INDIANAPOLIS — Mac McClung turned the fifth participant in NBA historical past to win back-to-back dunk contests when he ended All-Star Saturday evening with a clinching 50-point slam over Shaquille O’Neal.
McClung, who turned a viral sensation in highschool for his high-flying dunks, broke out his highschool jersey when he gained the competition a yr in the past. This time, he introduced out a a lot bigger jersey and handed it to O’Neal, who donned the jersey and held the ball above his head for McClung’s fourth and remaining dunk.
The 6-foot-2 McClung cleared O’Neal and completed with a reverse slam for the one 50-point dunk of the evening to defeat 6-foot-6 Jaylen Brown of the Boston Celtics within the remaining.
McClung, a G Leaguer, mentioned he instructed his dad and mom concerning the concept of getting O’Neal put on his Gate Metropolis Excessive Faculty (Virginia) jersey about 5 or 6 weeks in the past, they usually sprang into motion. When it was time for the dunk, McClung mentioned O’Neal instructed him one factor.
“I instructed him will you place it on, and he mentioned, ‘You higher not miss this dunk,'” McClung mentioned. “I used to be like, ‘All proper, I will not miss it.’
“What a cool man to try this, man. What an incredible man to try this for myself and my hometown. That simply reveals who he’s. It is actually cool of him.”
McClung mentioned he had been considering for weeks concerning the dunks and would keep up late at evening texting his finest buddies movies of dunks and asking in the event that they thought these had been adequate or not.
“And so they’re like, ‘Yeah, they’re adequate. Now, I will mattress,'” McClung mentioned jokingly.
McClung joins Zach LaVine (2015-16), Nate Robinson (2009-10), Jason Richardson (2002-03) and Michael Jordan (1987-88) as the one back-to-back dunk contest champions.
If McClung had been to return to the dunk contest subsequent season, he might develop into the primary participant to win in three consecutive seasons and would be a part of Robinson as the one three-time champions.
“I am going to give it some thought,” he mentioned when requested if he deliberate to provide it a attempt in 2025.
Brown turned the primary participant to compete within the dunk contest in his All-Star season since Victor Oladipo in 2018. The final participant to win the dunk contest in his All-Star season was John Wall in 2014.
Brown made the ultimate with a callback to dunk contest choose Dominique Wilkins along with his first slam then sealed the deal by leaping over YouTuber and social media sensation Kai Cenat, with an help from Celtics teammate Jayson Tatum on the toss.
“I assumed I had enjoyable,” Brown mentioned. “I believe that was what the last word factor, was to exit and have enjoyable. I completed that. It was an honor. At the very least I can say I did it at one level in my profession, and I can dwell with that.”
Together with his first dunk within the remaining, McClung jumped over two folks — one sitting on the opposite’s shoulders — for a 48.8 rating from the panel, simply larger than Brown’s 48.6. Brown donned a Brewster Academy (New Hampshire) jersey honoring Terrence Clarke, a Boston native who performed a season at Kentucky and died in a automotive crash simply months earlier than the 2021 NBA draft.
For his remaining dunk, Brown put a sequined glove on his left hand, a nod to some who’ve joked he would not go left when he drives. Brown jumped over Cleveland Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell and completed with a left-handed windmill slam for a 49.2.
Needing a minimum of a 49.1 to win, McClung’s dunk over O’Neal capped the victory.
O’Neal additionally was concerned within the night’s first dunk. Miami Warmth rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. jumped over O’Neal however wanted the help of his hand on O’Neal’s shoulder to finish the jam.
After that, New York Knicks ahead Jacob Toppin referred to as upon his older brother and 2022 NBA dunk contest winner Obi for his first dunk. Like Jaquez, Jacob determined to leap over his particular visitor, hitting a reverse slam.
Jaquez (94.2) and Toppin (95.0) didn’t qualify for the ultimate.
Lillard defends 3-point title on final shot
Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard went back-to-back because the NBA 3-point champion, profitable this yr’s competitors on the ultimate shot try.
After getting by means of to the ultimate spherical on a tiebreaker, Lillard made it to his remaining rack tied at 24 factors with Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young and needing only one shot to earn the victory.
Lillard missed the primary 4 photographs from the left nook earlier than sinking the ultimate one to earn the victory.
“Once I received to the ultimate rack, I did not know my actual rating, however once I missed a pair, I heard the group simply oohing and aahing,” Lillard mentioned. “As soon as they stored doing it again and again, I knew I used to be nonetheless alive as a result of I knew they might have stopped if it had been over for me. The subsequent two balls, I missed once more, after which I grabbed the subsequent one and I knew I wanted that to win.”
Lillard turned the eighth participant in NBA historical past to win a number of 3-point contests and the primary to go back-to-back since Jason Kapono gained in 2007 and 2008. Lillard additionally gained it final yr whereas with the Portland Path Blazers.
Like the abilities problem that preceded it, the 3-point contest required a tiebreaker after 4 of the eight shooters within the first spherical completed with 26 factors — Lillard, Younger, Minnesota Timberwolves ahead Karl-Anthony Towns and Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton.
Since solely three gamers might advance to the ultimate spherical, a 30-second tiebreaker was held to see which three would transfer on. Haliburton completed with simply 12 factors in that occasion, so the others superior.
Group Pacers takes abilities problem
It took a pair of tiebreakers, however the hometown Group Pacers began NBA All-Star Saturday evening with a victory within the abilities problem.
After Group All-Stars gained the ultimate problem to tie the rating at 200, the 2 squads confronted off in a half-court problem. Haliburton clinched the victory by draining his shot for Group Pacers, who gained in roughly half the time it took Group All-Stars.
“We felt like there was quite a lot of power within the constructing,” Haliburton mentioned. “We heard in our intros how loud the group will get, and that was thrilling for us to be part of.
“This entire weekend has been thrilling for us to be part of, I believe all of us can agree, with the ability to do stuff locally, doing model activations, all these things, has been quite a lot of enjoyable. And good for folks to see our metropolis for what it’s, somewhat than after they come right here, they do not actually exit as a result of we play the subsequent day or no matter. They will really benefit from the metropolis for what it’s.”
Group Pacers comprised Haliburton, Bennedict Mathurin and Myles Turner, whereas Group All-Stars was made up of three Japanese Convention All-Stars: the Hawks’ Younger, Toronto Raptors ahead Scottie Barnes and Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey.
The third workforce concerned within the Abilities Problem was Group Prime Picks, which featured 2020 No. 1 decide Anthony Edwards, 2022 No. 1 decide Paolo Banchero and 2023 No. 1 decide Victor Wembanyama.
Haliburton put an exclamation level on Group Pacers’ win within the first problem, a relay occasion, ending issues off by going between his legs to throw it off the glass earlier than hitting an emphatic dunk.
Group Prime Picks had an opportunity at profitable the primary problem, however the right-handed Edwards opted to shoot his 3-pointers left-handed, lacking all three.
The second problem was a passing occasion and introduced on a tiebreaker when Group Pacers and Group All-Stars every completed with 72 factors. Within the tiebreaker, Group Pacers earned a 92-90 win.
Within the remaining taking pictures spherical, Group All-Stars dominated the occasion to tie the competition for the reason that first two challenges had been price 100 factors and the ultimate spherical was price 200. Group All-Stars took 58.8 seconds to hit its half-court shot within the tiebreaker, opening the door for Haliburton to earn the victory for his workforce.