It seems to fly. But few really know him. Beyond seeming like one of those crappy, semi-unknown superhero stories, The life of Mac McClung (Virginia, 1999) is that of someone extraordinary. He shouldn’t be when he is a small point guard (1.88) for the Osceola Magic, affiliate of Orlando in the Development League. But things change when it comes to the best matador on the planet. A difficult art, full of edges. And the ‘0’ dominates it. He repeated – revalidating – the crown of the NBA All-Star Slam Dunk Contest. It’s no longer a surprise.
McClung, in one of his dunks.EFE
McClung It was a surprise in 2023 when he was crowned champion coming from the Sixers affiliate team. Such was his story that he starred in some viral moment when he met a fan wearing his shirt… but he didn’t recognize his face in person. He was an unknown player, but his name is already pointed to modern heroes of the contest like Michael Jordan, Dominique Wilkins o Nate Robinson. Its springs, its creativity and the complexity of ‘nailing’ almost each exercise.
There were four extremely beautiful mattes. In the first, a self-pass in the air. The second changed to a grind to finish in a ‘tomahawk’ with all the violence in the rim (grades of 48 and 49.4). To win the contest he bet even more: jumping two people with pinwheel and the winner he flew in… over Shaquille O’Neal! A myth crowned him. One that measures 2.16 meters. He needed a 49.1 to win after his 48.8 in the first of the final. He billed 50. The perfection.
Mac McClung wins dunk contest
The reality is that he establishes himself as an out-of-class matador and revives the old laurels of the Mate Contest. He beat Jaylen Brown (Boston Celtics), a star of the League. He seemed to take more points than he deserved and almost won the contest after jumping another All-Star, Donovan Mitchell. In addition to remembering other great dunks of yesteryear, like Dee Brown’s without looking. Out of the final were Jáquez, from the Miami Heat, who opened vertically but did not close his second well, and Jacob Toppin, Obi’s brother and Knicks player, without much difficulty in his actions.
McClung dominated them. “It was great. Shaq was phenomenal when he put on the shirt, he moved me. The contest asked me to do something and I had to make sure of the final,” she explained. He repeats the title, something that has not been done since Zach Lavine in 2015 and 2016. He is the best matador in the world.