Want to know who won the 2023 NBA Slam Dunk Contest? To the newbies, it’s a basketball shot that takes place when a player jumps in the air and shoves the ball through the basket by controlling it over the horizontal surface of the rim. Well, the Dunk Contest was held on 18 February 2023 in Salt Lake City, Utah. There was not just one but several players. Who made it to the contest with a near-perfect score?
Concerning the winner of the 2023 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, we may provide you with a hint, at first- the player is signed to the Philadelphia 76ers. Any guesses? Keeping his identity secretive for some time, let’s just appreciate the other players who took the floor and gave several highlights.
In every match, there is one winner. But that doesn’t lower the capabilities or competence of the other players. Even they performed well in the three events- Skills Challenge, 3-Point Shootout, and the Slam Dunk Contest.
Concerning the first two events, Team Jazz (Jordan Clarkson, Walker Kessler, Collin Sexton) and Damian Lillard won them, respectively. But what about the Slam Dunk Contest? Who won it? The last one has always been the main event of that particular night. If you are looking for the winner of the 2023 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, here is every detail that you must know.
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Meet The Winner Of The 2023 NBA Slam Dunk Contest: Who Is He?
As far as the winner of the 2023 NBA Slam Dunk Contest is concerned, he is the Philadelphia 76ers point guard, Matthew “Mac” McClung. Before getting into how he won, let’s briefly discuss his prominence.
Born on 6 January 1999, Mac McClung is now 24 years old. This basketball player hails from Kingsport, Tennessee. He has played for several teams like- South Bay Lakers, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers, and Delaware Blue Coats. Talking about his achievements, this year, he successfully won the NBA G League Next Up Game. In 2022, Mac McClung made it to the title of NBA G League Rookie of the Year.
Following his passion for basketball, Mac McClung started playing the sport even for his high school, Gate City, in Virginia. On 18 February, he paid tribute by wearing his high school jersey during the Slam Dunk Contest. In the final round, Mac McClung beat Trey Murphy III.
Just before the 2023 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, Mac McClung got himself signed a two-way contract with the Sixers. He didn’t waste the opportunity! How did he start? Well, Mac McClung jumped over a couple of people and tapped the ball on the backboard.
Thereafter, he threw the ball down with a reverse slam on the very first attempt. Out of his four dunks, three earned a perfect 50 score from fellow judges. Whereas the other one got 49.8. Well, that’s near to perfect. Guess what the best part was? Each of the dunks was performed at his first attempts.
Since Mac McClung is new and young, many people criticized him in the beginning. They felt like Mac was not deserving enough to even take part in the Slam Dunk Contest. But he proved everyone wrong. Today, for his win, even Earvin Magic Johnson credited him through a Twitter post. Everyone knows Mac McClung now.
Mac McClung has personally saved the slam dunk contest with his performance tonight!! He put on a show! 🔥🔥🔥
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) February 19, 2023
After Mac McClung won the 2023 NBA Slam Dunk Contest, he left everyone speechless. In the final round, Trey Murphy III from New Orleans Pelicans also performed well, where his dunks earned 49.2 and 48.8 points, respectively. These were great too, but Mac McClung did a little better job.
Fans started sending congratulatory messages to Mac McClung. Best wishes to Mac McClung. It’s just the beginning for him, as he is too young and has a lot to explore in his basketball career. Make sure you follow Mac McClung on his Instagram account for more updates!
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