Mac McClung on Saturday was once again the only reason the NBA Slam Dunk Contest remains worth watching.
McClung entered this year’s contest as the reigning two-time dunk champion. On his very first attempt, he reminded the fans and players watching at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., exactly why he’s the champ.
The Orlando Magic two-way player brought out a Kia sedan and had someone hold up a basketball while sticking out of the car’s sunroof. McClung cleared the car, grabbed the ball, cocked it back down, and slammed it over his head as he was falling away. Words cannot adequately describe how impressive the dunk was.
Former NBA Slam Dunk champion Blake Griffin famously dunked over a Kia in the past. But the former Los Angeles Clippers star only cleared the hood of the vehicle. He also didn’t add any extra flair that McClung did.
McClung got even more creative in the final round. For his first dunk of the round, he had a man hold up a ball while spinning on a hoverboard, similar to what Aaron Gordon set up during his iconic dunk from 2016. To pay homage to Gordon, McClung also had the man wear Gordon’s old Magic jersey.
McClung then had a second man stand on a ladder and hold a ball near the rim. Would you believe it if I said McClung dunked both basketballs in one jump?
San Antonio Spurs rookie Stephon Castle gave McClung a proper challenge in the final round. Castle tallied a near-perfect 99.6 on his two attempts. But McClung got perfect 50s on all four of his attempts en route to his third consecutive NBA Slam Dunk Contest crown, the first time it’s happened in the competition’s history.
The NBA was heavily criticized last month over its underwhelming slate of dunk contest participants. While McClung has proven himself to be one of the contest’s best dunkers ever, it’s undeniable that he’s a borderline NBA player at best. But kudos to him for stealing the show every time he gets the chance.
