While Mac McClung was representing the Philadelphia 76ers at All-Star Saturday night in Salt Lake City, his first NBA opportunities came with the Los Angeles Lakers. And the former Laker dazzled at the Slam Dunk Contest, becoming an instant sensation.
McClung competed in the Slam Dunk contest alongside Kenyon Martin Jr. of the Houston Rockets, Jericho Sims of the New York Knicks and Trey Murphy III of the New Orleans Pelicans. The judges for the event were Jamal Crawford, Lisa Leslie, Karl Malone, Harold Miner and Dominique Wilkins.
Murphy made it to the Finals of the event alongside McClung but ultimately fell to the 6-foot-2 phenom with the 43-inch vertical from his NBA combine.
McClung’s full Slam Dunk Contest performance can be viewed here, via Ballislife.com:
Every dunk by MAC MCCLUNG in his almost flawless victory at the 2023 NBA Dunk Contest
Tap the glass over 2 people: 50
360 windmill: 49.8
Double Pump Reverse: 50
540!!!: 50And made every dunk on the first try
SHAQ: "He saved the dunk contest" pic.twitter.com/5RGjujUCMU— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) February 19, 2023
McClung began the night with arguably the best dunk in recent contest memory, jumping over two people before hitting the ball against the backboard and finishing the dunk on the first try. It was given a perfect score.
His second dunk was a 360 windmill that was his only non-perfect score of the night. Still, he finished the dunk on the first attempt and reminded everyone of the freakish athleticism that got him into the NBA in the first place after being a viral sensation in high school and college.
Now in the finals with Murphy, McClung kicked things off with a double pump reverse dunk that landed yet another perfect score. He achieved the 50 once the slow motion version clearly showed the impressive double pump.
He finished the night with perhaps his most impressive dunk, a 540 reverse that saw him do one and a half spins in mid air before finishing the dunk — on the first try — while facing away from the basket. It landed him his third 50 in four dunks and the Slam Dunk Contest championship.
All-Star Saturday Night winners
The night started with the new version of the Skills Challenge that saw three teams face off in a variety of skills-based contests. It was Team Antetokounmpo with Jrue Holiday, Thanasis and Alex Antetokounmpo against Team Rooks with Paolo Banchero, Jaden Ivey and Jabari Smith Jr. and Team Jazz with Jordan Clarkson, Walker Kessler and Collin Sexton.
Team Jazz took home the victory with Team Rooks finishing in second place and Team Antetokounmpo in last.
Damian Lillard was the Three-Point Contest champion, beating Indiana Pacers guards Buddy Hield and Tyrese Haliburton in the finals of that event.
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