Mac McClung entered NBA All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis after playing just four games at the highest level of basketball, having spent most of his career in the G League.
But that didn’t prevent him from showcasing his dunking abilities on one of the biggest stages the league has to offer. On Saturday, he stood out again in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest, beating out Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown, New York Knicks forward Jacob Toppin and Miami Heat rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr.
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Osceola Magic’s Mac McClung dunks the ball over Shaquille O’Neal during the State Farm All-Star Saturday Night game at Lucas Oil Stadium on February 17, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana. . (Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images)
For his final dunk, McClung made Shaquille O’Neal wear a jersey with his name on it. The 6-foot-2 guard then ran behind O’Neal from one side of the court, snatched the ball from the Basketball Hall of Famer’s hands, and completed a reverse dunk over the 7-foot-1 legend.
McClung earned perfect points for his dunk. He scored 98.8 points in the final round of the competition, topping Brown’s 97.8 points.
“Shaq looked so cool in his high school jersey. It was almost touching for him to do that,” McClung said. “When he put it on, he said, ‘You better not miss it.’ I said, ‘Okay, I won’t miss it.’ ”
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Osceola Magic’s Mac McClung waves after winning the slam dunk competition during All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis, Feb. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Daron Cummings)
McClung, who plays for the Osceola Magic, the Orlando Magic’s G League affiliate, becomes the sixth player to win the dunk contest at least twice and the first to win it consecutively since Zach LaVine in 2015 and 2016. became.
McClung wasn’t sure if he would go for the third one.
“I’ll think about it,” he said.
Nate Robinson is the only NBA player to win three dunk titles, but not consecutively.
McClung joins the Magic organization after spending last season with the Philadelphia 76ers. He helped the 76ers’ G League team, the Delaware Blue Coast, win a championship. He was also named the 2022 G League Rookie of the Year by the South Bay Lakers, the Los Angeles Lakers’ G League team.
Mac McClung of the Osceola Magic is greeted by Shaquille O’Neal during the slam dunk competition during All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis, Feb. 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Daron Cummings)
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Last season, McClung earned time on the 76ers’ main roster a few weeks after winning the Slam Dunk Contest. However, it’s unclear whether the Magic will call him up this season.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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