Mac McClung soared in Salt Lake City in 2023.
He got major altitude in Indianapolis in 2024.
Now, he’ll try to sky for a three-peat in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest by slamming in San Francisco.
Shams Charania of ESPN first reported on Monday afternoon that McClung would join San Antonio’s Stephon Castle, Matas Buzelis of Chicago and Milwaukee’s Andre Jackson Jr. in the event scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 15 at the Chase Center in the Bay Area.
A former star at Gate City High School, McClung is trying to become the first player to win three consecutive dunk titles and he will once again be the odds-on favorite. Former New York Knicks standout Nate Robinson is the only other three-time winner as he prevailed in 2006, 2009 and 2010.
McClung won the 2023 dunk showcase with scores of 50, 49.8, 50 and 50.
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His four dunks last February got marks of 48, 49.4, 48,8 and 50 from the judges.
McClung is one of just 15 players to compete in three or more dunk contests since the NBA first sanctioned the event in 1984.
Legends Dominque Wilkins and Clyde Drexler were in the dunk contest the most at five times apiece. The aforementioned Robinson, Virginia native Jerome Kersey, Dwight Howard and Shawn Kemp each entered four of the showcases for slammers.
McClung joins Michael Jordan (1985, 1987, 1988), Aaron Gordon (2016, 2017, 2020), Gerald Green (2007, 2008, 2013), Desmond Mason (2001, 2002, 2003), Jason Richardson (2002, 2003, 2004), Kenny Smiith (1990, 1991, 1993), Terence Stansbury (1985, 1986, 1987) and Spud Webb (1986, 1988, 1989) as three-time participants in the event.
The 6-foot-2 McClung and his awe-inspiring vertical leap will be the headliner of the 2025 edition as he attempts to take home another trophy.
The night before he will compete in the NBA Rising Stars Challenge for a third consecutive year.
Currently signed to a two-way contract with the Orlando Magic, the 26-year-old McClung has appeared in just one regular-season game for the NBA club and that occurred in November at Memphis when he logged five minutes.
He has spent most of the season with the G League’s Osceola Magic.
He’ll be the shortest and oldest competitor in the dunk field.
A rookie for the Spurs and a former national champion at the University of Connecticut, the 6-foot-6 Castle is averaging 11.7 points per game for San Antonio. He’s 20-years-old.
The 6-foot-10 Buzelis, 20, is averaging 4.9 points for the Chicago Bulls after playing in the G League last season.
Andre Jackson Jr., 23, also played at UConn and also stands 6-6 like Castle. He is averaging 3.6 points for the Milwaukee Bucks.
Despite playing in just five NBA regular-season games over his four pro seasons – one each with the Chicago Bulls and the Los Angeles Lakers in 2022, two with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2023 and his lone outing with Orlando this season – McClung has reached national prominence by dominating the G League and moreso by throwing it down in the dunk contest with his creative and gravity-defying assortment of jams.
He was the G League MVP last year for Osceola as he led the minor league circuit in scoring. He is also a former G League Rookie of the Year and champion.
He has spent time with five different NBA organizations since going undrafted out of Texas Tech in 2021.
