SAN FRANCISCO — Mac McClung will leave it up to others to decide where he ranks among the best dunkers ever. When it comes to the dunk contest, there is no doubt.
The G League star and former 76ers guard put on a remarkable show at NBA All-Star Saturday night by recording perfect scores of 50 on all four of his jaw-dropping, creative dunks to become the first player to win three straight dunk contests.
“It kind of feels like a blur,” he said. “It’s something I love doing. That’s where my creativity comes … I genuinely love this contest and I love to dunk.”
Nate Robinson is the only other player to win the dunk contest three times, taking it in 2006 and then repeating in 2009-10.
McClung needed to be nearly perfect to top San Antonio’s Stephon Castle in the final round after Castle followed up a 49.6 with his first dunk with a 50 on his second when he went behind his back to switch from his right hand to left before the slam.
But McClung was up to the task and now has as many dunk contest wins in his career as he does dunks in NBA games, according to Sportradar, as he has played only five games in the NBA.
For his final dunk, McClung stationed 6-foot-11 Evan Mobley on a platform in front of the basket. With Mobley holding the ball behind his head, the 6-2 McClung jumped over him, tapped the rim with the ball before slamming it home to the delight of the crowd and judges.
His performance got NBA stars like Ja Morant and Giannis Antetokounmpo to talk about getting into the contest to go up against McClung.
“I think the contest is a beautiful thing,” McClung said. “I know people probably want bigger stars in it and I would love to see that. I think it’s important for the people in it to want to do it. … This contest is a special thing. We all love it.”
McClung’s first dunk in the final round featured him taking one ball in midair for a windmill dunk with his right hand while slamming home another stationed near the rim with his left.
McClung also received two perfect scores in the opening round. On the first, a car was parked in the lane with a person standing through the sunroof with a ball. McClung jumped over the car, took the ball and did a reverse, behind-the-head dunk, drawing gasps from the crowd and a 50.
McClung didn’t disappoint on his next try despite having already clinched a spot in the final. He jumped over a person holding the ball and did a twisting, no-look dunk, getting baseball star Barry Bonds to jump out of his seat for another 50.
McClung said he spent eight or nine months preparing for this contest and isn’t sure if he will go for a fourth straight title.
“I never want to say never, but this one took a lot out of me,” he said.
Castle advanced with more traditional dunks that earned him a total score of 95.
Chicago’s Matas Buzelis and Milwaukee’s Andre Jackson Jr. were eliminated in the first round.
Three-point contest
Miami’s Tyler Herro edged out Golden State’s Buddy Hield to win the three-point contest.
Damian Lillard missed a chance to join Larry Bird and Craig Hodges as the only players to three-peat as three-point champions, with his score of 18 falling one point short of Herro for the final spot in the three-person final.
Herro followed up his third-place performance in the opening round to set the pace in the final with 24 points. He made both special shots worth 3 points and then 3 of 5 from the money-ball rack worth two points each to end it.
Hield followed up a scintillating opening round with 31 points but missed his first six shots in the final. But he got going after that to the delight of his home crowd and had a chance to pull out the win by making six straight money balls to end it.
He made four in a row before one shot rimmed out. He made the final shot to end with 23 points.
“Just happy, enjoying the moment, happy to be here,” Herro said. “I was definitely nervous going into the first round. But I thought I shot it pretty well in the second round, and then Buddy had the chance to tie it at the end. Obviously a great competition, a bunch of great shooters. Like I said, just happy to be here.”
Skills challenge
Cleveland duo Evan Mobley and Donovan Mitchell teamed up to knock off hometown heroes Moses Moody and Green to win the NBA’s skills challenge crown.
The final game after San Antonio’s duo of Victor Wembanyama and Chris Paul were disqualified for trying to cheat in the obstacle course that features players speeding through stations with various passing and shooting drills.