Who is Mac McClung, the new Dunk Contest winner? Bio and all the details

Who is Mac McClung, the new Dunk Contest winner? Bio and all the details

Helix Odhiambo
updated at April 12, 2023 at 8:26 PM

Mac McClung is an American basketball player who became famous following his high-flying dunks and scoring abilities. He defeated Trey Murphy of New Orleans to clinch the 2023 dunk contest. So, who is Mac McClung, and where does he play?

Mac McClung dunk contest
Mac McClung of the Philadelphia 76ers poses with the trophy after winning the 2023 NBA All-Star AT&T Slam Dunk Contest at Vivint Arena on 18 February 2023 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Photo: Tim Nwachukwu
Source: Getty Images

Many people were shocked when McClung, a player who spent most of his time in the NBA G League, won a dunk contest. He proved his immense potential and talent to those who doubted him. Born on 6 January 1999, Mac McClung's age is only 24, yet he has achieved many impressive accomplishments.

Name

Matthew "Mac" McClung

Date of Birth

6 January 1999

Age

24 (as of February 2023)

Place of birth

Gate City, Virginia, United States

Nationality

American

Profession

American professional basketball player

NBA Draft

December 2021

Position

Point Guard

Height

1.8 m (6 feet 2 inches)

Weight

88 kg

Education

Gate City High School, Georgetown University, Texas Tech

Parents

Marcus, Lenoir McClung

Siblings

Anna, Noah, Cam

Social media

Instagram, Twitter

Net Worth

$5 million

Mac McClung's family

The basketball star was born and raised in Gate City, Virginia, to Marcus and Lenoir McClung. He has a sister called Anna and two brothers, Noah and Cam. His parents enrolled him in a local youth league, where he nurtured his basketball talent.

Education

McClung attended Gate City High School before joining Georgetown University for his higher studies. He later transferred to Texas Tech.

What is Mac McClung's height?

Matthew is one of the basketball stars with incredible heights. He is 1.8 m or 6 feet 2 inches tall and 84 kg (185 pounds).

Mac McClung's dunk contest

Mac McClung's contract
Mac (top) of the Philadelphia 76ers dunks the ball in the 2023 NBA All-Star AT&T Slam Dunk Contest at Vivint Arena on 18 February 2023 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Photo: Tim Nwachukwu
Source: Getty Images

The point guard outshined Trey Murphy of New Orleans in the 2023 drunk contest final. Mac pulled a 540-degree dunk, one-and-a-half rotations in the air. In the end, he scored 100.0, while Murphy got 98.0. It was a stunning win for the Gate City boy, who only has two appearances in the NBA.

He also became the NBA dunk champion with the fewest games played (2). Following his victory, Mac became the second white player to win the contest after Brent Barry in 1996. Barry won the prestigious trophy as a rookie after defeating Darrell Armstrong in the final.

Basketball career

Mac McClung's high school career was quite impressive. He was one of the most outstanding players in the school team. Some fans will remember him for scoring 44 points against Fern Creek High School at Arby's Classic tournament in Bristol.

Mac Mcclung's high school
Guard McClung of the Texas Tech Red Raiders passes the ball during their college game against the Iowa State Cyclones at United Supermarkets Arena on 4 March 2021 in Lubbock, Texas. Photo: John E
Source: Getty Images

After high school, Mac joined Georgetown University, where he continued to play basketball. He played for two seasons and later transferred to Texas Tech for his final year, where he also played for the Texas Tech Red Raiders. In 2021, he was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round (55th overall).

Is McClung playing in the NBA?

The basketball star recently joined the Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA after spending most of his time in the NBA G League. Matthew signed for LA Lakers in 2021 but only played one game. He went to South Bay Lakers, an affiliate of the LA Lakers in the G-League. The player averaged nearly 20 points per game for South Bay.

In April 2022, he moved to the Chicago Bulls. However, Mac McClung's bulls did not last long. He only played one game and then assigned to the Bull's G-League affiliate, Windy City Bulls. Mac McClung's contract with the Bulls ended in January 2022, and he returned to South Bay Lakers. He appeared briefly with the Golden State Warriors in preseason games in Japan last October 2022.

Mac McClung's stats

Mac McClung's stats
Mac McClung (0) of the South Bay Lakers drives to the basket during the game against the Texas Legends on 22 March 2022 at UCLA Health Training Center in El Segundo, California. Photo: Adam Pantozzi
Source: Getty Images

The talented point guard won the 2021-22 G League Rookie of the Year following his outstanding performance with South Bay Lakers and Windy City Bulls. He managed 21.6 points, 7.6 assists, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.4 steals in 27 games while playing for both teams.

However, Matthew has only played two games in his NBA career, for LA Lakers and Chicago Bulls, scoring four points, 0.5 assists, and 1.1 rebounds.

What is Mac McClung's current team?

The guard left Golden State Warriors to join Delaware Blue Coats in the G-League for the 2022-2023 season. On 14 February 2023, he penned a two-way contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, meaning he can play for the Blue Coats or the 76ers.

Mac McClung's salary

Mac McClung's salary
McClung (0) of the Delaware Blue Coats handles the ball against the Motor City Cruise on 24 February 2023 at Chase Field House (Wilmington) in Wilmington, Delaware. Photo: KeShawn Ennis
Source: Getty Images

Matthew's two-way contract with the 76ers means he will receive 50% of the minimum salary given to an NBA player with 0 years of experience in the league. Due to the increase in the salary cap, he earns up to $500k. While it is uncertain how long Mac McClung's 76ers career will last, his fans will hope to see more of him.

Social media

The youngster is also on social media and has verified accounts on Instagram and Twitter with millions of followers. Mac McClung's Instagram has attracted 1.1 million followers as of February 2023. His Twitter account has 106.3k followers.

Mac McClung's life and status have changed since winning the 2023 NBA dunk contest. Many people want to learn more about him and see him perform in the NBA. His fans also hope he overcomes his NBA woes and proves other doubters wrong at 7ers.

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Authors
Helix Odhiambo photo
Helix Odhiambo
Helix Odhiambo is an award-winning Kenyan journalist and content creator with over 6 years of experience. In 2016, he won the Goal Blaze Correspondent Award for young writers.