WILMINGTON, DE — Mac McClung got hit with some harsh reality following his phenomenal display in the 2023 NBA Dunk Contest. After signing a two-way contract with the Philadelphia 76ers and becoming an overnight sensation for his stellar dunks at All-Star weekend, he put up a poor performance in the Delaware Blue Coats' first game after the All-Star break.
In 25 minutes, McClung shot 2-9 from the field in the Blue Coats' 116-11 loss to the Motor City Cruise, the Detroit Pistons' G League affiliate. He did have a team-high seven assists and many of his passes led to shooting fouls for his teammates but didn't close out the tightly contested game. Head coach Coby Karl said that staying mentally locked in for the Dunk Contest tired him out, partly explaining his poor game. McClung himself didn't make any excuses.
“I struggled a ton tonight, one of my worst performances in a while,” McClung said. “But, you know, that's life. I don't think I'm looking at it any different than I have [previously]. It's all about the bounce back and see as a team if we can come back and get a win Friday.” He added that poor games like this can be a lesson for him and that he's looking to keep “progressing each day.”
Many fans attended the Wednesday night matchup at Chase Fieldhouse mostly to see him. There was an added buzz among the crowd in the few instances that he made a shot. McClung enjoys and appreciates the attention yet is still keeping his focus on the court. He has newfound fame after dominating the Dunk Contest but the prize in his eyes is still a real spot on an NBA roster and being an impactful player.
“I think like it's easy to say like, ‘Oh, if I get better at this, I'll get a chance.’ But a lot of it is just waiting your turn. Like, I really haven't had a turn yet, you know what I mean? So when I have that turn, I believe I'll make the most of it,” McClung said. “I just try to play the game the right way, not really force too much.”
McClung said that he hasn't had the chance to talk with Doc Rivers, Joel Embiid or anyone else on the Sixers roster or coaching staff yet. The odds of him getting his shot with a veteran-laden squad hoping to compete for a championship are minuscule at best. The 24-year-old is likely going to finish out the 2022-23 season in Delaware. But the chance to keep improving his game and get attention from talent evaluators around the league is not lost on him.
While his performance in the Dunk Contest got people to know his name, Mac McClung wants people to remember it. He hunting for a chance at being a full-time NBA player, his best chance to make that a reality.
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