Mac McClung might have single-handedly restored the shine on a dunk contest that has been widely panned in recent years.
McClung, the 6-foot-2 Philadelphia guard on a two-way contract, defeated New Orleans’ Trey Murphy III in the finals of the dunk contest, culminating an NBA All-Star Saturday that may have finally answered the question as to whether what used to be the league’s signature event can be glitzy again.
McClung had the answer: Absolutely.
“I’m truly blessed and grateful for the NBA giving me this opportunity,” McClung said.
A 540-degree dunk — not a 360, but a 540, him doing one-and-a-half rotations in the air, a move more reserved for figure skaters and skateboarders than basketball players — was his third perfect score of the night out of four dunks. By the time the judges’ scores came up it was already decided. Everyone in the building knew he’d already won.
“It’s over,” McClung said.
It was. And he immediately committed to defending his title at Indianapolis at All-Star Saturday next year.
“If you guys will have me, I’ll be back,” McClung said.
The final score, not that it mattered, was McClung 100.0, Murphy 98.0.
His is an unbelievable story: McClung has played mostly in the G League, where he ranks 36th in scoring this season at 19 points per game. He was undrafted in 2021 after spending three college seasons at Georgetown and Texas Tech. He was signed by Golden State last year but never played in a regular-season game for the Warriors, and spent a little time on USA Basketball’s World Cup qualifying team last year as well.
“Ever since the beginning, I was the underdog,” said McClung, who put on a Gate City jersey — his high school and hometown in Virginia, population 1,600 — for the final dunk. “Proving others right instead of others wrong brings a little more satisfaction.”
Philadelphia would become his third NBA team, and he hasn’t even played for the 76ers yet. He played in one game last season for the Chicago Bulls, one other game for the Los Angeles Lakers.
He has three NBA baskets.
He had four dunks on Saturday night. A guy with more dunks than actual NBA field goals might have saved the dunk contest.
“Give this man his flowers, man,” TNT commentator Kenny Smith said.
McClung set the tone for the night with a dunk that had NBA superstars in disbelief — he leaped over two people, took the ball out of the hands of one of them, tapped it on the backboard and then threw down a reverse slam.
And that was just for starters.
Riding the momentum of that perfect dunk, he wound up hoisting the trophy that was newly renamed for dunking legend — and former 76ers star — Julius “Dr. J” Erving.
“I’m super happy,” McClung said.
McClung was nearly perfect on his second dunk as well; four judges gave him a perfect 50, Lisa Leslie gave him a 49 as the only dissenter, but it didn’t matter — he was already assured a spot in the final round against Murphy.
New York’s Jericho Sims gave himself a 50 on his second dunk, where he attached an envelope to the net, pulled it down after the dunk and displayed “50” to the world. No judge agreed, and his two-dunk score of 95.4 wasn’t good enough to make the final round.
Also eliminated after Round 1: Houston’s Kenyon Martin Jr., with a score of 93.2.
關於我和鬼變成家人的那件事 完整版
灌篮高手-剧场版 完整版
阿凡达：水之道 完整版
蚁人与黄蜂女：量子狂潮 完整版
愛在生命終結時 完整版
手 完整版
色界 完整版
鬼灭之刃：上弦集结 – 前往刀匠村 完整版
親密 完整版
首爾怪談 完整版
Alibi.com 2 Stream VF
Ant-Man et la Guêpe : Quantumania Stream VF
Astérix & Obélix : L’Empire du Milieu Stream VF
Un homme heureux Stream VF
Avatar : La voie de l’eau il était Stream VF
Titanic Stream VF
Sacrées Momies Stream VF
Babylon Stream VF
Pattie et la colère de Poséidon Stream VF
Le Chat Potté 2 : la dernière quête Stream VF
La Femme de Tchaïkovski Stream VF
Zodi et Téhu, frères du désert Stream VF
Juste ciel Stream VF
Marlowe Stream VF
L’Astronaute Stream VF
Le Grand Cirque Stream VF
Knock at the Cabin Stream VF
M3GAN Stream VF
Les Cyclades Stream VF
La Guerre des Lulus Stream VF
Les Banshees d’Inisherin Stream VF
Tempête Stream VF
Mayday Stream VF
Vaincre ou mourir Stream VF
Tár Stream VF
L’immensità Stream VF
Caravage Stream VF
Le Clan Stream VF
Black Panther : Wakanda Forever Stream VF
Divertimento Stream VF
Choeur de rockers Stream VF
Nostalgia Stream VF
La Famille Asada Stream VF
Black Adam Stream VF
Youssef Salem a du succès Stream VF
Blueback Online (2023) Full Movie
Sound of Silence Online (2023) Full Movie
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba Swordsmith Village Online (2023) Full Movie
Hunt Her, Kill Her Online (2023) Full Movie
John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023) FuLLMovie Online Free
My Happy Ending (2023) FuLLMovie Online
Juniper (2023) FuLLMovie Online Free
Primary Position (2023) FuLLMovie Online
Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre (2023) FuLLMovie Online
Creed 3 (2023) FuLLMovie Online
The Wandering Earth 2 (2023) FuLLMovie Online
The Confession Musical (2023) FuLLMovie Online
Cocaine Bear (2023) FuLLMovie Online
Jesus Revolution (2023) FuLLMovie Online
Mummies (2023) FuLLMovie Online
Pathaan (2023) FuLLMovie Online
House Party (2023) FuLLMovie Online
Father & Soldier (2023) FuLLMovie Online
Rafadan Tayfa: Galaktik Tayfa (2023) FuLLMovie Online
Die Drei ??? – Erbe des Drachen (2023) FuLLMovie Online
jhanjutelodon
Damian Lillard represented his school and his brand, doing them both proud.
Lillard, the Portland star, won the 3-point contest by topping Indiana teammates Buddy Hield and Tyrese Haliburton in the final round.
Lillard wore a Weber State jersey with “Dolla” on the back. Weber State is his college; he performs music under the name Dame D.O.L.L.A. And when he got the trophy, he had a Blazers warmup shirt on for that moment.
“They say the third time’s the charm,” said Lillard, who got his first 3-point title in his third try at the event. “And I’m happy that it happened here. It’s a perfect situation. I’m happy that I did it in my home, coming back here to Utah.”
Lillard won the final round with 26 points. Hield had 25 and Haliburton scored 17.
Lillard played his college games in Ogden, Utah, about a half-hour outside of Salt Lake City. And the historic ramification of finally getting a 3-point title wasn’t lost on him.
“The best shooters in the history of our game, most of them have one of these,” Lillard said as he held the trophy. “I just wanted to get it done at least one time. And now I have it, so I can retire from it.”
Haliburton won the first round with 31 points. Lillard had 26, and Hield had 23.
Eliminated in the first round were Boston’s Jayson Tatum, Utah’s Lauri Markkanen, Miami’s Tyler Herro, New York’s Julius Randle and Sacramento’s Kevin Huerter.
SKILLS CHALLENGE
Utah got a win to open All-Star Saturday night.
The Jazz — a roster composed of Utah players Jordan Clarkson, Walker Kessler and Collin Sexton — won the Skills Challenge on Saturday night, prevailing in two of the three competitions.
“It feels good, especially to do it in front of the home team,” Sexton said.
The Rooks were second, with Orlando’s Paolo Banchero, Detroit’s Jaden Ivey and Houston’s Jabari Smith Jr. getting 100 points.
