Mac McClung discusses dunk contest future, Gate City love and NBA journey
A lot can change in three weeks.
Less than a month ago, Mac McClung took to Twitter after signing a two-way deal with the 76ers. His message: stay the course. Four days later, he set the basketball world on fire with dunks that helped him capture the 2023 NBA Slam Dunk Contest crown.
MORE: Mac McClung ends dunk contest and wins with three perfect scores
Since then, McClung has been considered the savior of dunk competition. received a standing ovation at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphiaand has continued to dominate since the All-Star break with the Delaware Blue Coats of the G League, averaging 20.2 points and 6.2 assists.
The Sporting News spoke to McClung ahead of the release of Episode 6 of The Break Presented by The General, an eight-part documentary that takes a look at his journey and that of other G League stars, complete with commentary from Shaquille O’Neal .
Episode 6 in particular is special in that it takes you behind the scenes of McClung’s historic weekend in Salt Lake City. Camera crews provide never-before-seen footage of the process that led to McClung’s earth-shattering performance.
MORE: Stephen Curry, Magic Johnson and others react to Mac McClung’s performance at the dunk contest
“I have fun with it,” McClung said of the docuseries. “I’ve never had anything as authentic as this and they did a great job with it. It’s really just me – often you have certain scripts or certain things to say, but it’s really just me. I’m excited for people to see this.”
And while McClung admits he’s still getting used to camera crews following his every move, he’s no stranger to the spotlight.
During McClung’s time at Gate City High School in Gate City, Virginia, his dunks made him a viral sensation, prompting SN to cover his senior season in a 10-minute feature titled “Mac McClung: The Freak, The Legend, The Story.” ” to document. “
Five years later, things came full circle when McClung’s high school teammate and best friend, Bradley Dean, helped him represent their hometown on the NBA’s biggest stage.
“Being from Gate City teaches you the values of humility and what matters in life from a young age,” McClung said of the appreciation he has for his hometown.
“No one cares how much money you have or how famous you are. They only care about how you treat people,” McClung added. “That’s where my drive comes from – being from such a small town helped shape me. I love giving as much credit to my hometown as I can.”
Much like when he was in high school, you might come for McClung’s dunks, but you’ll stay once you realize what a solid player he is outside of his athletics.
Adding to his work that earned him G League Rookie of the Year honors for the 2021-22 season, McClung is averaging 19.3 points, 5.0 assists and 2.8 rebounds per game while earning 55, 7 percent from the field and 47.8 percent shoots from 3-point range during the 2022-23 regular season.
His most recent award? G League Player of the Week honors thanks to even more impressive numbers.
An incredible run for Mac McClung 💪
After an outstanding performance at #ATTSlamDunk while #NBAAllStar, Mac McClung is back and making a mark. Average 28.7 PTS, 4.3 AST, 4.3 3PM and leading @blue_coats A 3-0 record earned McClung the title of G-League Player of the Week. pic.twitter.com/GST9YpX8RS
— NBA G League (@nbagleague) March 7, 2023
McClung earned his two-way contract through his play, but the work is just beginning. For the 24-year-old, the contract is a chance to show and prove he’s capable of playing at the highest level.
“I want to show that I’m an NBA player,” McClung said of the opportunity. “I can play on a winning team – I can contribute by playing the game right and I’m not going to force anything.
“I can fit into any situation. I’ve been in a number of different situations this year and I feel like I’ve been successful in all of them.”
One of McClung’s greatest goals is to demonstrate his ability to lead teams from the point guard position, something he’s steadily improved since his days as a college standout at Georgetown and Texas Tech.
And while McClung’s primary goal is to prove himself as an NBA player and one day contribute to a championship, it’s not lost on him that he pulled off one of the greatest feats in NBA slam dunk history.
If invited back to defend his title, McClung has made it clear he’ll be happy to accept. To top his performance in 2023, McClung said he had a few invisible tricks up his sleeve.
“I think I have one more dunk that no one has seen before, maybe two,” McClung said. “My plan is to create more and come up with some new things.”
If what we’ve seen so far in 2023 is any indication, McClung will be creating new dunks as he continues to stay the course and carve his way to his NBA breakthrough.