This generation of the NBA has been home to some of the most entertaining and athletic players ever. We’ve seen the all-time great Vince Carter as well as the greatest Dunk Contest of all time between Aaron Gordon and Zach LaVine in 2016. Now we are amongst the rise of players like Ja Morant and Zion Williamson who share incredible leaping abilities, but others fly under the radar.
We’ve seen countless mixtapes and highlight reels of him pulling off insane dunks in high school and now he’s doing the same thing as a professional. This season he will be the first NBA G League player to participate in the NBA Dunk Contest.
Mac McClung currently plays for the Delaware Blue Coats, the 76ers affiliate, and has also had brief stints with the Chicago Bulls, the Golden State Warriors, and the Los Angeles Lakers.
The undrafted Texas Tech product is averaging 19.3 PPG, 2.5 RPG, and 4.8 APG while shooting 57.8% from the field and 50% from three-point land this season.
McClung has led his team to a 12-5 record, second in the Eastern Conference while showing that he is one of the best players in the G League. His play has also given him the opportunity to compete in the NBA Rising Stars event on Friday, February 17th.
I got the chance to attend the Blue Coats’ recent game against the Wisconsin Herd and watch McClung. The kid is gifted offensively. The offense runs through him and it’s truly difficult to defend him. He’s a knockdown shooter from deep but he can also use his jumping ability at the height of 6’2” to finish among the big guys. When he’s not scoring, Mac is a great passer and often finds open teammates for easy points. His impact isn’t limited to the offensive end; his athleticism allows him to jump passing lanes for steals as well as disrupt shots at the rim.
In 27 minutes of action vs the Herd, McClung led the Blue Coats with 35 points, 3 rebounds, and 9 assists while shooting 11-14 from the field and 7-8 from three.
Jaden Springer added 30 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists as the Blue Coats came out on top 166-139, a new franchise points record. Paris Bass put together a huge performance for Wisconsin, scoring 50 points and grabbing 11 rebounds.
After the win, I had a few moments to catch up with McClung. I first asked him what the opportunity to compete in the Rising Stars Event and Dunk Contest meant to him and if he was excited:
“It’s really an honor and I’m happy to be a part of it,” McClung said with a smile, “I’m going to try and make the most of it.”
I then asked him if he had anything planned for the Dunk Contest or anything dunks that he may want to try:
“I’m just going to try and be creative,” McClung said, “I’ve been working with Chuck [Millan] at Team Flight Brothers, just trying to do some dunks that haven’t been done before and that I know I can make, hopefully.”
Look for him to attempt one of the hardest dunks, a double east bay, something that Chuck Millan has been working on with his guys for a while. Nobody has pulled it off yet on a 10’ rim. It seems impossible for a 6’2” guy to be the first to do it, but McClung registered the 7th-highest max vertical leap in the history of the NBA Combine with his 43 1/2 inch jump and a 36-inch standing vertical jump. Outside of the combine, Mac has recorded a 48-inch vertical jump so this dunk is definitely in his range.
As previously mentioned, Mac is insanely athletic and will definitely be fun to watch next weekend, February 17th, for the Rising Stars Event and the 18th for the Dunk Contest.
