Mac McClung Stuns With Perfect Scores During NBA All-Star Slam Dunk Contest [Video]

Mac McClung is having one hell of a week. Five days ago, he wasn’t on any NBA roster. Then he signed a two-way contract with the Philadelphia 76ers earlier this week. And on Saturday, he became the NBA All-Star slam dunk champion.

McClung dominated during the dunk contest at Salt Lake City’s Vivint Arena, earning 50s for three of his four dunks. 

The 6ft 2in guard started off by jumping over a friend sitting on top of another friend’s shoulders, grabbing the ball from one of their hands, and tapping it off the backboard before putting it through the hoop. 

For his only less-than-perfect score of the contest, his second dunk saw him performing a whirling helicopter, two-handed, 360-degree dunk, which earned him a 49.8. 

McClung’s third dunk saw him jumping over one of his friends again and taking the ball from him before finishing with a two-handed reverse. This move earned him his second perfect score of the night. 

And for the finale, he nailed a 540 dunk, completing one-and-a-half turns in the air, earning another perfect 50 and securing the trophy. He told ESPN that he couldn’t hit the 540 in practice but was confident he could pull it off.

Sixers legend Julius “Dr. J” Erving presented McClung with the newly designed dunk contest trophy at center court. 

“The crowd was really amazing tonight. It was a blessing. It’s really cool, man. I mean, I’ll be able to tell my kids and brag about it one day,” McClung said to CNN. “But yeah, the goal is to play in the NBA. I’m gonna keep working every day. I’m very hungry, and I’m resilient, so I’m gonna keep working.”

McClung’s performance not only drew a strong reaction from the crowd but from NBA legends as well. Shaq proclaimed that McClung “saved the dunk contest.”

“He saved the dunk contest.” – @SHAQ pic.twitter.com/caoAOChL5j

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) February 19, 2023

Following McClung’s victory, the 76ers tweeted, “Y’all asked ‘who is Mac McClung?’ NOW YOU KNOW.”

y'all asked "who is Mac McClung?"

NOW YOU KNOW.

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) February 19, 2023