The Texas Tech star has done well with his G League team, the Delaware Blues Coats, so they decided to offer him a clearer path to the NBA. McClung then became a Utah All-Star after winning his contest by slam dunking during a weekend performance. He scored four dunks, three of which were perfect 50s, all in one try. His new colleague Tyrese Maxey and NBA champion LeBron James hailed his efforts.
Mac McClung, the first player from the NBA’s young G League to compete in the All-Star Game Slam Dunk competition, welcomes the opportunities that accompany being a viral dunker. Nevertheless, as he gracefully does a post-interview interview amid a frenzy of questions regarding his reel days in Gate City, McClung can’t help but feel that he really feels pigeonholed.
Early Life
On January 6, 1999, Mac McClung was born in Gate City, Virginia, a small town of around 2,000 people in the Tri-Cities metropolitan region on the Tennessee-Virginia border. Marcus and Lenore McClung are his parents. His father was a U.S. Attorney for Scott County, and his mother worked as a teacher at Gate City High School.
He grew up with his sister Anna, a former Virginia High School League goalkeeper. He began his career playing soccer, which is significantly more popular in southwestern Virginia than basketball. According to his family in a 2018 interview, McClung was an extremely competitive young man.
McClung’s athleticism and competitiveness have piqued the interest of many. It comes from his parents, of course. Father Marcus was a soccer player at Virginia Tech, and Lenore was a cheerleader. Marcus’ brother, Seth McClung, threw in the major leagues, and his father had two sisters who played for the Canada national team.
Mac McClung had two sisters who played soccer, one of whom he surpassed to become the all-time highest scorer in Virginia Public High School history. He also has a younger sibling who plays T-ball and underground soccer.
McClung went undrafted in 2021 after three years of college, two at Georgetown and one at Texas Tech. Instead, the 6-foot-2 guard headed to the NBA G League, mainly in South Bay, where he competed for the Lakers, but Windy City and was named Rookie of the Year.
Slam Dunk Champion
McClung performed flawlessly, nailing all dunks on the first attempt. Three of his four dunks received perfect 50s from the judges, while one received a 49.8. Several admirers were drawn to McClung’s physical attributes, such as his height and vertical jump.
He stands 6 feet 2 inches tall with a vertical leap of 43.5 inches as measured by the NBA G League Draft Combine, among the top ten vertical jumpers. Others believe McClung’s vertical jump in high school might have been 47 to 48 inches.
Contracts
On October 23, 2021, he agreed to a contract with the Los Angeles Lakers NBA G League club South Bay On October 23, 2021, he agreed to a contract with the Los Angeles Lakers club South Bay. Mac made his South Bay basketball debut with a game-high 24 points, 9 assists, and 6 rebounds in a 112-105 win over NBA G League Ignite on November 5, 2021.
On December 22, 2021, McClung committed to a 10-day contract with the Chicago Bulls. He signed a second 10-day contract with the club on January 1, 2022. On January 4, 2022, McClung was transferred to the Windy City Bulls, the Chicago Bulls NBA G League club.
McClung was acquired back by the South Bay Lakers after his 10-day contract ended on January 11, 2022. He was named G League Rookie of the Year in 2021-22. McClung and the Los Angeles Lakers have committed to a two-year contract that will begin on April 9, 2022.
On June 29, he turned down a $1.62 million conditional contract in Los Angeles and became his agent for free. McClung joined the Golden State Warriors summer team after playing in two summer league games with the Los Angeles Lakers.
On July 22, 2022, McClung and the Warriors agreed to a one-year, no-guarantee contract. McClung was released by the Warriors on October 3, 2022.
On October 9, 2022, the Philadelphia 76ers acquired McClung to an Exhibit 10 contract, then released him the next day. McClung will play for the NBA G League’s Delaware Blue Courts in 2022-23. He’s making reference to the fact that he’s unaware of any other possibilities.
Mac McClung’s Net Worth
As of 2023, Mac McClung’s net worth is expected to be $5 million. He earned a total of $106,352 in career earnings throughout his professional basketball career. He also earns a lot of money by promoting brands on social media. On February 19th, McClung marketed his jewelry company Jaxxon on Instagram.
2023 Slam Dunk Contest
He is one of four competitors in the AT&T Slam Dunk Contest, which commenced at 8 p.m. on Saturday, February 18th, at Vivint Arena. On February 14th, guard Matthew ‘Mac’ McClung of the year signed a two-way deal with the Philadelphia 76ers. It means he may play for his NBA team or the Delaware Blue Courts of the G League. With the exception of his second dunk in the first round, which received a 49, his 19 out of 20 ratings were outstanding.
Aspiring basketball star Mac McClung won the 2023 NBA Slam Dunk Contest. Fans were astounded when he won the competition by defeating Trey Murphy III in the final round. Among other events on the night, Team Jazz (Jordan Clarkson, Walker Kessler, and Colin Sexton) won the Skills Challenge with a total of 300 points, while Damian Lillard won the 3-point challenge in the final round with 26 points in the finals. Mac McClung is truly an underdog.
McClung will have to get his first USA basketball experience before camping with the Warriors. If he wins two games during that time, the United States will be in the greatest position to get into the World Cup, his ultimate qualifier for the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
Playing for his nation is “everything,” McClung said. “It’s what you dream about when you’re young, and here I am. One day, I’ll hang up this jersey and tell my children about the chance that was given to me. “As a result, I am quite grateful.”
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