitude":-122.389448},"country":"USA","phone":"(415) 972-2000"},"timeZone":{"id":"America/Los_Angeles","offset":-8,"tz":"PST"},"active":true,"season":"2023"},"springVenue":{"id":2532,"link":"/api/v1/venues/2532"},"teamCode":"sfn","fileCode":"sf","abbreviation":"SF","teamName":"Giants","locationName":"San Francisco","firstYearOfPlay":"1883","league":{"id":104,"name":"National League","link":"/api/v1/league/104"},"division":{"id":203,"name":"National League West","link":"/api/v1/divisions/203"},"sport":{"id":1,"link":"/api/v1/sports/1","name":"Major League Baseball"},"shortName":"San Francisco","franchiseName":"San Francisco","clubName":"Giants","active":true},{"springLeague":{"id":115,"name":"Grapefruit League","link":"/api/v1/league/115","abbreviation":"GL"},"allStarStatus":"N","id":138,"name":"St. Louis","clubName":"Cardinals","active":true},{"springLeague":{"id":115,"name":"Grapefruit League","link":"/api/v1/league/115","abbreviation":"GL"},"allStarStatus":"N","id":139,"name":"Tampa Bay Rays","link":"/api/v1/teams/139","season":2023,"venue":{"id":12,"name":"Tropicana Field","link":"/api/v1/venues/12","location":{"address1":"One Tropicana Drive","city":"St. Petersburg","state":"Florida","stateAbbrev":"FL","postalCode":"33705","defaultCoordinates":{"latitude":27.767778,"longitude":-82.6525},"country":"USA","phone":"(727) 825-3137"},"timeZone":{"id":"America/New_York","offset":-5,"tz":"EST"},"active":true,"season":"2023"},"springVenue":{"id":2534,"link":"/api/v1/venues/2534"},"teamCode":"tba","fileCode":"tb","abbreviation":"TB","teamName":"Rays","locationName":"St. Louis","state":"Missouri","stateAbbrev":"MO","postalCode":"63102","defaultCoordinates":{"latitude":38.62256667,"longitude":-90.19286667},"country":"USA","phone":"(314) 345-9600"},"timeZone":{"id":"America/Chicago","offset":-6,"tz":"CST"},"active":true,"season":"2023"},"springVenue":{"id":2520,"link":"/api/v1/venues/2520"},"teamCode":"sln","fileCode":"stl","abbreviation":"STL","teamName":"Cardinals","locationName":"St. Louis","firstYearOfPlay":"1892","league":{"id":104,"name":"National League","link":"/api/v1/league/104"},"division":{"id":205,"name":"National League Central","link":"/api/v1/divisions/205"},"sport":{"id":1,"link":"/api/v1/sports/1","name":"Major League Baseball"},"shortName":"St. For me, it’s a lifetime ago, and yet it was yesterday.” McClung lives in the Tampa area and is still involved in baseball as a coach. Now he’s trying to make it in the NBA. Louis Cardinals","link":"/api/v1/teams/138","season":2023,"venue":{"id":2889,"name":"Busch Stadium","link":"/api/v1/venues/2889","location":{"address1":"700 Clark Street","city":"St. “I remember having him take ground balls in Durham , and he was good enough that the coaches came out and said, ‘Who is this kid?’” Seth McClung said. Mac’s sister was a top-rated soccer player out of high school. “After he made the first dunk, I said, ‘This is over.

Mac McClung was regarded as a bit of an odd choice to headline the 2023 NBA Slam Dunk Contest on Saturday night. The 24-year-old guard has played in only ...

He appeared briefly with the [Golden State Warriors](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/GS/golden-state-warriors/) in the team's preseason games in Japan last October, but he didn't stick there either. No matter who he faces, McClung will enter the 2024 dunk contest a far more famous man than he was on Saturday. His scoring went down, but if he needed to prove himself as a playmaker, he's largely done so at the G League level. In April, 2022, he was signed for a single game with the [Chicago Bulls](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/CHI/chicago-bulls/). Well, in the next few days, McClung will travel back to either Delaware or Philadelphia, depending on the needs of the 76ers. He signed a Summer League deal with the But if McClung expected to become a more traditional point guard at Texas Tech, he was likely disappointed by the results. According to his agent, McClung was looking for a role that Georgetown simply wasn't giving him. He was always more than just a dunker, but his scoring numbers exploded in his final two high school seasons. as well as Shareef O'Neal, son of NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal, to earn the trophy. But the Hoyas went 15-17 in McClung's second season, scoring 16 points a game. McClung entered All-Star Weekend with 821,000 followers on Instagram, more than twice as many as three other competitors ( [Trey Murphy III](/nba/players/3041735/trey-murphy-iii/), [Jericho Sims](/nba/players/2893240/jericho-sims/) and [Kenyon Martin Jr.](/nba/players/3158717/kenyon-martin-jr/)) have combined.

McClung, who only recently signed with the Sixers, took the basketball world by storm with his all-time performance in the Slam Dunk contest.

Waitresses at Salt Stone restaurant marveled at the leaping ability of “that small guy from Philadelphia.” And an Uber driver called McClung the “best dunker” he’s seen. And he was originally scheduled to compete in Sunday’s NBA G League Next Up Game at the Jon M. Now even before competing in his first Sixers practice, McClung is a fan favorite in Philly. The 24-year-old grew up in Gate City, a town with a population of 2,030 in southwest Virginia. But his in-season career has mostly consisted of NBA G League stints with the South Bay Lakers, Windy City Bulls, and Delaware Blue Coats. McClung also earned the top two spots in ESPN’s SportsCenter top 10, which could also boost his following.

Steph Curry and NBA Twitter had a field day after Mac McClung's showing at the 2023 NBA Dunk Contest.

As the first player from the NBA's developmental G League to participate in the All-Star Game slam dunk contest, Mac McClung is appreciative of the ...

“But since we moved him off of the ball, he’s shown that he can be a really good spot-up shooter, which has become one of the most important skills to have in today’s game.” “I’m just a big believer in God’s timing and everything happening for a reason,” he said. I was rookie of the year over there, we were winning, and I was just waiting for a turn that never came. Following a brief stint with the Chicago Bulls in which he recorded his first minutes and points as an NBA player, McClung joined the South Bay Lakers, the Los Angeles Lakers’ G League affiliate. McClung recently signed with the Philadelphia 76ers on a two-way contract after averaging 19.1 points and 4.7 assists with the Blue Coats. “On one hand, I feel like [being known as the White player who dunks is] something you can only embrace at this point,” McClung said.

Should the Chicago Bulls have given the 2023 NBA Dunk Contest champion Mac McClung more time to prove himself and earn a roster spot?

As phenomenal of a show he put on at the Dunk Contest, I highly doubt we will look back at McClung as a missed opportunity in the same vein as Spencer Dinwiddie. Although he’d be unsuccessful in his efforts to make the Bulls’ main roster, he would however go on to make history as the first G League player to participate in the Dunk Contest before going on to win it all. Chicago’s own All-Star DeMar DeRozan and former Bulls legends Joakim Noah and Pau Gasol were all gathered in attendance to see McClung put on a show.

Philadelphia 76ers two-way player Mac McClung was, without a shadow of a doubt, the star of All-Star Saturday night when he electrified fans and NBA players ...

What a perfect response, honestly. McClung could've put anyone on the spot. He could've mentioned LeBron James or even Zion Williamson. Instead, should McClung ...

He could’ve mentioned LeBron James McClung could’ve put anyone on the spot. [February 19, 2023] This is a young man clearly not afraid of any coming challengers, who apparently only wants a chance to compete:

McClung only played two games in the NBA before wowing judges with a stellar performance at the annual dunk contest.

[committed to play for the Red Raiders](https://www.instagram.com/p/CAs9si-FWhu/?hl=en). [Golden State Warriors point guard Steph Curry](https://twitter.com/NBAonTNT/status/1627145698516017152) wrote. "I'm very hungry and I'm resilient so I'm gonna keep working." However, he added that his work isn't finished. [senior year performances](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2NIZXzCviM) posted on YouTube by sports website Ballislife has more than three million views as of Sunday. [Features](/category/features) [Sports](/category/sports) [NBA](/category/nba) he wrote. He scored a perfect 100 on his final two dunks, beating out New Orleans Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III for the win, [Magic Johnson tweeted](https://twitter.com/MagicJohnson/status/1627148368718987264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1627148368718987264%7Ctwgr%5E50b6765429ce2e9958be232d4ff27b4f628ba968%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.espn.com%2Fnba%2Fstory%2F_%2Fid%2F35692091%2Fmac-mcclung-nba-all-star-slam-dunk-contest-twitter) that McClung "saved" the NBA Slam Dunk Contest, an [event that has dwindled in excitement](https://www.insider.com/the-nba-slam-dunk-contest-is-dead-heres-how-it-happened-2023-2) in recent years. Unreal," [G League Rookie of the Year](https://southbay.gleague.nba.com/news/south-bay-lakers-mac-mcclung-named-2021-22-kia-nba-g-league-rookie-of-the-year), averaging 21.6 points per game, [according to Delaware Online](https://www.delawareonline.com/story/sports/nba/2023/02/17/76ers-g-league-two-way-player-mac-mcclung-in-nba-slam-dunk-contest/69914966007/). [declare for the 2020 NBA Draft](https://www.instagram.com/p/B-U8dpmlNes/?hl=en).

Mac McClung was regarded as a bit of an odd choice to headline the 2023 NBA Slam Dunk Contest on Saturday night. The 24-year-old guard has played in only ...

He appeared briefly with the [Golden State Warriors](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/GS/golden-state-warriors/) in the team's preseason games in Japan last October, but he didn't stick there either. No matter who he faces, McClung will enter the 2024 dunk contest a far more famous man than he was on Saturday. His scoring went down, but if he needed to prove himself as a playmaker, he's largely done so at the G League level. In April, 2022, he was signed for a single game with the [Chicago Bulls](https://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/CHI/chicago-bulls/). Well, in the next few days, McClung will travel back to either Delaware or Philadelphia, depending on the needs of the 76ers. He signed a Summer League deal with the But if McClung expected to become a more traditional point guard at Texas Tech, he was likely disappointed by the results. According to his agent, McClung was looking for a role that Georgetown simply wasn't giving him. He was always more than just a dunker, but his scoring numbers exploded in his final two high school seasons. as well as Shareef O'Neal, son of NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal, to earn the trophy. But the Hoyas went 15-17 in McClung's second season, scoring 16 points a game. McClung entered All-Star Weekend with 821,000 followers on Instagram, more than twice as many as three other competitors ( [Trey Murphy III](/nba/players/3041735/trey-murphy-iii/), [Jericho Sims](/nba/players/2893240/jericho-sims/) and [Kenyon Martin Jr.](/nba/players/3158717/kenyon-martin-jr/)) have combined.

The former Scott County star dazzled the sports world by winning the NBA dunk contest this weekend — while wearing his old high school jersey. Avatar photo ...

Morgan Griffith, R-Salem, who represents McClung’s hometown, tweeted: “I was thrilled to see his final dunk of the night was in a Gate City basketball jersey.” So were lots of us. Since 2021, he’s mostly played in the NBA’s G League, except for two brief stints with the Chicago Bulls, where he played for all of 3 minutes in one game, and another with the Los Angeles Lakers, where he played for 22 minutes in another game. My goal is to make an impact in the NBA, and I’m just going to keep working until that happens.” At the time, the theory behind the league was to concentrate eight teams in the Southeast, from Roanoke to Mobile, Alabama. The closest G League team to us is the Greensboro Swarm, an affiliate of the Charlotte Hornets. I’ve lost count of who tweeted the most about McClung’s performance — other NBA stars or Virginia politicians, who were keen to embrace a hometown hero. Mac McClung has mostly played in the NBA’s minor league, the G League. In high school, he gave up football to concentrate on basketball and concentrate he did. [Andscape](https://andscape.com/features/georgetown-freshman-mac-mcclung-is-electrifying-dynamic-and-white/). [ Andscape](https://andscape.com/features/georgetown-freshman-mac-mcclung-is-electrifying-dynamic-and-white/). Unlike Major League Baseball’s home run derby, which typically attracts some of the sport’s biggest names, the dunk contest has not in recent years — and McClung this year was the best evidence of that. (The contest is judged not simply on making dunks, but the style points with which they are made.)