Mac McClung, who has only played in 4 NBA games, wins second Slam Dunk Contest title
Mac McClung entered NBA All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis with only four games under his belt at the highest level of basketball as he’s spent most of his career in the G League.
But it hasn’t stopped him from showcasing his dunking abilities on one of the biggest stages the league has to offer. On Saturday, he showed out again in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest, defeating Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown, New York Knicks forward Jacob Toppin and Miami Heat rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr.
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Mac McClung of the Osceola Magic dunks the ball over Shaquille O'Neal as a part of State Farm All-Star Saturday Night on Feb. 17, 2024, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images)
On his final dunk, McClung put Shaquille O’Neal into a jersey with his name on the back. He 6-foot-2 guard then ran from one side of the court behind O’Neal, took the ball out of the hands of the Basketball Hall of Famer and did a reverse dunk over the 7-foot-1 legend.
McClung earned a perfect score on the dunk. He scored 98.8 points in the final round of the contest to top Brown’s 97.8
"Shaq was so cool to put that high school jersey on, man, it almost made me emotional that he would do that," McClung said. "When he put it on, he said, ‘You better not miss it.’ I said, ‘OK, I won’t miss it.’"
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Osceola Magic's Mac McClung waves after winning the slam dunk competition at All-Star weekend, Feb. 17, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
McClung, who plays for the Orlando Magic’s G League affiliate, the Osceola Magic, became the sixth player to win at least two dunk contests and the first to win it in back-to-back years since Zach LaVine in 2015 and 2016.
McClung wasn’t sure if he was going to go for a third.
"We’ll think about it," he said.
Nate Robinson is the only NBA player with three dunk titles, but they didn’t come in a row.
McClung joined the Magic organization after spending last season with the Philadelphia 76ers. He helped the 76ers’ G League team, the Delaware Blue Coasts, win the championship. He was also named the 2022 G League Rookie of the Year for the Los Angeles Lakers’ G League team, the South Bay Lakers.
Osceola Magic's Mac McClung is greeted by Shaquille O'Neal during the slam dunk competition at All-Star weekend, Feb. 17, 2024, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
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Last season, McClung earned some time with the 76ers’ main roster weeks after he won the Slam Dunk Contest. But it’s unclear if the Magic will call him up this season.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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