Mac McClung Steals the Show, Wins Slam Dunk Contest at 2023 All-Star

• Mac McClung has won the 2023 NBA All-Star Slam Dunk contest
• He defeated Trey Murphy III, Kenyon Martin Jr. and Jericho Sims
• He recently signed a two-way contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, having previously played just two NBA games

Days after signing a two-way contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, Mac McClung was catapulted into the limelight with an emphatic Slam Dunk contest win at the 2023 NBA All-Star event in Salt Lake City.

The 24-year-old beat the New Orleans Pelicans' Trey Murphy III in the final round and helped eliminate the Houston Rockets' Kenyon Martin Jr. and New York Knicks' Jericho Sims before that.

Since 2016, most Slam Dunk contests have failed to live up to the hype. After McColung's win, many fans felt he saved the day, which was underwhelming like many events in the last few years.

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The 6-foot-2 guard is the first Sixers player to win the event since it officially started in 1984.

How McClung won the Slam Dunk contest

The guard recorded 50s across the board in his first dunk in the first round. He took the ball out of the hands of a man sitting on another man's shoulders and touched it off the backboard before slamming it home.

His second attempt was also great. He didn't need assistance on the second one -- a 360 degrees two-handed jam. He got 50 from all judges except Lisa Leslie.

He started strongly in the final round; he took the ball out of a helper's head, double pumped before throwing down a reverse dunk, getting a score of 50 from all the judges, according to CBS Sports.

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His competitor in the final, Murphy, started well, but McClung's final dunk sealed the deal. Donning his high school jersey, the guard completed an emphatic 540-degree spin and slam to win the contest.

After the final dunk, he did Vince Carter's "It's over" celebration. He was pleased with the end of the event.

"It's all been a blur. You can really do whatever you want to do ... If you manifest and put your mind to it, you can literally make your life and reinvent yourself every day," via ESPN.

NBA alters All-Star draft

Sports Brief earlier reported on the league making a slight change to the All-Star draft. Starters will now be picked first.

This tweak avoids the embarrassment that comes with getting picked last in the draft. Therefore, the 14 reserves will be picked first by team captains LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

For the first time, the draft will happen just before tip-off. Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry are the biggest names missing the event.