Mac McClung becomes fan favorite at NBA All-Star Weekend — and in Philly — before first Sixers practice
McClung, who only recently signed with the Sixers, took the basketball world by storm with his all-time performance in the Slam Dunk contest.
SALT LAKE CITY — Mac McClung woke up Sunday morning as the NBA’s most popular two-way player.
Saturday night, the 76ers point guard received words of advice from Shaquille O’Neal, took selfies with Lisa Leslie, and was bombarded with countless media requests.
But McClung’s Instagram following is the biggest proof of his growing popularity on the heels of winning the NBA Slam Dunk contest to conclude All-Star Saturday Night at Vivint Arena.
Earlier in the week, McClung had around 52,000 followers. That number ballooned to more than one million by Sunday morning. McClung also earned the top two spots in ESPN’s SportsCenter top 10, which could also boost his following. So should the 520 million video views his performance generated in the first 12 hours. That’s the most for an All-Star Saturday Night.
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His victory is the ultimate underdog story.
The 24-year-old grew up in Gate City, a town with a population of 2,030 in southwest Virginia. He was a YouTube sensation for his acrobatic dunks while at Gate City High School. The former three-star college recruit went on to play two seasons at Georgetown before transferring to Texas Tech.
After one season with the Red Raiders, McClung went undrafted in 2021, eventually landing two 10-day contracts with the Chicago Bulls and a two-way deal with the Los Angeles Lakers. But his in-season career has mostly consisted of NBA G League stints with the South Bay Lakers, Windy City Bulls, and Delaware Blue Coats.
“It kind of feels like ever since the beginning I was the underdog, even when I was younger,” McClung said. “Yeah, just like I was saying, just kind of proving yourself right and not others wrong brings a little more satisfaction. So I just kind of look at it that way.”
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But here in Utah, McClung was one of All-Star Weekend’s main attractions.
He played for Team Jason, which consisted of G League standouts, in Friday night’s 40-32 Jordan Rising Stars game loss to Team Joakim at the arena. McClung had 10 points, two rebounds, two assists, and one steal in nine minutes.
And he was originally scheduled to compete in Sunday’s NBA G League Next Up Game at the Jon M. Huntsman Center. However, it was revealed Saturday night that he would be on hand but would not play. It didn’t matter. McClung’s skills were on full display in the Rising Stars game and dunk contest.
Now even before competing in his first Sixers practice, McClung is a fan favorite in Philly. He’s been a hot topic of conversation here in the Crossroads of the West. Waitresses at Salt Stone restaurant marveled at the leaping ability of “that small guy from Philadelphia.” And an Uber driver called McClung the “best dunker” he’s seen.
“I’m super grateful for this opportunity,” McClung said. “I think a lot of guys in the G League probably deserve this light that I just got. I’m very appreciative and I hope I represented well for them, and I really appreciate the NBA giving us this opportunity.”