August 22, 2023
Mac McClung etched a spot in Philly sports lore that was all his own back in February.
Representing the Sixers without ever having played a second for them prior, the ultra-athletic guard came up from the Delaware Blue Coats in the G-League, went out to Salt Lake City for All-Star Weekend, and put on an absolute show, making spectacular jam after spectacular jam to win the NBA's annual slam dunk contest.
It was unreal, the entire arena was on its feet, and the NBA's very best were absolutely stunned because "a G-Leaguer has saved the dunk contest!" as TNT's Reggie Miller declared on the broadcast after McClung threw down the winning, exclamation-point dunk.
In an instant, the whole basketball world knew McClung's name and knew he was a Sixer. But after it was all said and done, he was still left looking for a spot in the NBA, which he's hoping to find now in Orlando.
First reported by The Athletic's Shams Charania, McClung agreed to a partially guaranteed deal with the Orlando Magic on Tuesday, ending his short but quite noteworthy one-year run within the Sixers' organization.
Every dunk by MAC MCCLUNG in his almost flawless victory at the 2023 NBA Dunk Contest
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) February 19, 2023
Tap the glass over 2 people: 50
360 windmill: 49.8
Double Pump Reverse: 50
540!!!: 50
And made every dunk on the first try
SHAQ: "He saved the dunk contest" pic.twitter.com/5RGjujUCMU
Outside of the dunk contest, McClung was a vital part of the Blue Coats' lineup down in Delaware, having averaged 19.8 points on 54.8 percent shooting (47.4 percent from three) with five assists on the way to the G-League title.
He also saw some time up with the Sixers toward the end of the regular season, appearing in two games where he averaged 12.5 points, five rebounds, and 4.5 assists.
Still, the 24-year old is after a permanent role up in the NBA, which might not have existed for him in Philadelphia. Maybe it finally will down in Orlando though.
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