Why Mac McClung Is Playing In DUNKMAN League But Not NBA

Mac McClung dunks the shot during the 2025 AT&T Slam Dunk Contest astatine Chase Center connected February 15, 2025 successful San Francisco. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Getty Images

Mac McClung is simply a two-time G League MVP. That includes past play erstwhile he averaged 23.5 points and 6.7 assists for the Windy City Bulls.

Given that type of capacity successful the NBA’s developmental league, why isn’t McClung connected an NBA roster?

“There’s a batch of guys who should beryllium successful the NBA that are not,” McClung exclusively shared. “Starting arsenic an undrafted subordinate and getting successful and uncovering your domiciled permanently is simply a very challenging task.”

There, though, is still time.

McClung did not motion his non-guaranteed, two-year, $4.9 million, minimum statement pinch the Indiana Pacers past play until October of 2025. After playing 3 games pinch the Pacers and past 8 pinch the Chicago Bulls, he is weighing his hoops options for 2026-27.

But the 27-year-old player, who scored 59 points successful a crippled past twelvemonth en way to becoming the G League’s all-time starring scorer, apt won’t beryllium backmost successful the G League.

“You ne'er want to opportunity ne'er for immoderate situation, but I consciousness for illustration I’ve astir apt applied arsenic overmuch unit arsenic I tin successful the G League,” he said. “I’ve done everything I could successful that league.”

McClung is spending the summertime honing his decision-making. During training sessions he besides is sitting down for 10 minutes earlier making a pressure-packed changeable to hole for spot aliases end-of-the-bench work successful the NBA.

“I’m conscionable moving and waiting,” he said. “And we’ll spot what business comes to be.”

He’s participating successful the caller DUNKMAN convention — 0f which Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal is the commissioner — arsenic well.

The first-ever master dunking convention includes dunkers successful 4 groups of six. McClung is successful the last Aug. 11 group of dunkers who will effort to beforehand to the title Aug. 25.

Before becoming a three-time NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion, McClung had studied videos of galore the early DUNKMAN participants, and Isaiah Rivera, a subordinate successful Group C, moreover fto him believe dunking complete his ain car.

“These guys person not only inspired maine but helped maine triumph these dunk contests,” McClung said. “I benignant of wanted to acquisition this pinch them.”

Further information to compete was the beingness of O’Neal. The 15-time All-Star has exchanged texts pinch McClung since the second was successful precocious school, and past McClung dunked complete the 7’1” O’Neal during the 2024 Slam Dunk Contest.

“He’s been truthful supportive of me,” McClung said. “Getting to beryllium astir him is evidently specified a privilege, man, 1 of the top to ever play the crippled and besides specified a cool, charismatic guy.”

There’s besides the opportunity to beryllium the 1 to triumph the $500,000 expansive prize retired of the 24 DUNKMAN contestants.

“Those guys are amazing,” he said. “If I put capable clip into it, if I put capable activity into it, americium I going to beryllium imaginative enough? … If those check, I ever consciousness bully astir the outcome.”

Viewers tin watch the unrecorded result connected TNT and HBO Max connected Tuesday, but the convention has picked up its astir traction connected societal media. The group stages person received much than 150 cardinal societal views per week.

O’Neal’s information for DUNKMAN was to create a amended dunking level than the NBA’s existent type of the Slam Dunk Contest.

“It’s been (bleep) for the past 12 years,” O’Neal exclusively shared. “It hurts my heart.”

And fixed his dunking resume, McClung was an evident prime for DUNKMAN — whether aliases not he makes it backmost to the NBA.

“This is my story, man,” McClung said. “If it each useful retired awesome aliases doesn’t, I’m really trusting the process.”